Prints donated of Vivian Akers' Lake Pennesseewasee photos

NORWAY - Sid Gordon of North Norway has recently donated prints of Vivian Akers’ photos taken from Pike's Hill in the spring and summer of 1925, to the Western Foothills Land Trust. The black and white images depict a far more open, cultivated, rural landscape around Lake Pennesseewassee than currently exists. In the distance one can see the expansive farms of North Norway as well as significant open farmland along Crockett Ridge in Norway. The Pike’s Hill farmlands captured in the foreground of the images show well-maintained stone walls, fences, hay fields and established pastures. One summertime image managed to record a farmer on a hay rake behind his draft horse.

All the images will assist the land trust as it continues to piece together the agricultural history of the Roberts Farm Preserve lands. The photo that may play the most poignant role vis-a-vis the Roberts family land use is an image taken from very near the current viewpoint on the Roberts Farm Preserve. In that spring of 1925 photo, the land appears to have been recently harvested. In 1925, Thaddeus Roberts owned the farm. Thaddeus was the only child of John A. (who died in 1920) and Carrie Pike Roberts.

The Trust would like to recognize Sid for his generous donation of time and consideration, and the keen eye of Ellen Gibson from West Paris, who recognized these images as significant to the Trust’s work at the Preserve.

Pikes Hill Photo:

VIVIAN AKERS PHOTO - Pikes Hill in 1925 showing hay rake