General Knox and Historical Maine Buildings

Well, I’m back to blogging about Maine history again. For reasons that I won’t mention here, search engine problems drove my ranking to the bottom of the heap. But changes have been made, and hopefully people will begin to find me again. I’ve also decided to change the format of my posting as well, so don’t be surprised that things just don’t seem the same around here anymore.

Fund hike keeps University of Maine museum entry free, an article in the Bangor Daily news relates a good story regarding the UofM’s Art museum. Apparently the Machias Savings Bank has increased its annual gift to the museum to $7500 allowing the museum to offer free admission throughout 2010. Kudos to the Machias Savings Bank for their gift and caring for the arts.

We also saw this past weekend the ending of a piece of Maine history as the last two P3 Orion’s left the Brunswick Naval Air Base ending 60 years of patrolling the Eastern Seaboard and helping to protect our seaways. The base, originally used as a training and stop off base during WWII for US, British and Canadian air force planes, was temporarily closed after the war ended before being converted to Naval use. At its normal level of use, BNAS provided homes and work for about 4,000 employees and their families, providing a great opportunity for the mid coast area by way of economic stability. Too bad the base closed, we’ll miss the Navy greatly.

Champlain’s Valley Voice has a good piece regarding Maine’s own General Henry Knox in From Fort Ticonderoga to Boston: The Wintry Trek of Henry Knox. The story relates to Knox’s efforts to relocate 60 tons of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in 1775. WABI has a nice video piece regarding the historic Liberty Hall in Machiasport as the historic Restored Belvedere Tower
cupola was returned to the top of its bell tower. It’s amazing how some of the restoration takes place on these historic properties with all of the details and work it takes to return Maine’s beautiful architecture to where it once was.

Foster’s Daily Democrat reports that tours are now being offered at the historic Hurd Mansion on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 3 PM at a cost of ten dollars per person. Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., was quoted in the article as saying the Hurd Manor was “the most outstanding example of its style in southern Maine and nowhere in the state does a more impressive Queen Anne—Eastlake residence exist.” The paper also reports that the Sanford
Mill yard makes the National Register, as the historic property was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Yard was established by Thomas Goodall in 1867 and became a major source of employment and industry in the area, until it was sold off by Burlington Industries in 1955.

Another couple of interesting articles related to Maine history in that same paper are Ski Museum of Maine and North Berwick Historical Society holding ‘Fireside Chat’
and Funds sought for historic exhibit at North Berwick’s Olde Woolen Mill complex. Ever noticed that some papers place more interest in history than others? I think it’s important to realize that there really is a lot of activity in the preservation and sharing of history here in Maine, but the bulk of it goes on behind the scenes, relatively unnoticed by the public. Fosters Daily Democrat is just one paper that gives these projects and news the coverage they deserve. Three cheers for Fasters, and I hope they can continue with their efforts in these days of closing newspapers.

As I gear up for the coming year, I’ve decided to do my column on a weekly basis which will give me more time to get around and visit. Writing as much as I do consumes a lot of time, so I really need to begin concentrating on various projects, and some of these projects will be terminated. However, I’m still here, and things will progress. If you have some news you’d like to share, enter it into the comments or email it to me at editor@touringmaineshistory.com and I’ll consider including it. Also, if you have a link to place on the links page, or an event for the events page, please feel free to email the information to me at the same address.

History Headlines Roundup for 09-09-09

Here’s this week’s sprinkling of history headlines from around Maine…..

800-year-old apple ‘healthiest to eat’

telegraph.co.uk Researchers claim that the Pendragon apple, which has been grown in England since the 12th century, contains higher levels of plant chemicals linked to health benefits – including reducing inflammation and lowering blood sugar – than other varieties….

Dutch Royals Visit New York 400 Years After Henry Hudson’s Historic Voyage

AP Dutch Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife, Princess Maxima, got a rousing welcome from West Point cadets as they visited the U.S. Military Academy for the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage….

Labor Day reverence is lost, say historians

SignOnSanDiego.com (Union Tribune) We don’t labor, not most of us anyway. It’s a day off, and an odd one. It’s the only national holiday where the thing we are celebrating is the thing we’re getting paid not to do: work….

