The Camden Public Library during April is hosting an exhibit of vintage photography, “Up River,” which features images from the museum’s Captain Bill Abbott Collection. Shown is the Ross Towing Co. tug Walter Ross, heading down the Penobscot River with a four master in tow, circa 1915; Bill Abbott Collection. Courtesy of the Penobscot Marine Museum
The Camden Public Library is hosting an exhibit of vintage photography, provided by the Penobscot Marine Museum, through April in the Picker Room Gallery at 55 Main St.
“Up River” features images from the museum’s Captain Bill Abbott Collection. The exhibit is part of the library’s long-standing partnership with the marine museum to highlight Maine’s rich maritime history every April during the library’s celebration of Maritime Month, according to a news release from the library.
Abbott spent 50 years guiding vessels into port, including through the challenging waters of Penobscot Bay and Penobscot River. He was a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, the founder of the Penobscot Bay and River Pilots Association, and a mentor to many port pilots.
He was also an avid collector of photographs. When Abbott died in 2014 he left his collection to the museum, where it is being digitized and preserved.
The exhibit will be complemented by a narrated slideshow presented by Capt. David Gelinas at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, via Zoom. Gelinas will discuss the history of the Pen Bay Pilots and how the Maine’s State Pilotage System is practiced on Penobscot Bay. He will also share stories about Abbott, who mentored him when he became a pilot.
To register for a Zoom link to attend, visit librarycamden.org.
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