Caldwell, Bill (1919 - 2001)

Genre: Non-Fiction

Caldwell was born in New York, moved to Maine in 1964 and in 1965 began a 25-year career as newspaper columnist for the Portland newspapers, writing about 3,000 columns before retiring in 1991.

His home in Damariscotta, called Piper's Bend, was the site of parties for the state's elite, including political leaders, but he also enjoyed the company of artisans, fisherman, and other "regular" people. His 30-foot converted lobster boat, Steer Clear, was recognizable along the Maine coast. He was sometimes stopped for an autograph while cruising.

Before coming to Maine, Caldwell worked for Time-Life and Fawcett Publications, was Asst. Director of Foreign Operations under Pres. Eisenhower, flew bombers in WWII, and lived in Washington DC, New York, London, the Middle East, and Asia, among other places. His alma maters are Cambridge Univ. (Master's degree) and the Sorbonne in Paris.

Caldwell died on January 5, 2001; he lived in Green Valley, Arizona, at the time of his death, with his second wife, Susan Elizabeth Brown, but had been to Portland for a long visit in the summer of 2000. At his request, his ashes were scattered off the coast of Maine.

Selected Bibliography

• Enjoying Maine: Lively Stories About People and Places, from the Sea Coast to the North Country... (1977)
• Maine Magic: A Vivid Portrayal of Maine Life, Maine Towns and Island (1979)
• Islands of Maine: Where America Really Began (1981)
• The Islands of Casco Bay (1982)
• Rivers of Fortune: Where Maine Tides and Money Flowed (1983/2002)
• Lighthouses of Maine (1986/2002)
• Maine Coast (1988).