Washington County newspapers now on film

Three weeks ago we covered some of the newspaper resources that are out there, focusing on goodies such as microfilmed newspapers at the University of Maine’s Fogler Library in Orono.

Valdine Atwood e-mailed Family Ties to remind me of a resource I should have mentioned then. Actually, it rates more than a mention, so we’ll let her tell you:

“Housed in the Washington County Courthouse in Machias is the largest single collection of newspapers in the state of Maine,” Val wrote. “There are over 600 bound volumes of Washington County weekly newspapers covering the period 1819 to the present day. For the past 184 years, almost all editions of the Washington County newspapers have been sent to the courthouse, and at the end of the year sent to a binder by the county clerk.

“Four years ago the County Commissioners appointed the Washington County Courthouse Archives Committee to find ways to further preserve the newspapers and other non-official papers housed at the courthouse. Toward this end, the committee has embarked on a program of securing microfilms of the newspapers already in existence, or the several newspapers that have never been filmed, to have them put on that medium.

“To date we have 93 rolls of film which are housed in the Probate Office at the courthouse. The committee also purchased a microfilm reader-printer, which also is housed in the Probate Office. To date, the following is a list of the newspapers that can be viewed on the reader-printer:

. The Northern Light, 1828-1832, Eastport, one roll.

. Eastern Democrat, 1832-1841, Calais, one roll.

. Frontier Journal, 1838-1853, Calais, one roll.

. Machias Republican, 1858-1920, Machias, 17 rolls.

. The Calais Advertiser, 1843-1987, Calais, 28 rolls.

. The Calais Times, later The Calais Weekly Times, Calais 1877-1914, 12 rolls.

. The Lubec Herald, 1910-1958, Lubec, 26 rolls.

. The Narraguagus Times, 1899-1906, Cherryfield, four rolls.

. Gazette & Advertiser, one roll.

“Currently the Machias Union is being filmed, with the process expected to be completed within the next month or so. All of this work has been made possible through appropriations from the Washington County Commissioners and County Budget Committee.

“Each year the committee requests a sum to be applied to further filming. With the number of newspapers to be filmed, this project is expected to take a number of years to complete,

as funds become available.

“Donations are also being accepted toward the work of this project, and can be sent to the Washington County Courthouse Archives Committee, c/o Probate Office, 47 Court St., Machias, ME 04654.

“The remaining newspapers to be filmed include the Union Republican, 1920-1943, Machias; Eastport Sentinel, 1819-1953; Quoddy Tides, 1971-present, Eastport; Downeast Coastal Press, 1988-present, Cutler; Calais Advertiser, 1988-present.

“The microfilm reels are located in the Washington County Probate Office. The newspaper collection is also open to the public, but researchers need to be aware that when court is in session they might be blocked from visiting the newspaper room, which is only accessible through the Superior Court Room.

“Those who wish to access the newspapers may first check with the Superior Court Clerk at (207) 255-3326 to see if the courthouse is in use. When arriving at the courthouse, researchers must first check in with the Probate Office to sign up, to receive the key to the courtroom and receive instructions on use of the facility.”

And that, my friends, is a wonderful start to the new year. Thanks, Val. And thanks, Washington County Commissioners.

Eric Zelz, graphics editor for the Bangor Daily News, will present “The Curran Family: An Overview of an Interview” during the annual meeting and recognition dinner of the Curran Homestead Living History and Farm Museum in Orrington.

The meeting and dinner will be held at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at Oriental Jade Restaurant, Bangor Mall Boulevard. The presentation will include words from the late Alfred Curran on audiotape.

Members, donors and honored guests may attend the event free. Tickets are $15 to nonmembers. Registration is required by Tuesday, Jan. 6, by calling Carroll Adams at 989-2430, Irv Marsters at 945-9311, or Brian Higgins at 478-5021.

Elections of board members and officers will be held. The annual meeting sponsor is Bangor Letter Shop.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.