HANCOCK COUNTY, MAINE - PENOBSCOT BAY, EARLY 1900s PHOTO ALBUM

49 leaves/98 pages, grey paper, one leaf detached. Only the first 21 pages are used for photographs, 4 or 5 per page; an additional six are tucked in. The last 38 leaves are blank.

This album documents the life of a family in southern Maine - mostly Orland; other towns mentioned include Bucksport, Northport, Castine, and Newport, NH; locations visited include Duck Cove, Fort Knox and Fort Point. It is possible the photographs were taken during one particular vacation to the region. The photos alternate between natural sites and portraits of family members/friends. The dress is generally formal or upper-class, men in boaters and waistcoats with pocket watches, women with parasols, in gowns and fascinators.

Some of the photographs are of the children of the Marks Family, proprietors of a local grocery and confectionery shop (its roadside sign is pictured in the background). Other portraits generally utilize first names or nicknames. The Dorr Family is also important and quite possibly that of the photographer.

The photographer seemed to have been especially interested in life on the water - many shots of lakes, ponds, rivers and shorelines, plus a few of boats and landings. Rural life is also depicted with several photos of calves, ponies and carriages. Three scenes from Boston are also included.

The only date mentioned is October 1906, beneath one of numerous photos of Grandmother, as the date of her death at 95. So some photos were taken before that date but the album was likely prepared sometime later. One woman is fully named as Eda Dunham McFarland (1880-1957) - a brief obituary can be found online.

The album measures 12 1/2" x 10 5/16", landscape orientation. The spine shows a great deal of wear but is still sound and otherwise the covers and contents are in good condition and not brittle. The cursive annotations, in pencil, are not easy to read, but perhaps easier for one familiar with the towns and landscapes of the region.