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Eugene Beaulieu, interviewed by Albert Michaud, Part 1
Eugene Beaulieu
Eugene Beaulieu, interviewed by Albert Michaud, November 16, 1994, at his home in Milford, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Beaulieu remembers growing up on French Island in Old Town, including family history; schools; neighborhood relationships; softball; speaking French; children's entertainment; parent's work; changing French names to English; and placement of houses on French Island.
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Eugene Beaulieu, interviewed by Albert Michaud, Part 2
Eugene Beaulieu
Eugene Beaulieu, interviewed by Albert Michaud, November 16, 1994, at his home in Milford, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Beaulieu remembers growing up on French Island in Old Town, including family history; schools; neighborhood relationships; softball; speaking French; children's entertainment; parent's work; changing French names to English; and placement of houses on French Island.
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Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 1
Benoit Bouchard
Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, May 24, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Bouchard talks about family history; emigration from Canada to Old Town; businesses on French Island and work opportunities off the Island; his father's ice cream parlor and confectionery store; Fourth of July celebrations; baseball and other games; growing up with, and recovering from polio paralysis; speaking French at home and English at school; houses on the Island; cutting and storing ice; electricity on the Island; work and recreation on the Penobscot River.
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Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 2
Benoit Bouchard
Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, May 24, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Bouchard talks about family history; emigration from Canada to Old Town; businesses on French Island and work opportunities off the Island; his father's ice cream parlor and confectionery store; Fourth of July celebrations; baseball and other games; growing up with, and recovering from polio paralysis; speaking French at home and English at school; houses on the Island; cutting and storing ice; electricity on the Island; work and recreation on the Penobscot River.
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Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by James J. Bishop and Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 1
Benoit Bouchard
Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, May 24, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Bouchard talks about family history; emigration from Canada to Old Town; businesses on French Island and work opportunities off the Island; his father's ice cream parlor and confectionery store; Fourth of July celebrations; baseball and other games; growing up with, and recovering from polio paralysis; speaking French at home and English at school; houses on the Island; cutting and storing ice; electricity on the Island; work and recreation on the Penobscot River.
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Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by James J. Bishop and Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 2
Benoit Bouchard
Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, May 24, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Bouchard talks about family history; emigration from Canada to Old Town; businesses on French Island and work opportunities off the Island; his father's ice cream parlor and confectionery store; Fourth of July celebrations; baseball and other games; growing up with, and recovering from polio paralysis; speaking French at home and English at school; houses on the Island; cutting and storing ice; electricity on the Island; work and recreation on the Penobscot River.
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Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by James J. Bishop and Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 3
Benoit Bouchard
Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, May 24, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Bouchard talks about family history; emigration from Canada to Old Town; businesses on French Island and work opportunities off the Island; his father's ice cream parlor and confectionery store; Fourth of July celebrations; baseball and other games; growing up with, and recovering from polio paralysis; speaking French at home and English at school; houses on the Island; cutting and storing ice; electricity on the Island; work and recreation on the Penobscot River.
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Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 1
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard Bouchard, Albert Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Bertrice Morin
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, February 18, 1994, at Albert and Amy Morin's home in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group reminisces about life on French Island: family relationships; where specific families lived; stores; carpenter work; Great Depression; prices; homebrew, bootlegging, and Prohibition; nicknames; music and dances; cutting and storing ice from the river; coal and grain from the railroad; cellar flooding; property ownership and land use on the island; drainage and sewers; food packaging, barrels and boxes of pickles, crackers, molasses, etc.; buying gasoline; driving in the 1920s; stretching candy; smoking; buying houses in the 1940s and 1950s; fishing; delivering mail; nosy neighbors; funerals; helpful neighbors; college students.
