Tom Holbrook

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Portsmouth, N.H. is full of archivists. I suppose it comes naturally when you live in a place with nearly four hundred years of history. It houses historic Strawbery Banke, keeping track of old folkways and crafts. Portsmouth also has the Athenaeum at its center, an impressive private library that is almost two hundred years old.

And books. There have been many, many books written about Portsmouth throughout the years/decades/centuries, yet several times a year we are treated to a new collection of writings or photographs that stand out from the rest.

You may know Historic New England (http://www.historicnewengland.org) by their previous name of SPNEA. They work throughout New England to preserve our early buildings, furniture, and other artifacts. Here, in New Hampshire, they maintain the Governor John Langdon House, the Jackson House, and the Gilman Garrison House, among others.

Historic New England has undertaken a new project to document their many resources. The Camera’s Coast is the first product of this endeavor, and features a fantastic collection of photographs that illustrate the beauty of the New England Coast and the way of life of its inhabitants.

I’m very taken with this book because, as a bookseller, I like to see something done right and done well. Local books are often compiled on a shoestring budget with low production values, and that’s a shame, especially when the subject is photography.  This book is beautifully arranged, and the photos are fleshed out with entertaining detail by Bill Bunting, the curator of the exhibit upon which the book is based. Many of the photographs show people and ports at work, while others highlight the beautiful products of our renowned shipbuilders. Each layout features one large picture from the Historic New England archive surrounded by smaller images and supporting text. 

For instance, one spread features a full-page picture of George H. Donnell of York, Maine. It is taken in the early 1880s, and features a man in patched clothing, heavy boots, a heavier mustache, and he is holding a string of freshly caught fish. On the facing page is a reproduction of a period catalogue for fishing gear, hand-painted vintage postcards, and an inlaid text box.  Part of the text describing the photo reads:

“Donnell, a ‘Shore’ fisherman and lobsterman, stands artfully posed by photographer Emma Coleman.  Vernacular photographers like Coleman, responding to increased industrialism and urbanization, sought to depict scenes representative of a passing, and seemingly simpler, rural way of life. In truth, all lives are, and have been, complicated.”

Reading this, I was struck by Bunting’s ability to inject philosophy and color into the description without losing the documentary feel. I, too, feel that we on the Seacoast are battling the loss of simplicity, and it was striking to read that we have been opining about this change for over one hundred years.

This is not a history book in any comprehensive way. Rather, it is a perfect coffee table book to pick up and put down, and a great sampling of the very rich coastal history that we New Englanders are so proud of.
Already have a dozen books of old New England photographs? What’s one more to an archivist like you?

Click here to order this book in our Amazon online store.