Mildred Boone
Dock Stories
The Dock Stories project incorporates oral history research with other research methods in order to address simultaneous issues being experienced by fishing communities in Georgia. The project goals are to improve infrastructure and industry sustainability by identifying improvement opportunities within the constraints of land use, environmental impacts, weather patterns, aging infrastructure, and evolving vessel needs, while also documenting the cultural history of commercial fishing docks in Georgia. An integral part of the project is training student researchers in the Georgia Southern Anthropology program. Under the guidance of Dr. Sweeney Tookes (Georgia Southern University) and Bryan Fluech (University of Georgia Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant), students are receiving comprehensive training in conducting interviews, oral histories, and appropriate interview protocols. They then spend several days at a time on the Georgia coast, learning firsthand about the marshes, estuaries, vessels, and communities before commencing lengthy oral history interviews with local experts on the industry. This project began in 2024 and will continue through 2026, coordinated by Graduate Student Project Manager, Kristin Meeuwen.
Blake Pavri
On February 28, 2025, Kristin Meewen and Logan Collins interviewed Mildred Boone at Boone Seafood in Darien, McIntosh County, Georgia, as part of the Dock Stories project. Mildred Boone was born and raised on a farm and married into the Boone family in 1961. Her in-laws purchased the dock that would become Boone Seafood, and although she was not initially involved in dock operations, she later worked as a secretary there in the 1980s. Boone has remained closely connected to the dock for decades through her family’s multigenerational involvement in commercial shrimping.
In the interview, Boone discusses the evolution of Boone Seafood and her husband’s early involvement in the shrimping industry, including boat ownership and seasonal fishing practices such as shad fishing. She reflects on her limited role in the business, primarily providing secretarial and bookkeeping support, and describes her husband’s and grandson’s more active roles in the shrimping industry. Boone recounts operational changes at the dock over time, including renovations to the buildings, transitions in family responsibilities, and environmental challenges such as hurricanes and Northeastern storms. She offers observations on changes in the industry, such as the impact of imported shrimp and new fishing regulations, and notes a decline in participation among younger family members. Boone also reflects on the similarities between farming and shrimping, drawing on her childhood experience.
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