Over the last twenty years there have been a number of new and interesting historical works being creating and shared related to maple syrup and maple sugar. Much of the most recent work has come in the form of self-published books written and compiled by knowledgeable and interested sugarmakers and individuals who work within the maple business in one form or another. These are fantastic works and are extremely valuable.
What we have seen much less of in recent years is what might be called academic, scholarly, or professional historical maple related research, that which is driven by a focus on addressing various questions within a larger historic context with an emphasis on sharing supporting documentation. As one who comes to the world of maple history as an outsider (I am not a maple syrup maker) with an aversion to assumptions and a healthy skepticism about what is the truth, my research and writing falls towards the academic side of the spectrum. In that vein I see an increased need for well-documented research and writing related to the history of the maple industry. At the same time I hope that we continue to see personal memoirs, recollections and work from dedicated amateur historians. Some folks might put off by an academic or scholarly label, but I don’t think one needs to be situated in an academic context or institution to emphasize detail oriented, well-documented, and carefully referenced publications or presentations.
As a researcher looking to tell as complete a story as I can, I tend to examine other people’s maple history with an inquisitive eye and a desire to go a little deeper. I almost always find myself asking how does someone know that? What are their sources? At times I admittedly put a higher degree of trust into dated primary written or published documents, which are especially valuable in establishing accurate timelines and contexts. Similarly, a careful read of photographs, especially dated images, can tell stories not found in written sources. Sometimes a careful read of publications from years past encourages a researcher to “retrace” an earlier writers steps and go back to their primary sources to see if you read things the same way and come away with the same conclusions.
This is not to say that if something is not written down or disseminated in a formal publication then it is not valuable. Personal memories and accounts are unbelievably valuable and important, but it is also important with any piece of information to try and find supporting or corroborating evidence. As the old saying goes, trust but verify. Along those lines it is also important that when one encounters conflicting information to ask one’s self why and not too easily assume one story to be true. Information that challenges the standard narrative has a place and in fact may be closer to the truth.
With this website, I hope to showcase, share, and explore a wide-range of avenues to learning about maple history, new and old, from archives, books and articles, to films, to museums, to artifacts and antiques, and beyond.