All of the material posted on this website is for the free use of anyone who wishes to use it, with the requirement that no one using this material will ever charge anyone for access to it, either online or in print or in any other form.

NATURAL HISTORY Natural history is the study of non-human organisms and can be interpreted broadly to include geology, hydrology, and other phenomena. CANTON NATURAL HISTORY PROJECT A record of the natural history of Canton, Oxford County, Maine. This includes checklists of organisms (e.g., birds, mammals, plants) that live/grow in Canton and links to images of some of those organisms. CHAMPLAIN PROJECT A record of the natural history of Mount Desert Island and the immediately adjacent ocean. I envision the creation of a nonprofit organization, perhaps called the Mount Desert Island Natural History Society, that will be the natural history equivalent of the island’s historical societies. The new society would, among other things, (1) have its own website, (2) maintain/update the Champlain Project data, (3) develop a newsletter, (4) provide scholarships to help students and adults attend various natural history camps and programs, (5) create displays for libraries, schools, and other interested groups, and (6) create and/or support natural history collections.    Until such an organization is created, I will continue to host and update the Champlain Project.    You may click on the link above for an overview of the whole project or on one of the links below to explore a specific topic. checklists | mysteries | organizations and other resources SLOW(?) DESTRUCTION OF MOUNT DESERT ISLAND The page linked to by clicking here will give you a less than rosy picture of what can unfortunately be found on Mount Desert Island without looking very far.

CULTURAL HISTORY Cultural history in the sense used on this website is what is commonly called just “history”. Here the adjective “cultural” is used to distinguish the history of humans from “natural history” (see above), the study of non-human organisms. MAINE CULTURAL HISTORY PROJECT Information about Maine’s cultural history that will be of use to casual visitors to the state as well as to serious researchers and students of history. You may click on the link above for an overview of the whole project or on one of the links below to explore a specific topic. My favorite of the following projects is the one about cemeteries. However, driving to these cemeteries and driving from a prominent place in each town to these cemeteries during the process of preparing directions to each one is costly, both in money and in the effect on the environment from the automobile exhaust created. Therefore, only when I have to travel somewhere or when someone sends me locations/directions for posting will I add to the cemeteries web pages. cemeteries | census records | cottages | deeds | genealogy | markers, monuments, and memorials | postal history | town histories | town records CANTON TOWN HISTORY Canton, Maine, will celebrate it's 200th anniversary as a town in 2021. In preparation for that event, the web page linked to here includes dates of important events in Canton's history as well as information about Canton's cemeteries; census records; markers, monuments, and memorials; postal history; and deeds. More will be added as it becomes available.

MISCELLANEOUS STAMP COLLECTING The identification tools for U.S. stamps and postal stationery are now found at http://dubinweb.com/postageindex.html. FOR SALE: I am selling my entire dealer’s stock of stamps (U.S., Canada, Great Britain, worldwide), postal stationery, supplies (Showgard mounts, stock sheets, glassiness, etc.), and reference material (catalogs and journals). The entire amount I receive (except 5.5% for Maine sales tax if the stock is purchased by a Maine resident who does not have a reseller’s certificate) is going to be donated toward the purchase of a parcel of land (costing approximately $140,000) for use as a teaching resource (foraging, plant identification, reconnecting people with the natural world). A fair price for the stock is $6,000 (plus $330 sales tax if applicable). RECOMMENDED LINKS Here are some websites that I think are worthy of your attention.    Anaskimin - a nonprofit whose mission is “to reawaken people’s awareness of the landscape they live in, enabling them to reconnect with, appreciate, and value natural places”. As treasurer of Anaskimin, I am aware of its financial needs, not only in terms of the dollars needed to carry out its goals but also the need, as a nonprofit public charity, to show (to the IRS) that it has broad public support. Although gifts of $100,000 or more would obviously be welcomed, donations of smaller amounts (every dollar is important) from many people will help demonstrate public support. You may send a check, payable to Anaskimin, to P. O. Box 10, Turner, Maine 04282, or you may call 207-266-5748 to make a donation via credit card. All charges incurred when processing credit card donations and payments are being covered by a donor, so 100% of your contribution will be available for Anaskimin. Thanks.    Delta Institute of Natural History - a school for small group instruction on a diversity of natural history topics, with focus on plant taxonomy and primitive technologies.    The Naturalist’s Notebook - a unique shop and exploratorium for anyone who is “even a little curious about the last 13.7 billion years”. I particularly recommend their blog.