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Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 2
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard Bouchard, Albert Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Bertrice Morin
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, February 18, 1994, at Albert and Amy Morin's home in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group reminisces about life on French Island: family relationships; where specific families lived; stores; carpenter work; Great Depression; prices; homebrew, bootlegging, and Prohibition; nicknames; music and dances; cutting and storing ice from the river; coal and grain from the railroad; cellar flooding; property ownership and land use on the island; drainage and sewers; food packaging, barrels and boxes of pickles, crackers, molasses, etc.; buying gasoline; driving in the 1920s; stretching candy; smoking; buying houses in the 1940s and 1950s; fishing; delivering mail; nosy neighbors; funerals; helpful neighbors; college students.
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Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 3
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard Bouchard, Albert Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Bertrice Morin
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, February 18, 1994, at Albert and Amy Morin's home in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group reminisces about life on French Island: family relationships; where specific families lived; stores; carpenter work; Great Depression; prices; homebrew, bootlegging, and Prohibition; nicknames; music and dances; cutting and storing ice from the river; coal and grain from the railroad; cellar flooding; property ownership and land use on the island; drainage and sewers; food packaging, barrels and boxes of pickles, crackers, molasses, etc.; buying gasoline; driving in the 1920s; stretching candy; smoking; buying houses in the 1940s and 1950s; fishing; delivering mail; nosy neighbors; funerals; helpful neighbors; college students.
Listen
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Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 4
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard Bouchard, Albert Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Bertrice Morin
Benoit Bouchard, Bernard “Bing” Bouchard, Albert “Bert” Morin, Walter Nadeau, and Beatrice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, February 18, 1994, at Albert and Amy Morin's home in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group reminisces about life on French Island: family relationships; where specific families lived; stores; carpenter work; Great Depression; prices; homebrew, bootlegging, and Prohibition; nicknames; music and dances; cutting and storing ice from the river; coal and grain from the railroad; cellar flooding; property ownership and land use on the island; drainage and sewers; food packaging, barrels and boxes of pickles, crackers, molasses, etc.; buying gasoline; driving in the 1920s; stretching candy; smoking; buying houses in the 1940s and 1950s; fishing; delivering mail; nosy neighbors; funerals; helpful neighbors; college students.
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John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 1
John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard
John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, October 19, 1993, at Benoit's home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The Bouchard brothers talk about French Island: neighbors; businesses; school on the Island and teacher's names; interior layout of the school; school yard games; recipe for homemade lemon, onion, and honey cough medicine; family relationships and mother's death; watching fights between Orono and French Island young men; boxing; children's work and play; relationships with neighbors; John's brush with tuberculosis; time at Maine Maritime Academy and joining the Coast Guard.
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John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 2
John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard
John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, October 19, 1993, at Benoit's home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The Bouchard brothers talk about French Island: neighbors; businesses; school on the Island and teacher's names; interior layout of the school; school yard games; recipe for homemade lemon, onion, and honey cough medicine; family relationships and mother's death; watching fights between Orono and French Island young men; boxing; children's work and play; relationships with neighbors; John's brush with tuberculosis; time at Maine Maritime Academy and joining the Coast Guard.
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John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 3
John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard
John Bouchard and Benoit Bouchard, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, October 19, 1993, at Benoit's home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The Bouchard brothers talk about French Island: neighbors; businesses; school on the Island and teacher's names; interior layout of the school; school yard games; recipe for homemade lemon, onion, and honey cough medicine; family relationships and mother's death; watching fights between Orono and French Island young men; boxing; children's work and play; relationships with neighbors; John's brush with tuberculosis; time at Maine Maritime Academy and joining the Coast Guard.
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Norman Brilliant, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 1
Norman Brilliant
Norman Brilliant, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, August 25, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Benoit Bouchard. 18 page transcript. Brilliant discusses life on French Island; father's work; neighbors; businesses; swimming in the Penobscot River; St. Joseph's school and coming home for lunch; food; Christmas; children's and adult's entertainment; Fourth of July; Helen Hunt school; English and French at home and school; WWII in the Pacific; outhouses; weddings on Mondays; funerals; LaBree's bakery.