Professor to share Bath family legacy

At age 13, Nathan Cogan, delivered an 87th anniversary recitation of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address at the Civil War memorial on Center Street in Bath. On Sunday, Cogan, now 72 and a Portland, Ore., resident, returns to Bath to deliver another celebratory dialogue. Fourscore and seven years ago, his forefathers gathered to sign a charter dedicating the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue….

Search hopes to find 510-year-old Newfoundland church

National Post (Canada) Newfoundland and Labrador’s top archeologist has revealed plans to search for the remains of a 510-year-old church on the western shore of Conception Bay — a project aimed at adding to a string of recent discoveries about explorer John Cabot’s history-making voyages to Canada in the late 15th century….

Lincoln’s last signature?: Signed envelope, believed to be real, found at flea market

The Morning Journal “Let this man enter with this note. April 14, 1865. A. Lincoln.” The short sentence is written on a small envelope, tattered and discolored with age. But it has been a ticket to a big adventure for Bruce Steiner, who stumbled upon the lost fragment of history at the bottom of a box of assorted papers he purchased at Jamie’s Flea Market in October 2006….

Civil War Battlefield Funding Taking Shape

DNRonline.com HARRISONBURG – Funding to preserve 178 acres of the Civil War battlefield at Port Republic is nearly in hand, according to a letter from the national Civil War Preservation Trust. In a letter received last week, the trust said it is joining forces with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation headquartered at New Market to buy the development rights on the land….

Standish man’s efforts preserve the land he loves
DON PERKINS

In the 1940s, Gene Stuart spent part of his youth plying Sebago Basin in an old wooden rowboat. Now in his late 70s, Gene Stuart is proud to live along the Sebago Lake Basin in Standish where his family first settled more than 200 years ago. Thanks to dedication and foresight secured a decade ago, 53 acres of these woods and fields are forever protected with an easement through the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. Normally closed to the public, folks will have a special opportunity to walk the property on Saturday when the land trust holds its annual business meeting, picnic lunch and outdoor family walk here from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m….

Saco Museum exhibit to focus on factory girls’ contributions
JULIANA L’HEUREUX

Maine’s empty old factory buildings were once bustling with thousands of young girls who worked up to 12 hours a day doing hazardous industrial jobs. An upcoming permanent exhibit at the Saco Museum will bring attention to the area’s young and hard-working factory girls of the 1830s through the 1850s. Opening this Oct. 30, “A Factory Girl Boardinghouse Bedchamber” will reveal how the factory girls lived. The purpose of the exhibit is to focus on Saco’s industrial history, particularly on the lives of the girls, many of them French-Canadian, who provided labor for the mills during the mid-19th century’s industrial expansion…..

Trolley museum restores historic locomotive

York Weekly - ‎The ceremony also commemorates the opening of a new gallery exhibit “History in Motion: Public Transportation Connecting Maine Communities” and the launch …

VIENNA Historical Society rehabs home

Kennebec Journal - Preserving local history presents many challenges, but a Maine State Museum grant program has helped launch renovations efforts at …

Books to Showcase Maine’s Family Farm History

WABI -Berry’s creating books to highlight Maine’s farming history, but he’s researching that history in an unusual way. He’s using old aerial photographs taken …

Keeping history alive in Windsor

Kennebec Journal -Up to 70 people will dress in period costumes during the Windsor Fair this week and put on demonstrations giving a detailed picture of rural life in Maine. …

Maine Historical Society Fundraising Drive

The Maine Historical Society is nearing the end of this year’s fund raising cycle. If you’ve thought about joining this fine organization, or maybe giving a gift or donation, now’s the time to do it. Click on the links below to visit them and support them in their efforts to preserve Maine’s heritage and history!

This was circulated today, thought you all might be interested……

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Help us Reach new Heights.  Give MHS a Boost!
 
Maine Historical Society’s fundraising year is quickly coming to a close September 30th  

We need your support!

Simply put, every gift counts and helps make it possible for MHS to continue its work of making history meaningful, accessible and enjoyable for all. 

In the current economic environment, your support is even more important so that funding for acquiring new treasures, digitizing collections, designing educational programs and other critical initiatives continue at the same level.

Visit www.mainehistory.org/support to join the MHS commitment, whether as a member or by donating to our Annual Fund. 

