Season 3, Episode 5: Ralph Stanley: Citizen Historian, Lifelong Learner
Guests: Bill Horner, Erich Reed, Camdy Emlen, and Charlotte Morrill
Air Date: March 31, 2022
Moderator: Jenna Jandreau
In this special episode of Chebacco Chats, MDI Historical Society partners up with Southwest Harbor Public Library to commemorate Ralph Stanley, citizen historian and lifelong learner, who passed away in December 2021.
Moderator Jenna Jandreau and guests from both organizations chat about Ralph Stanley’s contributions to Digital Archives, his oral histories, writing, research and other ways he explored how to be an active and engaged citizen historian.
The Southwest Harbor Public Library supports the enjoyment of lifelong learning and the MDI Historical Society fosters meaningful engagement with local history. Stanley became a friend to both, serving on their boards of directors, presenting at programs, writing articles and continuing his work on gaining and communicating knowledge, even to his last days.
Stanley was a man of many talents and passions, from fiddle playing and fiddle making to boat building and storytelling and more, but this commemoration centers on his enormous legacy of recorded history and how he will continue to impact the community and its stories for years to come.
Photo: #12693, Southwest Harbor Public Library. Courtesy of Jeff Dobbs.
About Our Guests
In addition to Bill Horner, President of Mount Desert Island Historical Society, this episode welcomes Erich Reed, Director of Southwest Harbor Public Library, Candy Emlen, the library’s former director, and Charlotte Morrill, curator of Digital Archive at Southwest Harbor Public Library.
Chebacco articles by Ralph Stanley:
Boatbuilding During World War II MDI, Ellsworth, Stonington and Blue Hill, 2003
Local Color-Charmian Kittredge London, 2004
Local Color – Rum Running, 2005
Local Color – The Mayflower and Mount Desert Island, 2006-2007