About the Author

David R. Duplisea is a resident of Millinocket and an active member of the Millinocket Historical Society. These rare, historic images have been culled from the historical society's extensive archives.

Reviews

Millinocket: History buff writes book for Images of America series
Bangor Daily News
Nick Sambides Jr.
August 7th, 2008
MILLINOCKET, Maine - When he first joined the Millinocket Historical Society, David Duplisea had no idea that his membership would lead to his becoming a published author, but the book he produced would be perfectly at home at the Boom House museum.
At 128 pages, "Millinocket: Images of America" is filled with gorgeous black-and-white photographs of Millinocket and captioned with lengthy descriptions written by Duplisea that relate the town's history in an earnest, often fascinating way.
"I have always been interested in writing, but it was just an opportunity to get involved with Millinocket history and draw attention to the town in a good way," Duplisea, 48, said earlier this week. "It feels quite good. There was a lot more involved to it than I originally thought. Now that it's done, I am glad it is done."
The book is the biggest fundraiser yet in the effort to raise $100,000 to buy the former Mott Apartment Building on Central Street, which the town purchased for the museum. The society has two years to repay the town or the town can sell the property. Renovations cannot occur until the town is repaid. About $90,000 buys the building, with the rest covering closing and utility costs.
The book's proceeds will go toward the new museum. About $9,000 has been raised for the new museum, said John McManus, the society's treasurer, with much of that coming from book sales. The book cost the society $3,800 to print and sells for $19.99 retail. The 400 copies the society ordered have almost all sold.
"We'll be ordering another 400 copies soon," he said.
A Penobscot County deputy sheriff, the Millinocket resident does plenty of writing with his work, but the book differed greatly from his day job. Not that Duplisea is complaining.
"I enjoy history and the reading and the research came easy to me," he said.
Society president Sally Bouchard was pleased with Duplisea's effort.
"That subject [publishing a book] came up before, but at that time the museum was locked up so nobody could do it," Bouchard said, explaining that the book's raw materials were inaccessible.
Duplisea has done several book signings since Arcadia Publishing released the book June 9. It is part of Arcadia's Images of America series, which celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns and cities across America.
"Millinocket: Images of America" is available at most major bookstores and their Web sites, amazon.com, several local stores -- including Pangburn's Family IGA -- the Millinocket Public Library and the historical society museum at the town hall, which is open on Thursday afternoons.
Duplisea will do another book signing on Aug. 9 at Patten's Lumberman's Museum. He would like to do another book soon, he said.
"I enjoyed the whole process," he said.