Please know that gifts at all levels make a difference and are so appreciated by all of us here at MHS.  If you’ve already given a gift to our 2008-2009 Annual Fund or renewed your membership this year, thank you in advance for your support and best wishes for a great fall!

 

To Join: Please Visit us on-line at www.mainehistory.org/membership/signup or call (207) 774-1822

The Wild Men of Gorham Maine

For those of you who’ve been following me for a while, you have more than likely noticed that I tend to dig up some really odd Maine history snippets from many of the older histories and other literature that has been published from Maine’s past. One of my favorites has been the story of the Bigfoot killing from Deer Isle, which would possibly have occurred no later than sometime around the end of the seventeenth century, and probably much earlier. I now find a strange tale from A History of the Town of Gorham, written by Josiah Pierce and published in 1862.

The story appears to have taken place circa 1788 and involved maybe two dozen men, ranging around the Gorham region towards the southern Maine coast. They spoke English, although the tale doesn’t say how well, and ate raw vegetables and birds. From whence did these men come from? Could they have been shipwrecked pirates? Maybe displaced Frenchmen, as the story suggests? Who knows today where they may have come from, nor where they would have gone to.

Perhaps they may have been English sailors marooned in New England while on a spy mission, what with the incident having taken place so close on the tails of the war of independence. Many stories that cannot be explained have taken place in Maine through the years, and this is merely another one of those tales. No explanation exists, but perhaps a reader may be able to add to this story in some way. Here’s the excerpt from the book:

 

WILD MEN OF GORHAM

About 1788, there was a general belief in Gorham, that certain strange men were wandering about this town, Scarborough and Westbrook. They were called ” Wild men.” Between the months of July and October, it is asserted, there were seen in the fields and in the woods, human beings ragged, and having long shaggy hair and beards, picking berries, green corn and peas. Upon discovering any other person, they would run away. Sometimes they were seen going out of barns early in the morning. Cows were frequently found to have been milked during the night in yards.

A Miss Webb, rising very early one morning, said she saw one of the wild men going out of her father’s yard, and one of the cows had been milked. Mr. Barnabas Bangs was looking for his oxen in a pasture where there were many trees and bushes, and he came suddenly upon one of these men sitting upon a log, eating a dead robin. Mr. Bangs asked him why he did not go to some house and cook his bird ? The fellow rose, and brandishing a large jack knife, replied, ” I will let you know the reason.” Mr. Bangs, being unarmed, speedily left the place.

Two boys, Ebenezer Hall and Israel Hall, were one day picking blackberries, and saw two of these wild persons coming towards them; the boys being frightened concealed themselves in the bushes. The boys said one of them was a woman, and that they were white people. It was said that a man in the vicinity of Bragdon’s Mills, near the line of Scarborough, being one day out in the woods with his gun, came upon one of these men, who was eating a young pigeon. The Scarborough man pointed his gun at him, and told him he would shoot him if he did not tell him who he was, and from whence he came.

The strange man said he was one of twenty-five sailors, the crew of a large vessel that was cast away on the coast. No such shipwreck was known by our citizens to have happened. Two brothers, Abraham and Eli “Webb, were one night driving a team with a load of boards from Saccarappa to Stroudwater, and they said they had a fair view of five of the Wild men in a field by the side of the road; they were picking green peas. It is said that the last time these wild men were seen was in Scarborough, near Gorham and Buxton lines, when a Mr. Libby is said to have counted fourteen of them, in a grove of young pine trees.

Not much importance is to be attached, I suppose, to the foregoing relation, yet there is no doubt that the people of Gorham and the adjacent towns, fully believed that such men were seen; that they were foreigners, mysterious persons. Some supposed them pirates, others, that they were a company of the Acadians, or neutral French, who had been expatriated from Nova Scotia. But who they were, where from, or what became of them, seems never to have been ascertained.

This account was given me in writing, some years ago, by an aged and intelligent gentleman of Gorham, who was a boy often years of age when these strangers were said to have been seen. My informant fully believed in the truth of the story.

Josiah Pierce

A History of the Town of Gorham

Pub 1862

This week’s history news; Sept 02

Here’s another week’s worth of history related headlines from around the web……………

If you have some news or an event you’d like to share, please email it to me at dlsoucy@remembermemedia.com.

Hallowell searching its collective memory

Kennebec Journal –He said the group wants to create a larger, more expansive base from which to draw information about Hallowell’s role in early Maine history. …

Rufus King, unsung figure of American history, helped crusade end …

New York Daily News -During a Senate debate in 1820 that led to the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as free, King boldly declared slavery …

History of Mills, Brickyards Seen at MuseumLA

MaineToday.com - My upcoming book is “The Franco-Americans of Maine,” and strictly speaking, not all of the millworkers and brickmakers were of French-Canadian heritage. …

Wheeling Trolley In Maine Museum

Wheeling Intelligencer -With a lot of money, a little bit of luck and a multitude of volunteers dedicated to preserving the history of streetcars in America – that’s how. …

Windjammer festival to parade marine heritage

Bangor Daily News -Organizers expect that nothing like the past weekend’s rain will be able to dampen the experience of the Camden Windjammer …

‘Monster Quest’ star explores Maine oddities

knox.VillageSoup.com -He has been both an on- and off-camera consultant to NBC-TV’s “Unsolved Mysteries,” A&E’s “Ancient Mysteries,” History Channel’s “In Search of History,” …

New history benefits Camden Public Library

Working Waterfront - ‎ Maine State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. says, “A book such as this not only preserves the history of past generations, but animates it for the …

Fire sweeps through abandoned mill in Maine

Bangor Daily News - The fire was reminiscent of a recent blaze in Lewiston that destroyed the historic Cowan Mill, a textile mill that had been vacant for some time.

Book-signing, not tours, to mark Lighthouse Day in York

Seacoastonline.com -…but activities to help celebrate the state’s Open Lighthouse Day are planned at Sohier Park, just in front of the historic light. In June, the Maine
…

AUGUSTA Curiosity uncovers historic sundial

Kennebec Journal - The meridian monument was one of those erected at county courthouses in Maine between 1869 and 1871, according to research by Harold E. Nelson, …

Paranormal group barred from Farmington cemeteries

LSJ-FARMINGTON — Reactions to a recent paranormal investigation in local cemeteries has caused town officials to request that members of Central Maine Paranormal Investigators not return for a second time Saturday….

Historian recognized for work to restore area pride

LSJ-LIVERMORE FALLS — History sneaked up and surprised historian W. Dennis Stires early Saturday afternoon at the Maine Paper and Heritage Museum on Church Street. Stires came out on a rainy Saturday to listen to his favorite storyteller, Norman Vashaw of Canton talk about the early days of logging. Vashaw’s talk actually served to camouflage the 1:30 p.m. recognition ceremony for Stires, 70, of Livermore, who dedicated more than 35 years of his life to preserving the heritage and history of the Livermore Falls area.

State parks, historic sites will remain open Friday

Maine’s state parks and historic sites will remain open and staffed on Friday even though it’s a state shutdown day. Maine Forest Service rangers also will remain on duty to patrol and protect Maine’s woods. The Bureau of Parks and Lands operational staff will be on duty, but headquarters and administrative staff will be off duty. Park managers, rangers, lifeguards and customer service representatives will be working that day. The full amenities of parks will be available. Park fees will be collected and park facilities will be cleaned and maintained.

History Headline Roundup for August 29, 2009

Here’s another collection of history related headlines from around the web…

 Maine settlement reenactment set

WGME - ‎It focuses on a little-known time period of Maine’s history, when cod fishing was a way of life. Park Manager Kelsie Tardif says that’s an important reason …

New history benefits Camden Public Library

Working Waterfront - Maine State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. says, “A book such as this not only preserves the history of past generations, but animates it for the …

Local men collaborate on Down East book

knox.VillageSoup.com - ”Historic Maine Homes: 300 Years of Great Houses” explores the architectural history and stories behind the notable homes of Maine. General Henry Knox built …

Volunteers sought as Eliot’s bicentennial blowout nears

York Weekly - Courtesy photo By David Ramsay ELIOT, Maine — The town’s bicentennial celebration may be a year away, but a group of hard-working volunteers is already …

Scientific American started publication in 1845

Examiner.com - ‎He started school at the age of four and the family moved to Maine when he was nine. He was one of six children. In 1815 he married and moved to Connecticut …

SIDNEY Festival site may expand

Kennebec Journal - The Maine Trappers Association has begun hosting its “Fall Rendezvous” at the riding club and the Sidney Historical Society has reserved the space for an …

 

 

Please click onto the Events page for a schedule of meetings and events

History Headline Roundup for August 28th

Here are a few more headlines for your enjoyment!

