Greater Grand Isle Historical Society

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    People and Faces of Grand Isle

    L: Laurence Lausier & Edna Sirois-Ouellette, 1925. R: Leon Lausier & Zelia Therrien-Lausier.

    • L: Laurence Lausier & Edna Sirois-Ouellette, 1925. R: Leon Lausier & Zelia Therrien-Lausier.
    • L: Unidentified. R: Regis Martin (barber) & Leon Lausier, 1930s.
    • Maria Lausier with brother Albert Lausier, 1930s.
    • Leon Lausier, Claude Lajoie, Zelia Lausier (wife of Leon).
    • Elmer Beaulieu, Bill Morrow, Firmin Chasse, and Albert Sirois, 1942.
    • Fernande Lachance & Rita Sirois, 1940s.
    • Napoleon Desjardins & Olivine Gendreau å Joseph Gendreau & Edith Clavette, 1940.
    • Emilien Desjardins a Paul Desjardins & Anna Lavoie, 1940s.
    • Memorial Day Parade, WWII. Grand Isle, 1942.
    • Laurien Lausier, WWII, 1942.
    • Paul & Philomene Thibodeau-Levesque, 1950.
    • Rear: Shirley, Russell, Madeleine Levesque-Beaulieu, Abel. Front: Marlene, James, Rachel, Gene. 1948.
    • Abel Beaulieu å Jean Beaulieu & Elise Deschaine.
    • Russell & Abel Beaulieu, 1950s.
    • Russell Beaulieu in the Army, 1957-1958.
    • Claude "Bébé" Beaulieu and Russell Beaulieu, 1953.
    • Claude, Anita, & Wilfred Beaulieu, 1940s.
    • Wilfred & Anita Beaulieu, c/o Henry & Olive Levesque Beaulieu. Rear: Micky Chasse's house & St. Gerard Church.
    • Francis Berube & Vitaline Cormier-Thibodeau, daughter of Sophie Cormier who later married Auguste T.
    • Fernand & Jeanne D'Arc Dube, c/o Edmund Dube & Celina Bougoin.
    • Lewis & Aurore Ouellette's kids, 1940s. Rear: Claudette, Rita, Edna. Front: Claude, John Ouellette.
    • Gerald Carrier and Marthe Theriault.
    • Carrier kids. Help us identify these kids! Email us at info@grandislehistoricalsociety.org if you know their names.
    • Jeannine Carrier-Lagasse-Daigle, Therese Carrier-Roberge, Rejeanne Carrier.
    • Donald, Gerald, & Yvon Levesque, 1952. Sons of Abel H. Levesque & Leona Gervais.
    • Siblings Henri and Melvina Michaud, and Leona Gervais, wife of Abel Levesque and daughter of Pierre Gervais and Melvina Michaud.
    • Elise Cyr and Basile Martin, 1930s.
    • Home of Basile Martin & Elise Cyr, 1940.
    • Elise Cyr, Basile Martin, and daughter Emma Martin-Cote.
    • Edith Martin, wife of Come Cyr, 1900s. Mother of Elise Cyr-Martin, daughter of Michel Martin & Flavie Martin.
    • Elise Cyr, wife of Basile Martin, with grandson Normand Cote, son of Arthy Cyr & Emma Martin, 1930s.
    • Mary Anne Ouellette & Pat Martin, 1930s.
    • Patrick Martin & Patrick Beaulieu å Antoine Beaulieu & Elise Lagasse, 1930s.
    • Paul Martin with banjo, 1930s.
    • Emma Martin, wife of Arthy Cote and daughter of Elise Cyr and Basile Martin, 1940s.
    • Arthy & Emma Martin-Cote family, 1946. Front: Harold 'Roule', Martin, Raymond. Rear: Therese, Emma Cote.
    • Emma Martin & Arthur 'Arthy' Cote, 1940s.
    • Front: Rejeanne Cyr-Cote, Emma Cyr. Rear: Harold 'Roule' Cote, Basile Martin, s/o Emlien "Modess", Emilien, Donald Lavoie, s/o L & Leda Bourgoin.
    • Normand, Emlien "Modess", Arthur "Jules" Cote, 1930s.
    • Therese, Harold, Martin, Emma, & Raymond Cote, 1946.
    • Fernand Martin & Rena Cote with sons Fernand Jr. "Bay", and Gene Martin.
    • Fernand Martin & Rena Cote-Martin with their sons & Grover "Clovis" Martin family of Fort Fairfield, 1930s.
    • Rolande, Therese, & Rena Cote, 1930s.
    • Lincoln School play at St. Gerard Church: Normand/Armand? Chasse, Rena Cote (later Martin), Rina Carrier (later Martin).
    • Helene Chasse, wife of Carise Cote, 1930. Daughter of Philas Chasse and Maguerite Pelletier.
    • Willie Levasseur's son in front of Arthur Levesque's blacksmith shop. Email us at info@grandislehistoricalsociety.org if you know his name!

