Maine Memory Network

U.S. Army band, Laredo, Texas, 1916

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: 1916 Location: Laredo Media: Photographic print

World War I era camps, Laredo, Texas, 1916

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: 1916 Location: Laredo Media: Photographic print

Port of Portland's Custom House and Collectors of Customs

The collector of Portland was the key to federal patronage in Maine, though other ports and towns had collectors. Through the 19th century, the revenue was the major source of Federal Government income. As in Colonial times, the person appointed to head the custom House in Casco Bay was almost always a leading community figure, or a well-connected political personage.

Harry Lyon: An Old Sea Dog Takes to the Air

Through a chance meeting, Harry Lyon of Paris Hill became the navigator on the 1928 flight of the Southern Cross, the first trans-Pacific flight. His skill as a navigator, despite his lack of experience, was a key factor on the flight's success.