Week 6: A Picture Post Card...

I've lived in Orrington most of my life so, by extension, I've become pretty familiar with the surrounding towns: Bangor, Brewer, and Buscksport. But you know one of the more interesting myths they have about those collective towns is the legend of Colonel Buck's tomb. They've made something of an attraction out of it, legends, tours, and above all postcards; the later I think irritates me the most.

I'm not sure if they still make them or not, but when I was younger I came accost one while stopping in at the Mobil just down the road from Buck's tomb. The little cardboard rectangle depicted Buck's grave, a traditional tiered pillar, from a dramatic angle with the source of the local legend catching the light in such a manner as to make it pop right out at you. What is the source of the legend you ask? Well it is a rather remarkable black outline in the otherwise soft gray stone that resembles a foot or leg. To further make the image more impressive a contrast has been added to the trees and grass that permeates the background, casting the colors of said flora in a darker more sinister tone. With the small American flag planted at the right of the monument it makes for a fairly impressive image to behold. The truth, however, is something of a let down once you actually view the space without the occluded assistance of a photoshopped lens.

The actual site of Buck's grave is along US Highway 1, or Main street in Bucksport across from the Hanifords super market. Resting atop a small hill that has been moderately modified with cement bricking to secure the elevation the only real foreboding bit about the entire cemetery is perhaps the wrought iron fence that surrounds its perimeter. The hill itself is mostly barren dirt, at least along the approach; I couldn't tell you what the rest of the cemetery looks like beyond the few random heat stones and a smattering of struggling grass that fades back into what looks like an actual lawn. As for the dark tree and brush that are pictured in the post card; they're anything but the sinister renditions depicted. An old maple and oak flank the cemetery on opposite sides, sagged with age but the color of their leaves is still bright. And what of the tomb of Colonel Buck you ask? Well...it certainly is impressive for its time and location, but nothing you couldn't find anywhere else in the united states. The sun bleached marble sparkles with small deposits of quarts that tries to fight through a patch of dark weathering or two and a dark outline of what might be considered a foot or leg does certainly grace the front of the monument under the boldly engraved letters "BUCK" but in all honesty I would call this place anything but sinister. Haunting perhaps, but I suppose the mundanity of people passing through this little stretch of road has dispelled the tale a little.

But I suppose that's how we bring people to new places, with fancy tales and myths that are something new or unique. I would also hazard a guess that even an outline in a rock could be spun into the greatest of tales around the camp fire also.