In this episode of our series on Bar Harbor’s Hayseed Ball, we dive a little bit more into the 40 Hayseeders who are in charge of planning the dance every year. Poorva and Mazie speak to past and present Hayseeders about the traditions which these 40 mysterious misters practice and the ways in which the ball has, or has not, changed over the last 127 years. 

Tune in next time for the final episode in the three part series, where our hosts will discuss the ramifications of exclusivity and how this tradition is trying to change with the times to keep itself alive. 

Welcome to the second series from Through the Dooryard. In this three-part series Poorva and Mazie do a deep dive into the 127 year old Way Bak Ball of Bar Harbor, also known as the Hayseed Ball. The first episode is a walk through the wacky traditions which make this dance so unique. They speak to those closely acquainted with it and those who are only peripherally involved to get a better understanding of the dance.

Stay tuned for the unfolding of a uniquely Downeast tale with unexpected twists and turns to come! 

In the final episode of Smoke in a Cranberry Bog, the three part series on the Fire of '47, we hear about how the fire impacted the town of Bar Harbor in the decades after. Poorva and Mazie discuss how present day Bar Harbor differs from the 50s and 60s and what we can learn from the devastation of the fire and the following community building efforts.

Credits and resources:

The “Wildfire Loose” Collection of interviews conducted by Joyce Butler in preparation for her book of the title donated to the Maine Folklife Center in 1979. Special Collections, Raymond H. Fogler Library, University of Maine. (https://umaine.edu/folklife/archives/mf-067-wildfire-loose-oral-history-project/)

Davis, Lloyd. NA1225 NAFOH. Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.

Cover photo credits: Bangor Daily News; found in the Bar Harbor Historical Society archives

This episode is the second in a three-part series that dives into the Fire of 1947. We walk through the events of the fire, hear from survivors, and speak to Bar Harbor Fire Chief Matt Bartlett. Mazie and Poorva discuss the losses from the fire and the resilience of the community; all leading up to the final episode of the series which will discuss the broader impacts of the fire.

Credits and resources: 

The “Wildfire Loose” Collection of interviews conducted by Joyce Butler in preparation for her book of the title donated to the Maine Folklife Center in 1979. Special Collections, Raymond H. Fogler Library, University of Maine. (https://umaine.edu/folklife/archives/mf-067-wildfire-loose-oral-history-project/)

Hawkes, Bernard. 1977. NA1254, NAFOH. Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.

Obermeyer, Jane Cormier. 1980.NA1422, MF067, NAFOH. Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.

Fire of 1947 - Article by National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/acad/learn/historyculture/fireof1947.htm)

Cover photo credits: Bangor Daily News; found in the Bar Harbor Historical Society archives

The first three-part series, Smoke in a Cranberry Bog, details the socioeconomic impacts of the 1947 fire. The first episode, now available for streaming on all major platforms, paints a picture of early 20th century Bar Harbor. They briefly cover aspects of the grand cottage era, automobile tourism, impacts of The Second World War, and fire as an agent of change in Bar Harbor.

Through the Dooryard is a podcast series that shares deep-dive narratives of relevant historical events and affairs pertaining to the town of Bar Harbor, Maine. It aims to deliver a retrospective and reflective analysis of these historical events to foster a shared connection to place. Produced by the Bar Harbor Historical Society.

Credits:

WLBZ Radio, (October 26 1947) "Coverage of Bar Harbor Fire of 1947". WLBZ Radio Station Records. MS 608. D 16.79; CD 9 Track 6. Special Collections, Raymond H. Fogler Library, University of Maine.

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/wlbz_station_records/89

Obermeyer, Jane Cormier. 1980.NA1422, MF067, NAFOH. Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.”

https://umaine.edu/folklife/archives/mf-067-wildfire-loose-oral-history-project/

Cover photo credits: Bangor Daily News; found in the Bar Harbor Historical Society archives