Local History: Highway of History — Route One in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts

Route 1 in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts is an unapologetic combination of historic gravity, exuberant entertainment, unexpected juxtapositions, and wonderfully kitschy roadside attractions. New England road trippers will encounter roller coasters and candlepin bowling, lobster rolls and homemade pie, colonial-era taverns and granite fortifications. An orange dinosaur overlooks the highway in Massachusetts, a neon whale casts its glow in New Hampshire, and a statue in Maine memorializes a celebrity harbor seal. Motor courts once welcomed weary travelers, and drive-in theaters entertained vacationers on starlit summer nights.

Mile after mile, Route One tells a story about history, survival, loss, and change. Author and photographer Susan Mara Bregman traveled Route 1 from Fort Kent (ME) to Attleboro (MA) to tell the story of this highway of history.

Registration is not required.

About the Presenter
Susan Bregman is a writer and photographer living in Boston. Originally from New York, she moved to Boston after graduating from college and never left. She loves roadside attractions, candlepin bowling, lawn flamingos, and mahjong. Susan is the author of New England Neon, New England Candlepin Bowling, and Along Route 1: Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts – all for Arcadia Publishing. And she is currently working on her fourth book, New England Sweets.

Questions? Contact Katie Czajkowski by email at cfczajkowski@cityofportsmouth.com or by phone at 603-766-1723.