A Bicentennial History

Introduction

This bicentennial account of the history of the Portland Marine Society is not intended to be a deeply scholarly study of either the Society or of the Port of Portland, Maine which has produced and nurtured it. Such a study would have gone far beyond the time and resources presently available. Though the authors feel that they have been as diligent as possible, in the course of research it became increasingly apparent that a great deal of potentially useful material has fallen victim to fire and human carelessness over the years. For example, the only mementos of the Society’s early days are its seal and ballot box, which happened to be at its secretary’s during the Great Fire of 1866.

This history has its grim moments and its more lighthearted ones. Portland and the Society have together seen hard times and good times; indeed, the Society was founded in a time of extreme difficulty for mariners during the undeclared "quasi-war" with France. On the other hand, Portland’s city motto is "Resurgam," or, "I shall rise again," and its maritime industries have overcome adversity to rebound on more than one occasion.

As research progressed a disturbing trend grew apparent. Early in this century the American philosopher George Santayana wrote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," and as we read through the remarks made on the state of the American merchant marine at the Society’s Centennial banquet in February 1896, with a few minor changes they could have been made today. Though a century has passed since that banquet, and with it, for example, six wars in which the American merchant marine (or lack of it) has been a critical factor, the American flag vessel is today becoming an endangered species. As the Portland Marine Society celebrates the end of its second hundred years, we can but wonder what the picture will be a century hence, both economically and logically.

The authors and the Portland Marine Society would like to express their deep gratitude to the individuals and institutions without whose generous help and support this book would not have been possible. Captain Joseph C. Pinette chaired the Society’s Bicentennial Committee, which included President Alan B. Rich, the authors and Captains Granville I. Smith and Herbert C. McAlister. Captain Smith’s knowledge of the Society’s records and his consultations with its senior member, Captain Wilbur V. Brown, have been invaluable. Captain William Leavitt provided useful information and photographs. Without, the patience and help of the staffs of the Maine Historical Society, the Portland Public Library (in particular its Portland Room), the Maine State Library and Maine State Archives, the Maine Maritime Museum Library and Archives, the Cumberland and Yarmouth Historical Societies and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, this book would not have come into being. Our thanks also to Marine Society historian Captain Howard L. Wentworth, Jr., to Portland's State Representative Herbert Adams and to Professor William B. Jordan, Jr. The computer skills of Marty Achilles and Carol Jager brought the manuscript into useable form. Any errors or avoidable omissions are of course the responsibilities of the authors.

November, 1995 Nicholas B. Dean and John K. Moulton

Note: The Portland Marine Society - A Bicentenial History - has been published on the Portland Marine Society pages with permission from Captain John K. Moulton.

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Designed by Captain Dennis R. Webb

Last updated March 17, 1999