 

Lecture to explore women’s travel in 19th century US

Seacoastonline.com - SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Historic New England will hold a free illustrated lecture by University of Southern Maine professor Elizabeth Bischof at 5:30 pm …

Prehistoric tools discovered at Isles of Shoals

PhysOrg.com -The excavations produce sufficient evidence to officially designate the site; an application will be filed with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission …

Read a Rich history of the Rapid River

York County Coast Star - Her love of Maine lives in the words of her numerous writings; biographical, semi-biographical, historical, and fiction. Many of her memories have been …

Camden group seeks funding for movie house

knox.VillageSoup.com -Glass said his group has already met with the state fire marshal and representatives of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. …

Exeter area news briefs

York Weekly - 2 at 7 pm Zwicker has her own tour company, New England Curiosities, which gives tours in New Hampshire and Maine and has been featured on the History …

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Alfred Shaker Museum:

Shaker Knit Hat using Shaker Yarn with instructor Barbara Carlson

Saturday, August 29, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Cost: $25.00

Register: Barbara Carlson 207-490-1646

 

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Maine Historical Society invites you to…
Thursday, September 24 
7:30am-6:00pm
 Research Trip to the National Archives

Spend a day doing research at the National Archives in Waltham, MA.  Located just outside of Boston, NARA’s Northeast Region facility is among New England’s renowned research facilities for research into local, regional, and national history. 

Walter V. Hickey, Archives Specialist, NARA, will lead an onsite orientation and tour for those who are interested.  Following that, you will be able to search through thousands of records on microfilm, paper, and computer including: Census records covering the entire nation, 1790-1930; Naturalization records; Ship passenger lists; Canadian Border Crossings; Draft, Military Service, and Pension Records; Bounty Land Application Files; and much more.  Participants will also be able to access Footnote.com, Ancestrylibrary.com, and other online databases.

Trip will depart from the parking lot of UNO Chicago Grill’s restaraunt at the Maine Mall at 7:30am and return at 6:00pm.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required; call 207-774-1822. 
Fee:  $45.00; MHS Members $40.00.

Event Information

When: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 7:30am – 6:00pm

Where: Meet at UNO Chicago Grill’s restaurant parking lot, Maine Mall, South Portland
For more information call 207-774-1822 or email info@mainehistory.org 

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Greetings, fellow Mainers and New Englanders! Be sure to mark your calendars for the 32nd annual MAINE CARRIAGE DAYS, October 3rd (rain date the 4th).

This year’s event will be held at Topsham Fairgrounds in Topsham, Maine during the height of Maine’s colorful leaf peeping season.

Proximity to Interstate 295 and several other approach routes makes this a very convenient location for attending. This is a the only Maine equine carriage driving event recognized by the American Driving Society, featuring an extensive Pleasure Class lineup as well as Driven Dressage, Cones Course, Marathon Pace, and a Carriage Dog Class.

It is open to all breeds of equine, from large draft to tiny mini horses, even mules and donkeys, and SPECTATORS ARE WELCOME.

The list of awards includes the Col. Paul Downing Trophy and Helen Sanborn Trophy among others.

The Maine Carriage Days event celebrates the traditional art of carriage driving, emphasizes the skills and training necessary to achieve harmonious communication between human and horse, and this event is often attended by people driving antique vehicles or competing with rare breeds of horses.

The event will also include product vendors, educational demonstrations, manufacturers’ displays, and horse-drawn carriage rides provided by Jerome St. Louis of Star Hill Stables driving a gorgeous pair of black Clydesdales.

Spectator Admissions: Adults $3, Children under 12 Free.

Overnight stabling and camping for competitors is available with prior reservation. FMI:organizer@mainecarriagedays.com (207) 865-2047

History Headline Roundup for August 26th 2009

Hello again, and thanks for visiting Touring Maine’s History again. For those of you that are new, this blog is a collection of news headlines and events rounded up from the web, as well as articles and submissions from fellow history buffs. If you, or your organization has an event or some news to share please forward it to me at dlsocuy@remembermemedia.com, or dlsoucy@dlsoucypublisher.com.