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Norman Brilliant, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 2
Norman Brilliant
Norman Brilliant, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, August 25, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Benoit Bouchard. 18 page transcript. Brilliant discusses life on French Island; father's work; neighbors; businesses; swimming in the Penobscot River; St. Joseph's school and coming home for lunch; food; Christmas; children's and adult's entertainment; Fourth of July; Helen Hunt school; English and French at home and school; WWII in the Pacific; outhouses; weddings on Mondays; funerals; LaBree's bakery.
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Lucienne Cloutier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 1
Lucienne Cloutier
Lucienne Cloutier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, August 2, 1993, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Cloutier talks about living on French Island; neighbors; animals; stores; meeting her husband and moving onto French Island; emigration from Canada to the Lewiston mills, then to a farm in Old Town; Great Depression; names; Pea Cove school; woolen mill in Old Town; children's entertainment; peddlers; holidays; traditional foods; boxing and baseball games; changes on the Island.
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Lucienne Cloutier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 2
Lucienne Cloutier
Lucienne Cloutier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, August 2, 1993, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Cloutier talks about living on French Island; neighbors; animals; stores; meeting her husband and moving onto French Island; emigration from Canada to the Lewiston mills, then to a farm in Old Town; Great Depression; names; Pea Cove school; woolen mill in Old Town; children's entertainment; peddlers; holidays; traditional foods; boxing and baseball games; changes on the Island.
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Eva Collins, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 1
Eva Collins
Eva Collins, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, November 22, 1993, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Collins discusses moving to French Island after her marriage; LaBree's bakery; other stores and businesses; speaking French; neighbors; adult's and children's entertainment; holidays; blood sausages (boudin); boxing; Great Depression; Prohibition and homebrew; changes on the Island.
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Eva Collins, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 2
Eva Collins
Eva Collins, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, November 22, 1993, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Collins discusses moving to French Island after her marriage; LaBree's bakery; other stores and businesses; speaking French; neighbors; adult's and children's entertainment; holidays; blood sausages (boudin); boxing; Great Depression; Prohibition and homebrew; changes on the Island.
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Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, Part 1
Patrick Crowley
Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, September 21 and October 20, 1993, at the Shuffle Inn in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Crowley talks about life on French Island; family reunions and genealogy; businesses on the Island; St. Joseph's school; crossing the ice; swimming and the booms on the Penobscot river; changes in winter weather; children's work and recreation; neighborhood relationships; getting married; Christmas; mother's divorce; feelings about his religion; working at the University; Saturday baths; Father John's tonic; lighting a candle to pray; bars on French Island.
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Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, Part 2
Patrick Crowley
Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, September 21 and October 20, 1993, at the Shuffle Inn in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Crowley talks about life on French Island; family reunions and genealogy; businesses on the Island; St. Joseph's school; crossing the ice; swimming and the booms on the Penobscot river; changes in winter weather; children's work and recreation; neighborhood relationships; getting married; Christmas; mother's divorce; feelings about his religion; working at the University; Saturday baths; Father John's tonic; lighting a candle to pray; bars on French Island.
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Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, Part 3
Patrick Crowley
Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, September 21 and October 20, 1993, at the Shuffle Inn in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Crowley talks about life on French Island; family reunions and genealogy; businesses on the Island; St. Joseph's school; crossing the ice; swimming and the booms on the Penobscot river; changes in winter weather; children's work and recreation; neighborhood relationships; getting married; Christmas; mother's divorce; feelings about his religion; working at the University; Saturday baths; Father John's tonic; lighting a candle to pray; bars on French Island.
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Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, Part 4
Patrick Crowley
Patrick Crowley, interviewed by Alan Comeau, September 21 and October 20, 1993, at the Shuffle Inn in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Crowley talks about life on French Island; family reunions and genealogy; businesses on the Island; St. Joseph's school; crossing the ice; swimming and the booms on the Penobscot river; changes in winter weather; children's work and recreation; neighborhood relationships; getting married; Christmas; mother's divorce; feelings about his religion; working at the University; Saturday baths; Father John's tonic; lighting a candle to pray; bars on French Island.