    Grand Isle on Wheels

    Estelle Bouchard, daughter of Jean Bouchard and Alma Corbin, 1926.

    • Estelle Bouchard, daughter of Jean Bouchard and Alma Corbin, 1926.
    • Cecile Corbin, wife of Guy Beaulieu å Fred, daughter of Levite Corbin and Bernadette Dumond, 1926.
    • Nelida Corbin on a home-made bicycle rack, 1930s.
    • Severe Beaulieu on bicycle, 1926.
    • State of Maine V-Plow truck, 1943. Maine started plowing highways in Aroostook in 1930.
    • Abel L. Levesque plowing US Rt. 1 in the Grand Isle Township area with his 1945 Dodge truck. He contracted with the state, as did his son too.
    • Guy Beaulieu, Emilien Cote, Edmond Chasse, Alphege Lavoie, Carl Morrow, Anita Sirois, Claire Cyr, Alphy Cyr, Donat Cyr, Albert Sirois, Randolph Soucy.
    • Lorraine & Dolores Chasse, Clarence Chasse, Albert Sirois, 1942.

    Lavoie-Martin Family

    The Lavoie-Martin Family

    • The Lavoie-Martin Family
    • Robert Lavoie and wife Marie.
    • Robert and Clifford Lavoie.
    • The Lavoie House.
    • Help us identify this young lady! Email us at info@grandislehistoricalsociety.org if you know her name!
    • Paul Lavoie, son of Vital Lavoie and Vitaline Fournier.
    • Patricia Lavoie with brother Adrian.
    • Clifford Lavoie with dog.
    • Rear: Paul, Eugenie, Loretta, Peter, Robert. Middle: Elphege, Clifford, Leo Paul. Front: Patricia, Michael, Bertrand, Aurele, Lola, Adrian.
    • Paul and Eugenie Lavoie family in yard.
    • Leo Paul, Bertrand, Patricia, and Clifford Lavoie, children of Paul and Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Adrian Lavoie, working with a hoe.
    • Adrian Lavoie.
    • Clifford Lavoie on the ferry between Grand Isle and Riviere-Verte, New Brunswick.
    • Leo Paul and Bertrand Lavoie.
    • Aurele, Lola, and Michael Lavoie, children of Paul and Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Lola Lavoie, daughter of Paul and Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Clifford Lavoie, son of Paul and Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Bertrand Lavoie, son of Paul and Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Clifford with mom, Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Bertrand with mom, Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Helen (maiden name?) with husband Peter Lavoie and Peter's mother Eugenie Martin Lavoie.
    • Clifford Lavoie, during WWII.
    • Eugenie Martin Lavoie with son Robert Lavoie.

    In the Logging & Sugar Camps

    Horse and oxen were widely used in the woods until the 1950s. Men spent half the year farming and half logging.