Most of these links provided here are to current stories and events, however, I do include stories that may be outdated that I feel may be of some relevance or interest to the readers. Drop a line if you have any comments or suggestions, and please visit us on the web at www.remembermemedia.com to learn more about what’s going in history today.

 

Walking in the steps of Lincoln

The North Berwick Historical Society will perform a play marking the president’s 200th birthday.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/elink/?279028

THE DEAD RIVER AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S 2010 pictorial calendars, featuring images of Stratton High School Class alumni and other historic images, are available for purchase. The calendars are being sold at Pine’s Market, Northland Cash, Fotter’s Market and Arnold Trail Quality Fuel and Sports Center or via mail for $6 each, plus $2 for postage and handling. Checks should be mailed to: Dead River Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 15, Stratton 04982. A few 2009 calendars are still available at $2.50 each, as are cookbooks, at $6 each or two for $10. For more information, call Mary Henderson at 246-2271.

Genealogy conference slated for September

Bangor Daily News - Saturday, Sept. 26, Bangor, Maine. It’s the only place you can go to hear nationally known genealogists Marcia Melnyk and Joe Anderson, plus a host of other wonderful speakers — all in one day…Now is the time to sign up for the Maine Genealogical Society’s 2009 annual conference at the Bangor Civic Center…

Hikes and rambles on the York Maine shoreline

Examiner.com - The pond itself has a fascinating history having powered mills and provided ice to 19thC. New England cities. A green swinging suspension bridge, …

York County: a historical drive

MaineToday.com - Many visitors are drawn to Maine’s southernmost county because there’s more than just beaches and bling: This area is filled with history, dating back to …

Family History Fun Center at Old Fort Western

MaineToday.com - ‎Old Fort Western’s Family History Fun Center is made possible in part by a contribution from the Augusta Kiwanis Club. Raising Maine There are not yet any …

Three trips for late summer

MaineToday.com -… Special to the Maine Sunday Telegram The O’Neil Robinson House, left, and Moses Mason House are part of the offerings of the Bethel Historical Society. …

Open House at Temple school house (past event)

The Original Irregular - ‎The Intervale School House is currently undergoing restoration, funded in part by a matching grant through theMaine Historic Preservation Commission from …

Walmart Near Civil War Battlefield Wins OK

AP Officials in central Virginia approved a Walmart Supercenter early Tuesday near one of the nation’s most important Civil War battlefields, a proposal that had stirred opposition by preservationists and hundreds of historians. The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to grant the special permit to the world’s biggest retailer after a majority of more than 100 speakers said they favored bringing the Walmart to Locust Grove, within a cannonball’s shot from the Wilderness Battlefield. Historians and Civil War buffs are fearful the Walmart store will draw traffic and more commerce to an area within the historic boundaries of the Wilderness, where generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee first met in battle 145 years ago and where 145,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fought and more than 29,000 were killed or injured. One-fourth of the Wilderness is protected.

 

 

Events and Happenings…

Open house and annual meeting set
PPH-RANGELEY — The Annual Meeting of the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum will be held Thursday, Sept. 3 at 3 p.m. at the museum building on Route 16, one mile east of Rangeley. All are invited to the meeting and, afterwards, to the picnic from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the Open House from 6:30 to 9 p.m.  Find out more…

NEW GLOUCESTER

15 basket makers to display works at Shaker Village

PPH-The Maine Native American Summer Market and Demonstration will be 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. This event will include hand-woven ash splint baskets, sweet grass baskets, traditionally etched birch bark vessels, stone sculptures, woodcarvings and crafts demonstrations. The 15 featured artists are among the finest and most renowned American Indian artists representing the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac and Maliseet tribes. The free, daylong event will be held at the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum and was organized with the Maine Indian Basketmakers` Alliance.

Shaker Village workshops cover herbs, candle holders

PPH-Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village hosts two workshops on Saturday. Children are invited to create tin-punch candle holders from 9 a.m. to noon. A workshop to make traditional ornaments with herbs will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both workshops are $30 and require pre-registration. Call 926-4597.

KENNEBUNK

Brick Store Museum plans ‘A Shipbuilding Odyssey’

PPH-The Brick Store Museum is conducting ”A Shipbuilding Odyssey” at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The three-hour event will feature an illustrated history and viewing of the museum’s collections highlighting the trade and a narrated trolley tour to various locales around town. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are required by calling 985-4802. Tickets are $25 for museum members and $30 for all others.

 WISCASSET 

Castle Tucker offers look at ‘Mollie Tucker’s Kitchen’

PPH-Historic New England will present ”Mollie Tucker’s Kitchen” at Castle Tucker at 3 p.m. Saturday as part of its Year of the Kitchen celebration. Preview tours of the home will advance the talk at 1 and 2 p.m. Pre-registration is recommended by calling 882-7169. Admission is $5 for Historic New England members and $10 for all others.

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Alfred Shaker Museum:

Shaker Knit Hat using Shaker Yarn with instructor Barbara Carlson

Saturday, August 29, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Cost: $25.00

Register: Barbara Carlson 207-490-1646

 

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Maine Historical Society invites you to…
Thursday, September 24 
7:30am-6:00pm
 Research Trip to the National Archives

Spend a day doing research at the National Archives in Waltham, MA.  Located just outside of Boston, NARA’s Northeast Region facility is among New England’s renowned research facilities for research into local, regional, and national history. 

Walter V. Hickey, Archives Specialist, NARA, will lead an onsite orientation and tour for those who are interested.  Following that, you will be able to search through thousands of records on microfilm, paper, and computer including: Census records covering the entire nation, 1790-1930; Naturalization records; Ship passenger lists; Canadian Border Crossings; Draft, Military Service, and Pension Records; Bounty Land Application Files; and much more.  Participants will also be able to access Footnote.com, Ancestrylibrary.com, and other online databases.

Trip will depart from the parking lot of UNO Chicago Grill’s restaraunt at the Maine Mall at 7:30am and return at 6:00pm.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required; call 207-774-1822. 
Fee:  $45.00; MHS Members $40.00.

Event Information

When: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 7:30am – 6:00pm

Where: Meet at UNO Chicago Grill’s restaurant parking lot, Maine Mall, South Portland
For more information call 207-774-1822 or email info@mainehistory.org 

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Greetings, fellow Mainers and New Englanders! Be sure to mark your calendars for the 32nd annual MAINE CARRIAGE DAYS, October 3rd (rain date the 4th).

This year’s event will be held at Topsham Fairgrounds in Topsham, Maine during the height of Maine’s colorful leaf peeping season.

Proximity to Interstate 295 and several other approach routes makes this a very convenient location for attending. This is a the only Maine equine carriage driving event recognized by the American Driving Society, featuring an extensive Pleasure Class lineup as well as Driven Dressage, Cones Course, Marathon Pace, and a Carriage Dog Class.

It is open to all breeds of equine, from large draft to tiny mini horses, even mules and donkeys, and SPECTATORS ARE WELCOME.

The list of awards includes the Col. Paul Downing Trophy and Helen Sanborn Trophy among others.

The Maine Carriage Days event celebrates the traditional art of carriage driving, emphasizes the skills and training necessary to achieve harmonious communication between human and horse, and this event is often attended by people driving antique vehicles or competing with rare breeds of horses.

The event will also include product vendors, educational demonstrations, manufacturers’ displays, and horse-drawn carriage rides provided by Jerome St. Louis of Star Hill Stables driving a gorgeous pair of black Clydesdales.

Spectator Admissions: Adults $3, Children under 12 Free.

Overnight stabling and camping for competitors is available with prior reservation. FMI:organizer@mainecarriagedays.com (207) 865-2047

Maine History Headline Roundup for August 25 2009

Hey Everybody!

Welcome to my new blog site at WordPress! You’ll find all of the same news and views on Maine history, as well as the events and historical societies that celebrate our heritage. If you are new to Touring Maine’s History, this is a no profit attempt to spread the word about Maine history by sharing headlines and articles from around the state of Maine that pertain to the area of historic preservation and recreation. As always, if your society or organization has an event to announce or news to share, email your entry to dlsoucy@remembermemedia.com, and don’t forget to put a description in the subject box or the spam killer will dump your email. Also, for more on Maine history and the projects we are working on, don’t forget to visit us at www.remembermemedia.com.

