Category: Mac Smith

Mac Smith to Speak about his new book “Plain Madeleine” at the Stockton Springs Community Library on Sunday, April 21st at 2:00 PM.

Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) will host a talk by author Mac Smith on Sunday, April 21st at 2:00 pm at the Stockton Springs Community Library. The talk will focus on Smith’s new book, Plain Madeleine. 

The story of Madeleine and Colonel John Jacob Astor is very much part of the story of Bar Harbor, Maine. The relatively poor Madeleine Force met Colonel Astor, the third richest man in the United States, in Bar Harbor in 1910. The vicious scandal after their wedding caused the newlyweds to board the Titanic to return to America; the ensuing tragedy would claim the life of the colonel.

Madeleine Astor returned to Bar Harbor after the Titanic disaster, where all eyes were on her, and where she was triumphant in claiming the role of social leader. In 1916, she remarried in the center of Bar Harbor, and gave up everything Astor.

The story follows the 17 years of her second marriage, and then her scandalous third marriage. Madeleine, now in her 40s, married a penniless young boxer and her name erased from the Social Register after that. She died a lonely figure in her 40s.

This new book from historian Mac Smith documents Madeleine’s life in Bar Harbor and the Astor presence on Bar Harbor through Colonel Astor’s family and the Kane family–Astor cousins who were prominent there. It puts Madeleine Astor’s story in the context of Bar Harbor’s Golden Age. In telling Madeleine Astor’s story, the story of a changing Bar Harbor is also revealed. 

A Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former reporter for The Bar Harbor Times, Mac Smith lives in Stockton Springs, Maine in the village of Sandy Point. He is the author of several books of Maine history, including Mainers on the Titanic, Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine, Siege at the Statehouse, and Disaster at the Bar Harbor Ferry.

Following the talk Mac Smith will sign copies of Plain Madeleine, which will be available for purchase. Copies of his other books will also be available.

Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome.

SSCL is located at 6 Station St. in the heart of Stockton Springs. For more information please contact the library at 207-567-4147.

Mac Smith to speak about “Disaster at the Bar Harbor Ferry” at Stockton Springs Community Library on Sunday, October 9th at 2:00 PM

Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) will host a talk by author Mac Smith on Sunday, October 9th at 2:00 PM. Smith will speak about his new book Disaster at the Bar Harbor Ferry.

In an era when the only means of travel to the new, glamorous, and growing resort of Bar Harbor was through a small, isolated, rural-yet-elegant point of land on the mainland in the small town of Hancock, Disaster at the Bar Harbor Ferry tells the true story of what was, at the time, Maine’s deadliest disaster. The heartbreaking tale starts with the arrival of a train overcrowded with passengers anxious to be among the first to cross the bay and their rush for a ferry with too few seats, turning a casual summer Sunday outing into a scene of chaos, tragedy, death and heroism, occurring as quickly as the break of a wooden gangplank. Disaster at the Bar Harbor Ferry tells not only the complete story of the people and the events of that day, but of a time and way of life long gone by and nearly forgotten.

A Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former reporter for The Bar Harbor Times, Mac Smith now lives in Stockton Springs, Maine, in the village of Sandy Point. He is also the author of Mainers on the Titanic, Siege at the State Capital, Maine’s Hail to the Chief, and Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine.

Following the talk Mac Smith will sign copies of the book which will be available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome.

SSCL is an all-volunteer library located at 6 Station St. in the heart of Stockton Springs. For more information please contact the library at 207-567-4147.

Mac Smith to Speak about “Siege at the State House” at Stockton Springs Library on Sunday, July 24th at 2:00 PM

Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) will host a talk by author Mac Smith on Sunday, July 24th at 2:00 PM. Smith will speak about his new book Siege at the State House.

Siege at the State House tells the true story of a coup that was attempted between Maine’s governor and the leaders of a new political party, almost plunging the United States into its second Civil War. With the Maine State House under siege for several weeks by a confederate force, the occupation culminated in a showdown between armed rebels and Civil War hero General Joshua Chamberlain, with Chamberlain standing on the State House steps, exposing his chest, and daring any man present to settle the standoff with violence, if they dared. It was an event the war hero called “Another Roundtop.”

In light of recent national events, this piece of Maine history is a timely and cautionary tale brought to life by historian Mac Smith. Elements of the story include a Christmas Day raid on Maine’s weapons arsenal, missing election results, and seven jackasses.

A Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former reporter for The Bar Harbor Times, Mac Smith now lives in Stockton Springs, Maine, in the village of Sandy Point. He is also the author of Mainers on the Titanic and Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine. 

Following the talk Mac Smith will sign copies of the book which will be available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome.

SSCL is located at 6 Station St. in the heart of Stockton Springs. For more information please contact the library at 207-567-4147.

Mac Smith to Speak About His Latest Book at Stockton Springs Community Library November 7th

“Maine’s Hail to the Chief: A History of Presidential Visits to the Pine Tree State” is a new book by Mac Smith of Stockton Springs. He will present his first talk and reading at the Stockton Springs Community library (SSCL) on Sunday, November 7th at 2 pm. Autographed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

A visit from the President of the United States always brings excitement with it. In Maine, part of that excitement stems from the fact that presidents rarely visit the state – only 18 of the 45 presidents have visited Maine in the nation’s 244 year history.

Many of these visits came at significant points in a presidency; and some visits had controversy, conflict, and ironic twists. Each of Maine’s presidential visits left us with great stories, and a detailed view of Maine’s lively history. Mac Smith will share some of these stories at SSCL on November 7th.

Mac Smith is a Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former reporter for The Bar Harbor Times. He lives in Stockton Springs in the village of Sandy Point and serves as Town Manager for Stockton Springs. He is also the author of Mainers on the Titanic and Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine.

Seating is limited to 25 so pre-registration is necessary to reserve your seat. Call 207-567-4147 to register. The presentation is free and all are welcome. Masks will be required. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

For more information visit www.stocktonspringslibrary.org

Mac Smith to Speak About His Latest Book at Stockton Springs Community Library November 7th

“Maine’s Hail to the Chief: A History of Presidential Visits to the Pine Tree State” is a new book by Mac Smith of Stockton Springs. He will present his first talk and reading at the Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) on Sunday, November 7th at 2 pm. Autographed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

A visit from the President of the United States always brings excitement with it. In Maine, part of that excitement stems from the fact that presidents rarely visit the state – only 18 of the 45 presidents have visited Maine in the nation’s 244 year history.

Many of these visits came at significant points in a presidency; and some visits had controversy, conflict, and ironic twists. Each of Maine’s presidential visits left us with great stories, and a detailed view of Maine’s lively history. Mac Smith will share some of these stories at SSCL on November 7th.

Mac Smith is a Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former reporter for The Bar Harbor Times. He lives in Stockton Springs in the village of Sandy Point and serves as Town Manager for Stockton Springs. He is also the author of Mainers on the Titanic and Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine.

Seating is limited to 25 so pre-registration is necessary to reserve your seat. Call 207-567-4147 to register. The presentation is free and all are welcome. Masks will be required. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

For more information visit www.stocktonspringslibrary.org