    • Horse and oxen were widely used in the woods until the 1950s. Men spent half the year farming and half logging.
    • It was well known that horses were the best way to pull logs out of the woods; they were strong, didn't break in the cold, & didn't damage the forest.
    • Logs were levered onto bob sleds with peavie, pulled back to camp or the yard outs, and maneuvered off onto piles.
    • Men and boys as young as 13 would go to the woods in the winter and often stay there for months in the camps, bunking, eating, & working together.
    • It was dangerous work, but the men knew what they were doing. The spring drive down the rivers was the most hazardous part of the whole thing.
    • Maple sugar time up in the concessions.
    • We don't advise pointing guns at each other, but visiting an old school sugar shack is an experience you won't forget soon!
    • Spring was an exciting time to celebrate and make maple sugar candy in the snow. Kids helped feed the fires, but it was mostly a one man operation.
    • What an exciting time after a long, cold winter! Maple sugaring was the first new food of the spring until the fiddleheads came in May.

    The Saint John River

    Grand Isle had a series of piers and anchors to chain the booms to corral logs during the river drive. They were held until the water was high enough.

    • Grand Isle had a series of piers and anchors to chain the booms to corral logs during the river drive. They were held until the water was high enough.
    • A colorized view of the piers for the booms in the St. John at Grand Isle.
    • The piers are just out of sight on the left as this looks across the river to Rivere Verte.
    • Standing up near the piers looking back at the ferry crossing. The cable is visible just above the horizon on the right.
    • A group of boys cross over to Green River, New Brunswick.
    • Many older Acadians couldn't swim, or were uncomfortable in the water, but strangely enough they crossed the river all the time and loved fishing.
    • Acadian ingenuity rigged up all kinds of solutions to the challenges of the day.
    • Horses and buggies on the ferry crossing to Rivere Verte. See how low the water is.
    • Today's boat landing in Grand Isle has been in use for over a century. Here you can see the ferry crossing where the boat ramp site is now.
    • Wooden buttresses were built up over and around rock piles and earth work to chain and hold the logs during the river drives.
    • Dogs used to be larger than today's popular toy poodles, but Acadian continue to love going down to the river. They are avid fishermen.
    • Ice was once harvested extensively from the St. John to be used in iceboxes and cold storages until the 1940s when electricity became more widespread.
    • Ice harvesters at work on the St. John. Three separate holes can be seen here.
    • Ice racing on the St. John River. There was also a racetrack up beyond the ball field off Morneault Road that held weekly races.

    Potatoes, Potatoes, Potatoes!

    Spraying the fields at Lavertu Farm in St. David, Maine.

    • Spraying the fields at Lavertu Farm in St. David, Maine.
    • Potatoes were picked into baskets that were poured into barrels. The barrels, usually made from ash, were loaded on the truck to take to the barns.
    • Brand new barrels roll out to be delivered to a farm.
    • Micky Chasse remembers selling 25 harvesters the first year AJ Michaud sold them, and they ALL broke down in the wet fall they got that year.
    • Because potatoes were a commodity crop, their market and prices were federally controlled. Here inspectors wait to supervise the potato dump.
    • Trucks line up to bring their potatoes to the potato dump. An average potato barrel holds 165# filled to the rim.
    • Commodity potato supply on the market was strictly controlled to protect pricing and to avoid saturating the markets. Sometimes that meant dumping.
    • A mountain of potatoes grows at the government surplus potato dump.
    • Some years the potatoes were actually painted to prevent them from being snuck into the markets.

    School Children of Grand Isle

    • Unknown school child.
    • ROGER PARENT
    • Rejeanne Carrier
    • RAYMOND COTE
    • NANCY CYR
    • NANCY CYR, CLASS OF 1956
    • MARIE PAUL SIROIS D/O PAUL
    • KATHLEEN DUBE
    • JOEL LEVESQUE
    • JOAN DOUCETTE
    • JEANNINE LEVESQUE
    • FREDA SOUCY
    • DANIEL PARENT
    • BERNIE LEVASSEUR
    • ALBERT GIRL, UNIDENTIFIED
    • ADRIEN DOUCETTE

    The Nuns & Sisters of Grand Isle

    SR. LUCILLE PICARD, 1917 - 2007

    • SR. LUCILLE PICARD, 1917 - 2007
    • SR. VIOLA LAUSIER, D/O THADDEE LAUSIER
    • SR. THERESE DOUCETTE, D/O ALEXIS & CATHERINE DUFOUR DOUCETTE FROM GRAND ISLE
    • SR. MARIE MAE LAUSIER, D/O THADDEE LAUSIER OF GRAND ISLE
    • SR. MARIE ALINE CYR, D/O PIERRE A. & LAURIE DUMONT CYR OF LILLE, ME
    • SR. LENA CORMIER, D/O LOUIS CORMIER
    • SR. ST. JULIE (DORINDA CHASSE), D/O EDDIE CHASSE, SUNNY SIDE DAIRY (UPPER KEEGAN) IN AFRICA
    • SR. JEANNE SOUCY, D/O PATRICK & SUSANNE LAVOIE SOUCY 1938-1939
    • SR. IRENE LAVERTUE, D/O EDWARD LAVERTUE OF GRAND ISLE
    • SR. GEORGEANNE DOUCETTE, D/O LEONARD & ANNIE CYR DOUCETTE OF GRAND ISLE
    • SR. ST. FRANCES MARIE & SR. ST. COLETTE (COOK)
    • SR. ST. DENIS (RITA), D/O DENIS & FLAVIE DUMONT SIROIS
    • SR. COLETE (FROM QUEBEC) AUGUST 1939. COOK-HOUSEKEEPER (VERY SHORT BUT VERY SWEET)
    • SR. CECILE DUPERRY, D/O AIME & ALMA DUPERRY OF LILLE. B. 5-31-1910, D. 9-16-2006 AT AGE 96 YRS OLD
    • SR. BERTHE DOUCETTE, D/O FLAVIEN & ELODIE THIBODEAU DOUCETTE OF GRAND ISLE
    • SR. BERTHA CORMIER, D/O JOSEPH CORMIER
    • SR. AURORE LIRETTE
    • SR. AURORE CORBIN

    Buildings & Places in Grand Isle, Maine

    • Lac a Magloire at the end of Caron Street in Lavertu Settlement.
    • Postcard postmarked July 31, 1911 from Marie Morneault Morrow (Bill) to her sister, Alma Morneault in Van Buren, ME c/o: Joe E. Martin (no zip code).
    • Denis Sirois & Flavie Dumont home (now son Albert Sirois & Catherine Cyr).
    • Henry Martin store... Boarding House far right, Center... 1938.
    • 1st owner: Jos. Thibodeau... Vital Thibodeau) became an apartment house... burned in 1960.
    • Sanfacon Complex - no maple trees Thomas Thibodeau Home (left) Then Joel Gendreau's house now empty (2012).
    • This is Main street, Grand Isle in 1911, standing about where Frenchie's store is today (2012), looking down U.S. Rt. 1 west toward St. David.
    • This (postcard) photo was taken about 1920 (about the same place as the previous 1911 photo).
    • Note the short utility poles right in front of the houses. They still pass in the same spots today.
    • This picture taken in the summer of 2011 by Brian Bouley shows the same houses fron the previous picture.
    • Downtown Grand Isle seen from the St. Gerard steeple in 1935..
    • Looking towards Lille from the St. Gerard steeple in the early 1930s.
    • Thomas Chasse's house flooded, behind Fred Beaulieu's house. Elmo Beaulieu in canoe.
    • Moving Thomas Chasse's house with 2 x 5 teams of horses and 2 tractors in the 1930s. The Lincoln School roof can be seen in the background.
    • Here they are almost to Creamery St., below where the Grand Isle Estates are now.
    • Towing a crash out of a house. Old meat market owner Deschamp, Michel Soucy a Dalvas, Emelie Deschene, & Alphonse Beaudry (raised by Soucys).
    • Andre Cyr at Edmond Chasse's ice skating rink behind Jean Beaupre. Later he took over and moved the rink and shack behind the fire station.
    • A cropduster flew too low, and blew off the roof of Arthur G. Cyr's shed. This is where Lionel "Pete" Dionne's barn is today on Pine Street.
    • The roof landed on this car, crumpling it.
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