A Maine Hamlet

Down East's List of 10 Classics, A Maine Hamlet describes the village of Marshfield, near Machias, at the turn of the century. Lura Beam, who was born in 1887, lived in Marshfield for twelve years with her grandparents, spent summers there another five, and visited off and on thereafter. A sociologist by training, Lura Beam pays homage to the smaller wonders of village life, from the rhythms of work dictated by weather, to education in a one-room schoolhouse, parties and celebrations, and the customs that created a community.