[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ text_font_size=”16px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
The decade prior to World War II was one of relative peace and calm for the people of Monhegan. The year-round and summer residents often collaborated on both island challenges and entertainment.<\/p>\n
Some of the challenges that were priorities during these years were fire protection, government aid to build a breakwater, gravel shortages, proposed alterations to the lobster season, and garbage disposal. Entertainment helped to lighten the load of these heavy subjects. Bi-weekly dances were held year-round at the dance hall, previously located where the current Parsonage stands. With the increased population during the summer months also came more opportunities to socialize. Dances, Gymkhanas, Masquerade balls, card playing, sing-alongs, and \u2018weinie roasts\u2019 all contributed to the culture of the island.<\/p>\n
As the end of the decade approached, the rumblings of discord around the world were starting to be felt on the island. In 1938, The Monhegan Press published an article reporting on the seven Navy destroyers contracted to be built at Bath Iron Works. These contracts were in response to the Naval Act of 1938 which called for a 20% increase in the strength of the US fleet. On November 20, 1939, the Press reported three submarine sightings, two westward of the island and one near the whistling buoy.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Copy-of-NelsonPreWarwithMusicTitles.mp4″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″ custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ text_line_height=”1.4em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
A sample of life circa 1930 courtesy of the Nelson Family<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/A-7027.jpg” title_text=”Dance Hall” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” admin_label=”Dance Hall” _builder_version=”4.8.2″ custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ text_line_height=”1.4em” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”2px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Attributed to Mason, Mary Townsend. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/A-PrewarYearsConnaway2731.jpg” title_text=”Connaway, Village at Night” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.8.2″ custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ text_line_height=”1.4em” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”2px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Connaway, Jay Hall. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/MASON_1858.jpg” title_text=”Mary Mason, Sidney’s Garden” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.8.2″ custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ text_line_height=”1.4em” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”2px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Mason, Mary Townsend. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ background_color=”RGBA(135,83,0,0.27)”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/A-2633_35picnic-1024×823.jpg” title_text=”Picnic at Lobster Cove” show_in_lightbox=”on” _builder_version=”4.8.2″ custom_padding=”|||8px|false|false”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.7″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”200px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”5px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”|44px|1px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Picnic at Lobster Cove 1937 or 1938 [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/threat-of-war\/threat-of-war-tensions-overseas\/” button_text=”NEXT … Tensions Overseas” button_alignment=”right” _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Threat of War: The Pre-War YearsThe decade prior to World War II was one of relative peace and calm for the people of Monhegan. The year-round and summer residents often collaborated on both island challenges and entertainment. Some of the challenges that were priorities during these years were fire protection, government aid to build a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":49737,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-49864","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49864"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51882,"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49864\/revisions\/51882"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monheganmuseum.org\/WWII\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Untitled (Dance Hall)<\/em>. 1930s<\/p>\n
Moonlight Village, Monhegan<\/em>, c. 1940<\/p>\n
Sidney\u2019s Garden<\/em>. 1930s<\/p>\n
left to right: Mary Mason (sitting), Elise Nelson (holding cake), Isabel Cartwright, Jessie Dunbar, Louise Connaway. Guerdon Nelson, Irwin Nelson, Eugenia Nelson, William Martin (standing), Jay Connaway, Dick Matthew (behind dog), \u201cRogee\u201d (the Nelson\u2019s dog), Clara Taylor (sitting).
Photograph by Warner Taylor<\/p>\n