“Wild” Bill Dawson
Age: 78
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Profession: Retired
Drink of choice: Beer
Bar of choice: Dock Fore
Bill Dawson is a living legend, a gristled and cantankerous survivor of the Old Port’s Wild West days of the 1980s and ’90s, back when lawyers, landlords, salesmen and secretaries crammed into Portland’s waterfront pubs alongside fishermen, bikers, barflies and bohemians. Happy hours were communal feasts of free pizza and wings. Early Maine craft beers like Geary’s, Gritty’s and Shipyard flowed like water from the taps, weed smoke drifted fog-like over parking lots and alleyways, and the blow snowed like a blizzard.
These days you’ll often find Bill during happy hour at Dock Fore, a friendly sports bar on Fore Street, reading a newspaper front-to-back and trading barbs and jokes with fellow regulars and staff. He likes to strike up conversations with tourists and exercise his encyclopedic memory of history, geography, trivia and anecdotes.
“I’ve known Bill since 1984,” said Dock Fore owner Shaun McCarthy. “It’s kind of a double-edged sword with Bill. He’s got a hard shell but a heart of gold. He knows a lot of people because he’s been around forever and has become an institution in this city. He knows all the other regulars here. They all sit out front and bust balls, but if you’re not doing that, they don’t like you.”
How did you end up in Maine?
I moved here in 1980 from Vail, Colorado. I was doing construction. Customers of mine in Vail wanted me to build condos at the base of Pleasant Mountain, and that’s what brought me here. I met a local girl, we got married and just had our fortieth anniversary. I met her at the old [Three Dollar] Deweys while she was visiting from Canada. Thirty-seven weekends later, we moved in together. I didn’t know anyone when I first moved here, but I met my core of friends at the old Deweys, because that’s the first bar I ever went to here.
Did you work in other industries aside from construction?
I’ve been in the bar and beer business. I had a brew pub, and I built Shipyard Brewery. In the ’90s I had Harbor Homebrew Beer and Wine Supply. I owned it for nine years. The parties were legendary. I’d have weekly beer class, do a different batch of beer every week. I’m a good brewer. I mean, anybody can make beer, it’s not hocus pocus. Beer is poor man’s treasure. It’s a very social beverage, and it’s not just for breakfast anymore.
What brought you to Dock Fore?
The first place I lived and owned in Portland was at 150 Middle, right across from Videoport. This place in 1980 had the best burgers in town. This was a good neck of the woods. You see the cobblestone street? Do you know how many times I was drunk, twisted my ankle, and then was smart enough to walk on the twisted ankle again? You know what it’s like to have a double twist?
Why do you keep coming back?
I usually go out by myself, and I like to talk to people. I’ll talk about anything. Just the stupidity of voting for that asshole. I don’t argue with Trump supporters because imagine shoveling shit against the tide. They’re never going to get it. They’re blatantly ignorant, blatantly stupid. We can’t fix stupid, like Maine drivers.
Also, Shaun’s a good guy. He can give as good as he takes. Shaun and I can lock assholes.
What angers you the most about Donald Trump?
He’s a liar! He’s trying to play off the “peaceful demonstration” on January 6th, and you got these fucking stupid people and congressmen that will say, “This is a peaceful demonstration.” Oh, my fucking word! And Bobby Kennedy Jr.! I used to live on Cape Cod, and I knew Bobby Kennedy, and he was such a fucking heroin addict. It just defies definition. Everyone in Trump’s cabinet is a moron, stupid yes men. God help this country. This is something really near to my heart because people just don’t get what he is doing. He’s taking away food stamps. Taking away education. This is the angriest I’ve ever been about politics. Why be a jerk? Why be an asshole? Why be a Republican?
Why are you called Wild Bill?
I’d love to find out. I’ve always gone where I wanted to go, done what I wanted to do, whatever I wanted to do, for as long as I wanted to do it.
What’s been going on with you lately?
In December, I had congestive heart failure. I was near death, and I’m lucky to be alive. Seriously. I was in the hospital for eighteen days, and you do not go to the hospital for food and rest. I owe my feet to the crew at Mercy Hospital Wound Clinic. Shaun picked up the phone and called me while I was in the hospital, because I hadn’t been here in so long. I know I’m going to go at some point, but I don’t want to leave [my wife] yet.
How do you want to spend the rest of your time on earth?
With a fishing rod in my hand.
Know an interesting bar regular? Send them our way at theregularsmaine@gmail.com.
