Hard Telling Not Knowing each week tries to answer your burning questions about why things are the way they are in Maine — specifically about Maine culture and history, both long ago and recent, large and small, important and silly. Send your questions to [email protected].
Although 2023 is drawing to a close, for this column, we tend to look back at years long since passed — in some cases, hundreds of millions of years passed. This year, the stories about Maine history that resonated most with readers spanned the gamut from ancient geology to businesses that only closed within the past decade.
Here are the most-read Hard Telling Not Knowing columns of this year.
May 16: This ‘horrible’ parade is a nearly forgotten New England tradition
Who knew that Bangor Daily News readers would be so fascinated with a fairly obscure New England tradition that still survives in a few Maine towns? The “parade of horribles” had its roots in mid-19th century Massachusetts, but it quickly spread to Maine. Today, only Boothbay and Castine carry on the tradition in the state.
Sept. 27: Why these granite posts are outside some Maine homes
There’s a good likelihood you’ve seen those little granite posts outside houses all around the state. Turns out, they are relics from an era when horses were the dominant form of transportation — and many survive on lawns and esplanades to this day.
Dec. 13: 3 long-gone Bangor-area restaurants that people still miss
March 7: 5 iconic restaurants from Bangor’s past — and 5 modern-day dining classics
People love to wax nostalgic about the things they enjoyed in years past — especially restaurants. Both the above stories about long-gone Bangor eateries struck a chord with readers, whether they missed the buffet at Miller’s, tiki drinks at Sing’s or a nice steak dinner at Pilot’s Grill.
Sept. 13: These are the oldest things ever found in Maine
Lots of what intrigued people was from things from within their own lifetimes. In the case of the above story, however, it was stuff from thousands, even millions of years ago that got people excited. Did you know that the oldest rocks in New England may in fact be found on the coast of Maine, predating multicellular life on this planet? Now you do.
Dec. 6: Your Siberian husky was likely descended from this heroic Maine dog
Dog lovers. When they go wild for something, they really mean it. This column about Togo, the amazing Siberian husky who saved thousands of lives in Alaska in the 1920s and later came to live in Maine, was a heartwarming story just right for the start of winter in Maine.
Jan. 24: How a Maine blacksmith ended up creating the iconic gates at Stephen King’s house
Most stories about Stephen King — arguably the most famous Mainer of the last 50 years — are popular with readers. But this one, about the western Maine blacksmith who was plucked from obscurity by Tabitha King to create the famous wrought iron gates at their Bangor house, was a particular hit.
April 25: How a Depression-era ‘Hooverville’ turned into UMaine’s hippie paradise
Another example of how people like to remember things that happened well within their lifetimes, in April we looked back at “Hungry Hollow,” the cabins at the University of Maine that once housed several generations of “cabineers,” but were eventually torn down in the 1980s. Commenters chimed in to remember the good old days at UMaine, during a looser, simpler and much, much cheaper time.