Listen
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Yvonne Shorette Currier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 1
Yvonne Shorette Currier
Yvonne Shorette Currier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, November 22, 1993, at her home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Currier, born on French Island in 1908, discusses St. Joseph's school and the Island school; friends and family; children's games; French at home and English at school; parent's work; traditional foods; Silver Slipper dance hall; changes on the Island; Christmas; family names of French Islanders; movie theaters; peddlers, including the ice man; nicknames; homebrew and bootlegging.
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Yvonne Shorette Currier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 2
Yvonne Shorette Currier
Yvonne Shorette Currier, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, November 22, 1993, at her home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Currier, born on French Island in 1908, discusses St. Joseph's school and the Island school; friends and family; children's games; French at home and English at school; parent's work; traditional foods; Silver Slipper dance hall; changes on the Island; Christmas; family names of French Islanders; movie theaters; peddlers, including the ice man; nicknames; homebrew and bootlegging.
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Letter from Christina Bouchard Duplissa to her cousin Amy Bouchard Morin
Christina Bouchard Duplissa and Amy Bouchard Morin
Letter from Christina Bouchard Duplissa to her cousin Amy Bouchard Morin, December 15, 1994. This letter contains reminiscences about Duplissa's early years on French Island in Old Town, Maine, between 1939 and 1950. She recalls children's games and other entertainment; and neighborhood relationships. Typed transcription, no original copy.
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Rosalie “Rose” Bosse Flanagan and Flora Bosse, interviewed by Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Yvonne Ouellette, and Betty Maderos, Part 1
Rosalie Bosse Flanagan and Flora Bosse
Rosalie “Rose” Bosse Flanagan and Flora Bosse, interviewed by Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Yvonne Ouellette, and Betty Maderos, November 22, 1993, Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The two sisters talk about growing up on French Island in Old Town; family history; emigration from Canada; neighbors; swimming; ball games; food shopping on the Island; ice and milk delivery; parents' work; Great Depression; changes on the Island; vegetable gardens; keeping pigs and chickens; Christmas celebrations; French food; St. Joseph School; speaking French at home and school; buying and making clothes; funeral customs and wakes; bootlegging and homebrew; tobacco use; present-day use of French, and extent to which their children's generation speak French. Restriction expired January 1, 2000.
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Rosalie “Rose” Bosse Flanagan and Flora Bosse, interviewed by Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Yvonne Ouellette, and Betty Maderos, Part 2
Rosalie Bosse Flanagan and Flora Bosse
Rosalie “Rose” Bosse Flanagan and Flora Bosse, interviewed by Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Yvonne Ouellette, and Betty Maderos, November 22, 1993, Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The two sisters talk about growing up on French Island in Old Town; family history; emigration from Canada; neighbors; swimming; ball games; food shopping on the Island; ice and milk delivery; parents' work; Great Depression; changes on the Island; vegetable gardens; keeping pigs and chickens; Christmas celebrations; French food; St. Joseph School; speaking French at home and school; buying and making clothes; funeral customs and wakes; bootlegging and homebrew; tobacco use; present-day use of French, and extent to which their children's generation speak French. Restriction expired January 1, 2000.
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Excerpts from letters written by Van Geroux to Leona Taylor and Leilia Richards
Van Geroux
Compilation of excerpts from several letters written by Van Geroux to Leona Taylor (March 12, 1991), and Lelia Richards (several during 1994-1995). In these excerpts, Geroux reminisces about life on French Island in Old Town, Maine: the Shuffle Inn; baseball; children's entertainment; boxing; grocery stores; French Island characters; an extensive list of nicknames; taverns, barbershops, lumber yard, and railroad; street cleaners; movie theaters; priests; horses; feeding and butchering pigs; skiing; pickling and canning food; and beanhole beans. This typed transcript of compiled excerpts lacks overall context of each communication. There are no notations of the length of each excerpt, the original dates of letters, or to whom each letter was sent.
