As a lifelong resident of Portland and an active local historian, Bob McDougall has a unique perspective on the past, present and future of the Portland brownstone quarries. Bob’s reflections provide a portrait of the quarries as a place of teaching and learning about the past, of raising a community awareness and appreciation of its history, and of quiet personal reflection.

Throughout the interviews, we learned how Jeanne’s story has intertwined with Portland’s history. We heard about her family life, from her relationship with her grandparents to her relationship with her grandson. Since her childhood, she has exhibited impressive personal values that translate into her public interests; principally, a love for family, friends, and neighbors, as well as an immense passion for nature and the outdoors. Her everlasting sense of curiosity led her to first visit the quarries, which have become a cherished part of her life. She now works to spread that curiosity to future generations of Portland students.

Where other interviews by our classmates focused on long-time Portland residents with recreational and historical connections to the quarries, Mike’s perspective is unique in that he works with the stone every day and is deeply knowledgeable of the geology of the Portland formation, of which the quarries are a part. Because his knowledge is so broad and our interviews touched on so many different topics—from geology, to history, to Mike’s life story and philosophy—we would like to refer interested readers to the complete transcript.

Jack Dillon has an incredibly detailed knowledge of the quarries, their workers, their day-to-day functioning, and much more. His knowledge on the town is also vast, and Jack has a clear understanding of how Portland has developed and changed over time. His clear personal connection to the quarries is evident in everything he says. He is truly enthusiastic about the quarries and their unique history.

Cristoph Henning's story and expertise provides an uncommon look into two areas of interest to this project: the nature of Portland brownstone as a stone and an object of workmanship; and the continued role of the brownstone quarries in shaping the trajectory of the Portland, Connecticut, community, as evidenced by Mr. Henning's eventual settlement around the site of the quarries. The reader is able to ascertain the importance of the presence of the brownstone resource in shaping development of the Portland community through Mr. Henning's particular viewpoint as both a stone carver and a relative newcomer to the story of the Portland brownstone quarries.

Alison Guinness has been instrumental in shaping the way we understand the Portland brownstone quarries. Her roles as a researcher, educator, and activist for preservation have helped the Portland community understand its history and resources. In the interviews, she tells stories about the history of the quarries and of her own relationship with them and with the Portland community. She asks us to pass the stories along.

This recording captures the stories of a longstanding Portland resident. Bill describes his antiques business, his childhood, his relationship to the quarries, his family history, and Middletown and Portland in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Note: Bill’s natural storytelling abilities, his sense of humor, the sounds of his home, his detailed description of household treasures, his love for American material culture. We took an informal approach to interviewing, preferring to have a conversation in lieu of a formalized script.