Arend Thibodeau
Arend resides in Harmony, Maine with his wife and has been a professional photographer since 1996. His award-winning photography has been featured in galleries as far away as Greece and he has been published in multiple genres ranging from wildlife to portraiture. As a writer, Arend has published poetry, non-fiction, and academic works. He graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English Literature and he holds a membership in multiple honor societies, including Sigma Tau Delta, The International English Honor Society. When not working in the field, or writing, Arend enjoys teaching photography and playing bass with local rock bands.
arendt@mooselakeguides.com
Book List
This book explores cemeteries that have hosted the departed since the early colonization of Maine. Hand-carved angels of death, thoughtful epitaphs, and even intrigue surround these old and unique burial sites. We also visit infamous grave sites such as the Jonathan Buck memorial in Bucksport. Buck, a forefather of the town of Bucksport, allegedly had a curse placed upon him by a condemned witch, as the book will explore. Witches, spirits, and many other Maine gravesites are explored along with the final resting places of famed authors, artists, and even gangsters such as Al Brady. Brady was awarded the title of Public Enemy No. 1 by the FBI as he led his gang on a multi-state crime spree that ended in Maine. Legends, hauntings, curses, scenic cemeteries, and unique gravesites are explored while discussing philosophies of the afterlife, writings of famous intellectuals, poetry, and exploration notes. Edgar Allen Poe wrote, “The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?” As Poe suggests, the answer to the age-old question of where we go from here is ambiguous at best, and this book maintains that ambiguity as it explores Gothic Maine.
This book can be purchased through most major retailers, including: America Through Time
Buried In Maine
A Tour of Maine Cemeteries and the Stories that Accompany Them
The end of World War II set the stage for an accumulation of arms that would rival even the most vivid imagination as the United States tried to maintain a period of operational readiness matching rival nation, communist Russia. The impact of this decades-long arms race was most noticeable in places like Aroostook County, Maine, where the town of Limestone was noted only for its rural surroundings. In 1950, Limstone's population was 2,427 before growing 439% in the following decade, swelling to 13,102 by the end of 1960. With its proximity to Europe, this spot was selected for its strategic location as weapons were poised to strike at the Soviet Union, hidden in backyards and among the potato fields, while armed bombers were maintained in a state of operational readiness 24/7 at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. The impressive buildup seemed headed to an inevitable war, but in the 1990s, the Cold War ended, arms were dismantled, and Loring Air Force Base was closed; by 2020, the population in Limestone had fallen to 1,526. This book explores this incredible era, the rise and fall of the nuclear weapons stockpile in Aroostook County, and its impact to Northern Maine.
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The Aroostook Arms Race
Cold War In The Crown Of Maine
Forgotten Industry and Institutions of Maine
Tales of Milkmen, Axe Murderers, and Ghosts
Maine has its share of industry, some current and some obsolete. Over the last century, many industrial practices have grown and flourished while others have vanished entirely. Likewise, state institutions have seen vast changes in their structures and methods of operation.
Changes to our industry and institutions have left behind artifacts of a bygone era. Many of these artifacts are demolished, replaced, or vanish further into obscurity. This book offers a visual tour of our forgotten past and practices in hopes of preserving history to prevent it from vanishing entirely. Readers will explore an abandoned jail built in 1873 (in which its first prisoner was convicted of killing two people with an axe), the North Maine Woods in search of ghost trains abandoned in the wilderness close to a century ago, and more.
Forgotten Industry and Institutions of Maine contains images, interesting facts, personal anecdotes, and the stories that make these places unique and give them their distinctive character.
This book can be purchased through most major retailers, including: America Through Time
Residential Ruins of Maine
Stories of Abandonment in Rural Maine
Join us as we embark on an exploration of humanity's remnants, from time capsules that appear untouched for decades to abandoned places that have simply been forgotten. We'll look at some turn-of-the-century architecture, studying the Yankee craftsmanship and ingenuity that put New England on the map. We will examine items that have been left behind, with imagery capturing the unique geography and diverse lifestyles found throughout Maine. We will also explore the darker side of abandonment, including surreal encounters and an inn, built in 1865, purported to be haunted. These places, once thriving with human activity, now hold only fleeting traces of lives lived and lost. In addition to histories and factoids of locations, this book explores the folklore and urban legends surrounding the buildings, and muses on their relevance and possible veracity. Finally, personal anecdotes and poetry are offered to try and connect the viewer with the evocative nature of the images.
This book can be purchased through most major retailers, including: America Through Time - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Walmart - Books-A-Million
