In partnership with the Maine Memory Network Maine Memory Network

Maine Folklife Center Facts

Founded:
Edward D. "Sandy" Ives founded the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History in 1958.

When Ives (1925-2009) began collecting tape recordings in a shoebox under his desk in 1957, he had no idea he was beginning an archive that would attain international significance. Ives was a folklorist, oral historian and University of Maine professor for more than 40 years.

Mission:
The Maine Folklife Center is committed to document, interpret, preserve and present the traditional culture and living lore of Maine and the Maritime Provinces.

Collections:
Materials in the archives include over 3,000 one-of-a-kind audio recordings of interviews with ordinary people about their lives, along with 325,000 pages of interview transcripts and other manuscripts, 10,000 documentary photographs, and other materials.