Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

History, Status And Future Trends Of Working Waterfronts, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts, Boston

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Working waterfronts have been important to the U.S. economy and culture from the earliest days of this country’s founding. The origin of many coastal communities is strongly linked to the advantages afforded by their shoreside locations. This report provides a brief history of working waterfronts, describes their major industries, and identifies significant drivers of past changes and future trends.

Despite their long histories, many working waterfronts have been, and continue to be in various states of transition. Changes in technologies, national interests, economies, and environmental conditions impact the way people use and value these places. While the exact future of …

Oral History, Working Class Culture, And Local, Pauleena M. Macdougall

Publications

Stories of factory closings from many industries throughout the latter part of the twentieth century are common and numerous studies have documented the economic impact of these unfortunate events. In this case study of Brewer, Maine, oral histories with former workers at the primary source of local employment, Eastern Corporation, illuminate the nature of management-worker interactions at the mill. Eastern’s former employee narratives reveal a surprisingly unified perspective regarding the closing of the mill that does not reflect the public narrative put forward by management and business leaders.