OAKLAND, Maine — When Arend Thibodeau set out to find a subject for his book, he discovered that the sometimes forgotten industrial sites in the state hold so much history. His book, "Forgotten Industry and Institutions of Maine" focuses on the topic.
"If you learn to look past the decay, you start to see the remnants of humanity that is hidden among these lost relics," Arend said.
He is also a registered Maine guide and uses that experience in his quests to explore Maine's closed-down industrial sites.
He showed NEWS CENTER Maine the remnants of the Cascade Woolen Mill in Oakland. The mill was constructed in 1880 and by 1882 was in full production. By the 1990s, it was Oakland's largest employer. It closed its doors in 1998 but a fire broke out there in 2010.
"It contributed employment. It benefited the community. It enriched the community and allowed the community to build and prosper. It brought people in from different areas of the country," Arend told NEWS CENTER Maine of the effects Cascade Woolen Mill and other industrial centers like it had on the state of Maine.
Thibodeau's wife, Christy, is a major part of his work. She leads the fact-checking and even helps coordinate library visits.
"I look on tax maps from the town and tax commitments and then I go online to find the owner's information and contact them," Christy said.
Arend also remarked on the conditions that some of these abandoned sites are left in.
"If you're tempted to come into these places and vandalize and write graffiti, don't," he said. He said people should employ "ethical exploring" by taking only pictures and leaving only footprints.