Anyone live in Maine in the late '70s/early '80s? (Portland: Home Depot, movies)

[8635angelvalley]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

If so, would you mind letting me pick your brain via email? I'm considering setting my book in Maine in that era. I grew up in that era, but not in Maine, so I'd like to have a source of firsthand info.

Sure no problem-email me through my profile.

[John824]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

If so, would you mind letting me pick your brain via email? I'm considering setting my book in Maine in that era. I grew up in that era, but not in Maine, so I'd like to have a source of firsthand info.

I have lived in Maine since the early 60's and have lived in Gardiner for over 40 years. I know a lot about what goes on because I have been here a long time. Maine is very DIFFERENT now than what it used to be. The people here in Maine used to invite you in and treat you like an old friend and were very generous, they the old Mainers didn't have LOCKS because they didn't need any, the people used to care about each other. We now have OUTSIDERS running the town and the city's, THIS is causing a lot FRAUD and CORRUPTION. If your goal was to live the simple life and ENJOY the beauty of NATURE, you were in the right place. It was easy to live here on little next to nothing, if you had land you didn't need much money, taxes were very low and land was very CHEAP. It was like living in a PARK, except that you owned the park.

[Coaster]

I returned to Maine in 1979 after being away for seven years. What sort of details are you looking for? There were a lot more manufacturing jobs around, although they were slowly declining and creating some mini-Rust Belt cities (Waterville, Lewiston, Belfast, Biddeford, i.e.) Retirees were starting to discover the state and make significant differences in small coastal towns like Damariscotta and Rockport. Portland was going through massive changes as the Old Port was redeveloped and the city began to blossom after decades of stagnation. We were arguing over shutting down Maine Yankee, and the spruce budworm epidemic was in full swing. Freeport and Camden were losing their traditional downtown businesses and turning into full-blown tourist towns. Woodstoves were ubiquitous, and on many winter mornings towns had a low-hanging cloud of wood smoke above them. Maine still had a fair number of back-to-the-land homesteaders, and the Common Ground Fair was really taking off.

Browse through the Maine Times from that era and you'll get a feel for the times.

[fxtrader]

I was born here in 67. Not much has changed in the area I grew up in, which is a good thing. Wish I was still there! Both of my grandparents houses have not changed since I can remember, except indoor plumbing and cable. On my dad's side the family house and property have been in the family since the early 1800's and have changed little over time.

[RMoore007]

Originally Posted by namder1

I grew up in Dover from mid 50's on and lived in Dexter from 75 to 88. Moved back this year. if ya pm me I can tell ya some stuff. In some ways it is the same(people mostly) and in many ways Maine has changed greatly.

Wow! You and me or any of my family members in Dover would have lots to talk about with your history. My family still lives right on route 7, two and a half miles south of town near the McAllister Cemetary. I'm sure you know where I live if you're an atv'er or sledder. Plus, my dad bought at least a dozen cars from the late Al Tempesta Motors in Dexter. We went to his camp in the summers. Plus, I moved to CA too since 1980.

After reading the replies here, I'm convinced that the more things change, the more they stay the same when talking about central Maine only. I have been returning to Maine yearly for 31 years since leaving for good in 1980. I recently spent 18 months there over the past 3 years. Other than technology and better tv reception now, you still have to plan for the seasons just like we did in the past decades. There's stiil snow to clear, plants to pick, wood to cut, canning, clearing, shopping in town, frequenting businesses in town, church dinners, food kitchens, town parades, town fairs, town taxes, a town jail and town drunks. Obviously the factories are all shut down now and haven't been replaced with other like industries but somehow people manage to still live and thrive there or at least survive there. The population stays the same in central Maine too. I started a thread years ago about the population in Dover from each decade of the 20th century to now. Still average around 4k people in town. I'm not sure what they all do. Probably the people do now what they did in the 70's and 80's, only with different pictures on their driver's licenses.

[Mark S.]

Many thanks to everyone who replied via PM and in the public forum.

Someone mentioned that a lot of the smaller and rural areas didn't (and still don't) have a formal police force, but instead rely on a constable, who may even work out of his house. Does anyone know: What happens if the constable has to make an arrest? Does he have to drive the prisoner to the nearest Sheriff's Dept, or what?

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

Many thanks to everyone who replied via PM and in the public forum.

Someone mentioned that a lot of the smaller and rural areas didn't (and still don't) have a formal police force, but instead rely on a constable, who may even work out of his house. Does anyone know: What happens if the constable has to make an arrest? Does he have to drive the prisoner to the nearest Sheriff's Dept, or what?

I've never heard of a constable arresting any one. The sheriff is called if needed. The perp usually isn't still around or is not going anywhere.

[mainebrokerman]

Economically, many more mills in operation in the 70's and 80's more shoe manufacturing and retail outlets, every town had a hardware store- no home depots, no walmarts, not many national restaurant chains such as longhorns, texas roadhouse, olive gardens
maine had the "blue laws" that larger retail stores couldnt be open on sundays

At that time, Maine was also cleaning up many rivers that were overpoluted, yes many of us can remember the stench on a hot summers day of a nearby river

the floating log drives stopped in the 70's (i believe)


culturally, the 70's I remember seeing hippies, and peace signs, but also gas shortages, the latent fear of the cold war existed with the russians, super high mortgage rates in the late 70's
I remember watching the nightly news and asking-why do they only report bad news, why never anything good? (not that it's changed at all)

also, ive witnessed a softening, or more tolerances- the stereotypes, prejudices have softened, what was spoken as acceptance,,,now isnt- which is a great thing!

everyone seemed to smoke back then, just about everywhere even at work,,,,,this is totally different now
now- most anyone that smokes, will go outside at a friends/relative house- especially around kids- not the case back then, look at old home movies in the 70's, the adults had a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other..lol

[Kristin85]

Probably not the kind of Maine the OP is asking about, but I've spent my summers in southern Maine since the late 80s. There is a notable change between the way things were then and now. Many streets that I used to play on with reeds and tall grass near the beach are now filled with McMansions a few feet from each other. The smallish downtown areas have gotten louder, more congested, and garish. Money has moved in and the old ways are out.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by AustinB

I've never heard of a constable arresting any one.

So what kind of authority does a constable have?