Above the Gravel Bar - 3rd Edition by David S Cook (Paperback)

About the Book

"Native canoe routes of Maine, with translations of place names, are described in the context of Northeastern geological development and Indian prehistoric culture in the use of birch bark canoes on rivers, lakes, carries, and coastal routes, according to the archaeological and historical record, informed by accounts of early explorers"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Above the Gravel Bar opens up a new way of seeing Maine and the Northeast as a vast network of waterways. With this book you can put your kayak/canoe in a nearby river or pond in Maine and travel prehistoric routes to campgrounds thousands of years old.

David Cook takes the reader on a birchbark canoe journey through the landscape in the context of Northeastern geological development and Indian prehistoric culture. On rivers, lakes, over carries, and through coastal routes, we follow the archaeological and historical record, informed by accounts of early explorers.

First attempted in the early twentieth century, the publication of these ancient canoe routes, in daily use for millennia, is finally accomplished and in its third edition, with translations of Indian place names, a thorough index, notes and bibliography, and a foreword by Penobscot tribal historian, James Eric Francis, Sr. The anthropologist David Sanger, PhD, provides an introduction. Thirty-two illustrations including twelve maps.

This book has been chosen to be included in the new curriculum introduced with the Maine state law requiring K-12 schools to teach Maine Native American culture.

"Puts the true ancestral landscape into perspective." --James Eric Francis, Sr., Penobscot tribal historian

Above the Gravel Bar is a masterful account of canoeing Maine's interconnected waterways. --David Sanger, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Anthropology and Quaternary Studies, University of Maine, Orono

Review Quotes

"His is a name that should become familiar to every Registered Maine Guide pushing a canoe from the shore onto state waters in the state of Maine, by virtue of this classic work, now in its third edition. It should become known also to every canoeist in the state of Maine, who would be knowledgeable of those who went before and what they left behind ... Above the Gravel Bar is a book that should be tucked into a waterproof plastic ziplock bag and carried as a vital piece of equipment on any canoe (or kayak) plying the inland waters of Maine. It is also a vital resource for pre-trip planning. It is not limited to a reference book, however. The descriptions of the history of canoes, the native tribes, and of Maine's own rich history make the book a good read when sheltered up due to weather or at the end of a day amidst the smell of wood smoke in the fading light." --Joseph Connolly, Maine Wilderness Guide Organization

"[Above the Gravel Bar] was officially released ... at the tip of Fort Halifax Park, where the Sebasticook and the Kennebec rivers meet in their run to the sea. The site was chosen because it once was a major meeting place for Native Americans, at the confluence of two of the state's major river trails." --Doug Harlow, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel

[Written] with a deep respect for how Maine's Native peoples once used their watercraft to traverse the state ... black-and-white maps illustrate this thoughtful chronicle, which delves deep into the history of individual routes. Above the Gravel Bar is not a travel guide per se, but rather gives itself over to the rich, scenery-capturing detail sure to intrigue armchair travelers and canoe connoisseurs. --Michael J. Carson, Midwest Book Review