The Maine Coast Sardine History Museum

The Maine Coast Sardine History Museum offers an interesting look back on this once important Maine industry. This museum was founded and is operated by Mary and Ronnie Peacock who definitely has a love for the history of the sardine industry. The museum is located at 34 Mason Bay Road in Jonesport, Maine and is open from June to September.

As described on their e-bay page, the Peabody's museum "strives to preserve and to share that history. The Maine Coast Sardine History Museum is located in Historic Jonesport, Maine, which was home to many canneries, from small family operated to large corporate, such as Underwood. The museum currently documents the industry along the Maine Coast from Robbinston to Gouldsboro, and will eventually cover the entire coast down to Kittery. The exhibits include hundreds of photographs, original cans, labels, crates, and letterheads. It also includes original fishing, processing, and canning equipment covering the entire process from fishing, to processing, to canning to shipping."

The sardine industry was at one time the biggest employer in the state of Maine with at least 418 factories operating during the 1876 to present time period. Currently, the Bumblebee factory in Prospect Harbor is the only surviving sardine factory in the state. At its peak around World War II and the post war years, thousands of fishermen, women and children were employed by these plants.

Hours for the 2009 season are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Sunday. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students.

Additional displays and information on the Maine sardine industry can be found at the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine.