At the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, a bronze memorial stretching 78 feet from its base to the tip of the flagpole recreates the stunning moment caught by the late photographer Joe Rosenthal. Rene Gagnon was one of the three surviving members of the flag raising who modeled for the sculpture. New Hampshire […]
Rene Gagnon was just 18, a high school dropout who worked in the textile mills of his native Manchester, New Hampshire, when he became a Marine in May 1943. Less than two years later, it was Rene, a month shy of 20, who carried the American flag — the second one to fly that day […]
For two weeks last fall, photographer Alison Shaw lived in a tiny shack on Cape Cod as part of an artist’s residency. She had no running water, no electricity, and no heat; the nearest road was a 30-minute hike away, up and over the dunes. Heaven. At the remote tip of Cape Cod lies a […]
A bike is a bike, right? Not so for Seven Cycles. Each bicycle — mountain or road — is made to order using titanium, carbon fiber, and steel in Watertown, Massachusetts. Take one out for a spin and you’ll understand why over the past 10 years Seven Cycles has become the largest custom builder in […]
The older I get, the more I crave good, strong help. In this quest, I’ve encountered some frustrations. I once hired a young man to help in the garden, and after an hour or so, I looked out the window and saw him sprawled on the ground. Thinking he had hurt himself or passed out, […]
This special travel guide issue is a conversation between Yankee and you, our readers. We are talking about places we love in a unique corner of the world: New England. We all know that surge of excitement when we discover a new place and, whether by foot or bike or car, we set out and […]
Did you know that most pro golfers wear shoes made in Brockton, Massachusetts? FootJoy-brand golf shoes are the number one choice on the PGA and LPGA tours. Tee off in your own pair, complete with flourishes such as full calfskin leather uppers, leather linings and outsole, waterproofing, and a membrane that helps regulate your foot […]
A paddle is a canoeist’s best friend; a good one delivers a powerful stroke with ease. This native white ash paddle ($48.50) is remarkable not only for its innate lightness, strength, and flexibility (all qualities essential in a good paddle), but also because paddle smith Ricky Kiem makes it from a single piece of wood […]
Mike LaVecchia and a few friends love to hang out at Long Sands Beach in York Beach, Maine. Sometimes they’re out there to surf for fun; sometimes they’re there to “work,” testing the boards they design and build. The wooden boards are inspired by those from the ’60s and ’70s and are made of native […]
For fly-fishing enthusiasts, the coveted tool is a bamboo fly rod. David Kenney, of Middlesex, Vermont, originally started building bamboo fly rods as a side business to his full-time furniture making. Now he exclusively makes these beautiful split-canes, “building a bit of a story into each rod.” Note his attention to details, such as gold-plated […]
This summer’s adventures will be more fun when you pack these items for fishing, surfing, golfing, cycling, and paddling. Get moving!
The first story I published in Yankee was about a potato farmer’s wife from Aroostook County, Maine. Her name was Avis Dudley. The year was 1977, and Avis Dudley’s homestead had become a local landmark in northern Maine. During the fall potato harvest, her husband’s hired hands would crowd into Avis’s dining room and be […]