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Marion Guay and Gloria Thornton, interviewed by Albert Michaud, Part 1
Marion Guay and Gloria Thornton
Marion Guay and Gloria Thornton, interviewed by Albert Michaud, May 12, 1994, at Guay's home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Guay and Thornton talk about French Island; schools; children's work; neighborhood and family relationships; women's work for wages; Great Depression; and blood stoppers.
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Marion Guay and Gloria Thornton, interviewed by Albert Michaud, Part 2
Marion Guay and Gloria Thornton
Marion Guay and Gloria Thornton, interviewed by Albert Michaud, May 12, 1994, at Guay's home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Guay and Thornton talk about French Island; schools; children's work; neighborhood and family relationships; women's work for wages; Great Depression; and blood stoppers.
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Patrick “Leo” Lagasse, interviewed by Carol Nichols, Part 1
Patrick Lagasse
Patrick “Leo” Lagasse, interviewed by Carol Nichols, June 4 or 6, 1993, at his home in Westbrook, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Lagasse talks about his memories of French Island in Old Town; nicknames; French and the French Island school; factory and mill work; Great Depression; dairy farming and milk as part of the daily diet; cutting ice from the Penobscot River; lumberyard on Hildreth Street; polio; Benoit Bouchard and Herbert Gray School; children's and adult's entertainment; grocery stores; Great Depression and WPA work; Old Town airport; Monday wash day; boxing matches; plumbing and the first bathtub on French Island; automobiles; Prohibition, homebrew, and bootleggers; shining shoes at the University of Maine; and WWII.
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Patrick “Leo” Lagasse, interviewed by Carol Nichols, Part 2
Patrick Lagasse
Patrick “Leo” Lagasse, interviewed by Carol Nichols, June 4 or 6, 1993, at his home in Westbrook, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Lagasse talks about his memories of French Island in Old Town; nicknames; French and the French Island school; factory and mill work; Great Depression; dairy farming and milk as part of the daily diet; cutting ice from the Penobscot River; lumberyard on Hildreth Street; polio; Benoit Bouchard and Herbert Gray School; children's and adult's entertainment; grocery stores; Great Depression and WPA work; Old Town airport; Monday wash day; boxing matches; plumbing and the first bathtub on French Island; automobiles; Prohibition, homebrew, and bootleggers; shining shoes at the University of Maine; and WWII.
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Patrick “Leo” Lagasse, interviewed by Carol Nichols, Part 3
Patrick Lagasse
Patrick “Leo” Lagasse, interviewed by Carol Nichols, June 4 or 6, 1993, at his home in Westbrook, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Lagasse talks about his memories of French Island in Old Town; nicknames; French and the French Island school; factory and mill work; Great Depression; dairy farming and milk as part of the daily diet; cutting ice from the Penobscot River; lumberyard on Hildreth Street; polio; Benoit Bouchard and Herbert Gray School; children's and adult's entertainment; grocery stores; Great Depression and WPA work; Old Town airport; Monday wash day; boxing matches; plumbing and the first bathtub on French Island; automobiles; Prohibition, homebrew, and bootleggers; shining shoes at the University of Maine; and WWII.
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Clayton Landry, interviewed by Albert Michaud, Part 1
Clayton Landry
Clayton Landry, interviewed by Albert Michaud, October 6, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Landry discusses moving to French Island; boxing matches; neighbors; the Shuffle Inn; grocery stores; cutting ice from the Penobscot River; entertainment and children's games; changing French names to English; St. Joseph's school; children's economic activities; community garbage disposal; pulpwood river drives; heating (or not) with wood stoves; holidays; Catholic Order of Foresters; Ku Klux Klan; and his service in WWII.
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Clayton Landry, interviewed by Albert Michaud, Part 2
Clayton Landry
Clayton Landry, interviewed by Albert Michaud, October 6, 1993, at his home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Landry discusses moving to French Island; boxing matches; neighbors; the Shuffle Inn; grocery stores; cutting ice from the Penobscot River; entertainment and children's games; changing French names to English; St. Joseph's school; children's economic activities; community garbage disposal; pulpwood river drives; heating (or not) with wood stoves; holidays; Catholic Order of Foresters; Ku Klux Klan; and his service in WWII.
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Betty Thibodeau Medieros, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 1
Betty Thibodeau Medieros
Betty Thibodeau Medieros, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, November 17, 1993, at her home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Medieros reminisces about growing up on French Island: neighborhood relationships; family history; holidays; children's entertainment; nicknames; Shuffle Inn and stores on the Island; religious observances; Christmas; traditional foods; mother's work for wages; downtown Old Town; end of World War Two; and changes on the Island.
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Betty Thibodeau Medieros, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 2
Betty Thibodeau Medieros
Betty Thibodeau Medieros, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, November 17, 1993, at her home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Medieros reminisces about growing up on French Island: neighborhood relationships; family history; holidays; children's entertainment; nicknames; Shuffle Inn and stores on the Island; religious observances; Christmas; traditional foods; mother's work for wages; downtown Old Town; end of World War Two; and changes on the Island.
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Albert Michaud and Rita England Michaud, interviewed by Carol Nichols, Part 1
Albert Michaud and Rita England Michaud
Albert Michaud and Rita England Michaud, interviewed by Carol Nichols, July 27, 1993, at their home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The Michauds discuss early memories of French Island; children's entertainment and games; why French Island was once called Skin Island; city dump; Shuffle Inn; softball; boxers; schools; meals; gardens; Mardi Gras and Lent; community and neighboring; Great Depression; 1936 flood; bootlegging; hunting, raising, selling, and eating rabbits and deer; and stores on the Island.
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Albert Michaud and Rita England Michaud, interviewed by Carol Nichols, Part 2
Albert Michaud and Rita England Michaud
Albert Michaud and Rita England Michaud, interviewed by Carol Nichols, July 27, 1993, at their home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The Michauds discuss early memories of French Island; children's entertainment and games; why French Island was once called Skin Island; city dump; Shuffle Inn; softball; boxers; schools; meals; gardens; Mardi Gras and Lent; community and neighboring; Great Depression; 1936 flood; bootlegging; hunting, raising, selling, and eating rabbits and deer; and stores on the Island.
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Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, Part 1
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, February 25, 1994, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group talks about their experiences and memories of growing up on French Island: sports and games, especially softball, boxing (the fights); scrounging donuts under the Milford bridge; swimming in the Penobscot River; conflict between St. Joseph's school children and the Island school children and between Islanders and Old Town; religious curriculum at St. Joseph's school; basketball; nicknames; Helen Hunt Junior High; newspapers; stores and taverns on the Island; work & factory jobs; food in the Great Depression; funerals, floods, and neighborliness; holidays, esp. Fourth of July and Mardi Gras; milk delivery; getting a driver's license; speaking French.
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Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, Part 2
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, February 25, 1994, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group talks about their experiences and memories of growing up on French Island: sports and games, especially softball, boxing (the fights); scrounging donuts under the Milford bridge; swimming in the Penobscot River; conflict between St. Joseph's school children and the Island school children and between Islanders and Old Town; religious curriculum at St. Joseph's school; basketball; nicknames; Helen Hunt Junior High; newspapers; stores and taverns on the Island; work & factory jobs; food in the Great Depression; funerals, floods, and neighborliness; holidays, esp. Fourth of July and Mardi Gras; milk delivery; getting a driver's license; speaking French.
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Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, Part 3
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, February 25, 1994, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group talks about their experiences and memories of growing up on French Island: sports and games, especially softball, boxing (the fights); scrounging donuts under the Milford bridge; swimming in the Penobscot River; conflict between St. Joseph's school children and the Island school children and between Islanders and Old Town; religious curriculum at St. Joseph's school; basketball; nicknames; Helen Hunt Junior High; newspapers; stores and taverns on the Island; work & factory jobs; food in the Great Depression; funerals, floods, and neighborliness; holidays, esp. Fourth of July and Mardi Gras; milk delivery; getting a driver's license; speaking French.
