Stephen Cole will present a reading and discussion of his newly published
book "The Rangeley and Its Region: The Famous Boat and Lakes of
Western Maine." Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

In the mid-nineteenth century, word spread of the abundant mammoth
trout that sportsmen were catching in the Rangeley Lakes region of
western Maine-an area dominated by four big lakes, linked by streams,
that seemed more like inland seas. As sporting camps and lodges sprang
up around the lakes, and tourists came in increasing numbers (by
carriage, train, and steamboat), a local economy evolved, driven by
craftsmen, entrepreneurs, and guides.

By the 1870s the Rangeley-a double-ended boat, lightweight, shapely,
and swift-was born. It was the boat favored by guides and their
"sports." "The Rangeley and Its Region" tells how entwined the boat,
people, lakes, town, and economy became over a century. With nearly a
hundred historic photographs and advertisements, this engaging story
includes native voices and touches on sportfishing, rod-building,
fly-tying, boatbuilding, guiding, and the summer culture of a remote and
treasured town.