Fisher Museum Video Schedule - 2009

January - Flow of Time: 500 Million Years of Geohistory in the Connecticut River Valley.
This 35-minute program takes you on an incredible journey into the past as recorded in the rocks and landscape. With animations, spectacular video footage and a bit of humor, Professor Richard Little guides you through the diverse events that have shaped this region, including shifting and splitting continents, dinosaur footprints, armored mud balls, the Eastern Border Fault, glacial landforms and Lake Hitchcock, river flooding and more.

February - The Rise and Fall of Lake Hitchcock
This 45-minute program traces the creation, duration, and destruction of Glacial Lake Hitchcock in the Connecticut River valley as the glaciers were melting 14,000 years ago. Extending from central Connecticut to Vermont, this vast glacial lake left a fascinating set of features that influence daily life today. Discover how to recognize them in the valley today.

March -The Maple Sugaring Story
Maple sugaring was an early practice of North American Indians and of the European settlers in the New World. And it is still the first farm crop of the year following the cold New England winter. This video interweaves legend, science, song, history and geography to tell the story of the maple industry.

April - From Pulpwood to Newsprint
This 25-minute program describes the process of paper pproduction from the cutting and peeling of pulpwood logs in the Maine woods to their transformation into pulp for use on "modern" paper machines. Although filmed in 1940 much of this process has changed only a little and the program provides an excellent history of an important forest use in northern New England.

May -Growing Smart
This 20-minute program shows how our present local zoning by-laws can contribute to the loss of the rural character of New England towns and then describes some alternative bylaws that could allow development with less impact on the rural character of our towns.

June - The Old Quabbin Valley
This 30-minute program traces the history of Boston's water supply, the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir and the nationwide debate over the urban use of rural water resources. It contains some excellent historical views of the four towns that were flooded during the reservoir's construction and raises a range of questions about the use of our water resources.

July - Ice Harvesting Sampler
This 30-minute program, compiled from footage by Northeast Historic Film in Maine, shows how ice used to be harvested and stored in winter for use during the summer around New England. The scenes depict harvesting on several ponds in Maine and Massachusetts using mechanical and hand cutters. Most of the footage dates from the 1930's, toward the end of this industry, and should be interesting to those who can remember this activity as well as those who have only heard it mentioned and have been curious how it was done.

August - Woodsmen and River Drivers: Another Day Another Era
This 30-minute program tells the story of Maine river log-drives in the early 1900's from the point of view of those who worked on them. A combination of historical footage and interviews with surviving woodsmen from the river-drive crews is used to recount this fascinating story, which complements our October program "From Stump to Ship".

September - From Stump to Ship: A 1930 Logging Film
This wonderful 30-minute program documents the last log drive on the Machias River in Maine. Filmed in 1930 by Alfred Ames, President of the Machias Lumber Company, to document the end of his industry, the silent film and script were discovered and edited into this excellent video in 1985. It is a delight for all ages.

October- The Adirondacks: The Lives and Times of an American Wilderness
This 30-minute program, produced in cooperation with the Adirondack Museum, recounts the history of this vast eastern wilderness area practically on our doorstep and addresses the difficult questions facing it today as a result of development pressure and pollution.

November - Local Wood-From Forest to Finished Product in the North Quabbin Region, MA
This 40-minute program takes viewers on a tour of the North Quabbin region to meet foresters, loggers, sawmill operators, and woodworkers who demonstrate the steps and processes involved in producing end products from standing timber and the benefits of using local wood. It was produced by North Quabbin Woods, a project of the New England Forestry Foundation, to promote sustainable forestry, local wood artisans, and outdoor recreation in the North Quabbin region.

December - Last Log Drive on the Kennebec
Produced by Maine PBS, this video sets the stage for the last log drive down the Kennebec River in Maine, Scott Paper Company's 1976 drive from Moosehead Lake to their Winslow mill. This historical video addresses the impact the termination of the log drives will have on the region. Concern for jobs, the environment, the tourist industry and highway safety are discussed. Interviews with mill officials, woods workers, river drivers and politicians, among others, give voice to these important issues of the time.