Construction,

circulated about Stowe’s time on the island. Consequently, tourism had supplanted seafaring as the island’s primary industry.

The aerial-view postcard shown here, dating back to the 1930s, represents just one of the hundreds of promotional materials found in Maine Maritime Museum’s collection, all aimed at enticing tourists to explore “the Pearl’s” Orr’s Island. Spanning several decades, these postcards likely ceased production in the late 1940s, around the same time when the last accessible house was closed to the public.

Remarkably, this particular house still stands today as a private residence. During Stowe’s era, it served as the home of Deacon Johnson, the one individual widely believed to have inspired a character in the book.

Kelly Page is collections and library services manager at Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Current exhibits include “Women Behind the Lens” and “SeaChange: Darkness and Light in the Gulf of Maine.” Plan your visit at www.mainemaritimemuseum.org