My current comic, “The Jernegan Solution” is a true historical story set in 1898 in Lubec, Maine, the eastern-most town in the United States. I’ve only been able to visit Lubec once, so I have otherwise worked from historical photos for location reference, as well as for period props. Some examples are below. The comic will be ready for MECAF in Portland, on May 17th.

WATER STREET, LUBEC

The main commercial street of the town:

My sketch of it, and some architectural details:

 

THE STAPLES BUILDING

A new office building at the time, home of the Lubec Herald newspaper office, where my journalist character works. It was located on Water Street.

The first “adjustment” I made from the photo was to have painted “Lubec Herald” letters on the window, instead of the sign leaning against the baseboard.  I assume that sign was later put over the door, anyway :

Here’s how it looks in the final inks. I also added in another, more “picturesque” building to the right, based on one of the buildings in the other Water Street pictures (I think that the Staples Building was at the end of Water Street, not in the middle of the commercial district).

 

THE COMSTOCK MILL/”THE KLONDIKE PLANT”

An old grist mill, which was purchased and transformed into… well, you’ll have to read the comic to find out!

 

 

SCHOLES AND GLIDDEN TYPEWRITER

A key prop (journalist character).  This machine was available at the time.  Would a small-town newspaperman have been likely to have used one?  I don’t know for sure. But I couldn’t resist using this beautiful typewriter, with the amazing painted decoration.  I wish my PC looked like this.

In the end, though, I felt I had to simplify the decorations somewhat, to be readable at the size of the image: