Mill Museum holds soft opening event
September 7, 2024
The Bucksport Paper Mill Museum held a soft opening event on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, and the following day Tuesday, September 3. The event provided a chance for the public to see the work that has been done on the gatehouse building so far.
The event kicked off with Acadia Piper Ernie Smith piping "Scotland the Brave" while leading attendees across the street to the museum, following the path of mill workers who would make the same crossing during shift changes. Later in the event, he played his "Papermaker's Lament. A Scottish Air" which he composed for Still Mill, Poems, Stories & Songs of Making Paper in Bucksport, Maine 1930 - 2014. Ernie's father, Percy D. Smith, was a rigger at the St. Regis mill. Thanks to the Bucksport P.D. for furnishing traffic safety for the ceremony.
Ernie Smith pipes "Scotland the Brave", while leading attendees across the street toward the museum. Courtesy of Ernie Smith
Following the procession, Wesley "Chip" Stubbs, foreman of the gatehouse renovation crew, gave an emotional welcome. According to Chip, “Presenting the museum to the public was harder than walking out that last day.”
Poetry was read, stories were shared and opening remarks were given, with speakers including Representative Ron Russell, Gary Bagley, Patricia Smith Ranzoni, Rick Doyle, and Gene Sanborn.
After the opening words, people were invited to explore the mill artifacts and memorabilia on display, including the mill workers’ lunch baskets hanging from the ceiling as a tribute to all mill workers. Attendees were also able to view the a piece of the first paper made at the mill and a piece of the the final paper that the mill produced. The space filled with the sounds of conversation, as attendees reminisced and shared their mill stories.
Much work remains to be done on the gatehouse building and exhibits before the museum officially opens to the public, but the soft opening event gave the public a chance to see how much work has already been done. We look forward to many more gatherings in the space and opportunities to share the stories of papermaking in Bucksport and the people who were a part of it. The next event being planned will held on the day of the 10th anniversary of the mill’s closing on December 17.
Please consider getting involved, so that we can hold many more gatherings in the future!
LABOR DAY GUEST OF HONOR
Wesley "Chip" Stubbs, (left) foreman of the gatehouse renovation crew, and Donald "Magoo" McLaughlin, (right) esteemed union officer of Local 261 at the soft opening event. Photo courtesy of Pat Ranzoni
In keeping with the goal of the day, and at the invitation of Wesley "Chip" Stubbs, foreman of the gatehouse renovation crew, Donald "Magoo" McLaughlin, esteemed union officer of Local 261, attended the Bucksport Paper Mill Museum's soft opening, exhibiting his 2012 "Solidarity Award" presented to him by his union peers when Patrick Carlton was president of the Maine Labor Council and Local 9, United Steel Workers.
Donald "Magoo" McLaughlin's 2012 "Solidarity Award". Photo courtesy of Pat Ranzoni
The inscription reads "A True Trade Unionist In Recognition of Your Dedication and Leadership to Provide Social and Economic Justice to the Members of Your Union and the People of Northern Maine”, along with a 1978 quotation from George Meany, founder of the AFL-CIO.
In a note for the guest book, Mr. McLaughlin wrote, "I worked 10 1/2 years for International Paper/Verso. I spent 5 1/2 years as president of local 261 and did all I could for the workers in mill regardless of local they were member of. I came from Great Northern Paper in Millinocket where I also served as a union officer. Good people."
Throughout the two-day event, McLaughlin and Stubbs exchanged union talk to the great interest and questions of attendees. Stubbs illustrated the discussion further by showing a film on the building of the Bucksport mill and a second, a music video entitled "Papertown" by the group Balsam Range. Both will be available for viewing through the museum-in-progress as well as here.