OAKLAND — “The Rise and Fall of Axe Making in Maine” will be the topic at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, at the Oakland Public Library, 18 Church St.

Howard Hardy, a local historian and tool collector, will present a talk and display which will focus on how and why axe making became so big in Oakland and around the state.

Those who attend can learn about the advantages Oakland had in the making of axes, as well as scythes, since the scythe’s history parallels that of the axe.

Howard will trace the progression and improvements in axes and examples will be on display from primitive axes to more modern refinements.

Attendees can learn about the life of a salesman on the road and a show of some of the paperwork: invoices, letters and communications with salesmen.

Howard will discuss competition between manufacturers in Oakland (there were 18 in all), price fixing and how companies competed and cooperated, buying steel, selling polls, trading employees and outsourcing handles (Lemuel Cotton and others). The library will display its collection of axe labels.

For more information, call the library at 465-7533.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.