Listen
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Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, Part 4
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay
Albert Michaud, Walter Simon, Rand Trembly, and Ernest Dubay, interviewed by James Bishop, February 25, 1994, in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. The group talks about their experiences and memories of growing up on French Island: sports and games, especially softball, boxing (the fights); scrounging donuts under the Milford bridge; swimming in the Penobscot River; conflict between St. Joseph's school children and the Island school children and between Islanders and Old Town; religious curriculum at St. Joseph's school; basketball; nicknames; Helen Hunt Junior High; newspapers; stores and taverns on the Island; work & factory jobs; food in the Great Depression; funerals, floods, and neighborliness; holidays, esp. Fourth of July and Mardi Gras; milk delivery; getting a driver's license; speaking French.
Listen
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Albert Morin and Bernice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 1
Albert Morin and Bernice Morin
Albert Morin and Bernice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, August 27, 1993, at their home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Benoit Bouchard. The Morins talk about family history; parent's immigration from Canada to French Island; schools; neighbors; children's entertainment; holidays; work, at lumber mill, and factories; Great Depression and WPA work; funerals and weddings; boxing and softball; LaBree's bakery and other French Island businesses; WWII; automobiles and roads; women's textile crafts; arrival of electricity; prices; clothing; peddlers; and the 1918 flu epidemic.
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Albert Morin and Bernice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, Part 2
Albert Morin and Bernice Morin
Albert Morin and Bernice Morin, interviewed by Amy Bouchard Morin, August 27, 1993, at their home in Old Town, Maine. For the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Benoit Bouchard. The Morins talk about family history; parent's immigration from Canada to French Island; schools; neighbors; children's entertainment; holidays; work, at lumber mill, and factories; Great Depression and WPA work; funerals and weddings; boxing and softball; LaBree's bakery and other French Island businesses; WWII; automobiles and roads; women's textile crafts; arrival of electricity; prices; clothing; peddlers; and the 1918 flu epidemic.
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Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 1
Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon
Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, March 2, 1994, in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Albert Morin. The group of women discuss life on French Island; traditional foods; Great Depression; nicknames; stores; movie theaters; schools; baseball; boxing; childbirth; Christmas; neighborhood relationships; children's and adult's entertainment; and changing French names to English.
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Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 2
Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon
Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, March 2, 1994, in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Albert Morin. The group of women discuss life on French Island; traditional foods; Great Depression; nicknames; stores; movie theaters; schools; baseball; boxing; childbirth; Christmas; neighborhood relationships; children's and adult's entertainment; and changing French names to English.
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Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, Part 3
Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon
Bernice Morin, Betty Labretton, Flora Bosse, and Pauline Baillargeon, interviewed by Carol Nichols and Adeline “Connie” St. Louis, March 2, 1994, in Old Town, Maine, for the "Islands and Bridges" project. Also present, Albert Morin. The group of women discuss life on French Island; traditional foods; Great Depression; nicknames; stores; movie theaters; schools; baseball; boxing; childbirth; Christmas; neighborhood relationships; children's and adult's entertainment; and changing French names to English.
Listen
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In the early 1990s, a community-based oral history project was co-sponsored by the Maine Folklife Center and the Franco-American Center at the University of Maine. The project generated a series of 35 oral history interviews focusing on the culture and history of the French-Canadian immigrant community located on French Island, Old Town, Maine.
The project resulted in the book Nos Histoires de L'île: History and Memories of French Island, Old Town, Maine (1999) published by the community group of the same name. The book includes some of the over 1,000 photographs collected by the organization, interview excerpts, and articles. For images included in the publication, please visit the book's companion website, Nos Histoires de L'île: Our Stories of the Island.
Founding members of Nos Histoires de L'île are James Bishop, Benoit Bouchard, Reta Graham, Harold Lacadie, Albert Michard, Albert Morin, Amy Morin, Bernice Morin, Carol Nichols, Cecile Pietrowski, Adeline St. Louis, and Genie Wollstadt, many of whose voices may be heard in this collection of oral interviews.
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