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Few New England cities have changed as much as Bangor did in the 20th Century. Much of Bangor's downtown burned to the ground in the Great Fire of 1911, and disastrous flooding in 1902, 1923, and 1936 inflicted extensive damage along the Penobscot River and Kenduskeag Stream. Even more devastating, in the eyes of historians, were the losses due to Urban Renewal, including Union Station (1961) and the Bijou Theater (1974). But Bangor survives with much of its early charm remarkably intact.
In this second volume (the first volume, Bangor, Maine is also available from BookMarcs), Shaw has carried his devotion to Bangor history a step further, focusing on the Twentieth Century. Key events and people from all walks of life are featured – librarians, firemen, cops, even visiting dignitaries such as Harry Truman, EleanorRoosevelt, and Jack Benny. Contemporary citizens, such as Stephen King, Bangor's spookiest and best known resident, are abundantly pictured. Included are nearly 200 images from every decade of the century, with an emphasis on the pivotal World War II years, when the city went all out to win the war on the home front.
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