River Views: Mill loss hits area

Dave Sargent-Whenever history goes up in flames, the loss is felt very deeply and very differently throughout a community. It was the recent Cowen Mill conflagration that kindled many local memories. A few years ago, fire also destroyed the adjoining W.S. Libbey Mill, and both of the familiar massive brick structures on the Lewiston side of the Androscoggin River’s Great Falls have disappeared….

Ghost seekers hold investigation in Farmington cemeteries.

LSJ-Henry Farrington from Central Maine Paranormal Investigations takes photographs in Riverside Cemetery in Farmington Saturday night as he and other members of the group fanned out in search of ghosts….

Historical sites to be mapped and marketed

LSJ-FARMINGTON — The trails and historical sites of greater Franklin County will be explored, mapped and put up on a Web site with the help of a Maine Community Foundation grant.

Healthy Community Coalition has received a $75,000 grant from the foundation’s Environmental Funders Network “Quality of Place” Fund for a project that focuses on health and the local natural environment. It’s a three-year grant, and as long as funding is available, HCC will receive $75,000 each year, Executive Director Heather Davis said….

The parade rolled on in Phillips despite the weather

LSJ-Rain didn’t stop the opening of the 51st annual Phillips Old Home Days Parade Friday night, but heavy rains scattered participants and viewers before the parade was over. With the theme, “What can you do with duct tape?” this young man is prepared for Saturday’s bathtub races at for 3 p.m. on Toothaker Pond in Phillips. A variety of activities are scheduled throughout the weekend.

Historic Montpelier Celebrates 195th Anniversary of George Washington Portrait Rescue from the White House

Montpelier James Madison’s Montpelier today will celebrate the legacy of slave and freedman Paul Jennings with an exclusive White House visit and walking tour of Washington, D.C. for his descendants. Family members of the former slave, who helped First Lady Dolley Madison rescue the portrait of George Washington before the White House burned in 1814, will gather on the 195th anniversary of its rescue to learn more about their ancestor from one of the nation’s leading Paul Jennings experts. The Montpelier Foundation, steward of James and Dolley Madison’s Orange, Virginia home, has organized the historic event.

“James Madison’s Montpelier is committed to discovering and authentically presenting the entire history of the Montpelier community,” said Michael C. Quinn, president of the Montpelier Foundation. “In Madison’s time there were only a handful of white people, but more than 100 Black people living on the plantation at any one time. We want to find that lost history and share it with the American people. To do so, we have begun a comprehensive research effort—because the stories of these individuals are not African-American history; they are American history.”

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/117581.html Marking end of era, last boat launched at Southwest Harbor shop…Called ‘a national treasure’ for his design and building skills, Ralph Stanley will sell his interest to his son. http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/elink/?278942

Penobscot Narrows Bridge shut down after bomb scare

PROSPECT, Maine — A bomb threat at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory shut down traffic on the span connecting Waldo and Hancock counties Sunday afternoon and caused the evacuation of the … more

 

Events and Happenings…

Alfred Shaker Museum:

Shaker Knit Hat using Shaker Yarn with instructor Barbara Carlson

Saturday, August 29, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Cost: $25.00

Register: Barbara Carlson 207-490-1646

 

 

Maine Historical Society invites you to…
Thursday, September 24 
7:30am-6:00pm
 Research Trip to the National Archives

Spend a day doing research at the National Archives in Waltham, MA.  Located just outside of Boston, NARA’s Northeast Region facility is among New England’s renowned research facilities for research into local, regional, and national history. 

Walter V. Hickey, Archives Specialist, NARA, will lead an onsite orientation and tour for those who are interested.  Following that, you will be able to search through thousands of records on microfilm, paper, and computer including: Census records covering the entire nation, 1790-1930; Naturalization records; Ship passenger lists; Canadian Border Crossings; Draft, Military Service, and Pension Records; Bounty Land Application Files; and much more.  Participants will also be able to access Footnote.com, Ancestrylibrary.com, and other online databases.

Trip will depart from the parking lot of UNO Chicago Grill’s restaraunt at the Maine Mall at 7:30am and return at 6:00pm.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required; call 207-774-1822. 
Fee:  $45.00; MHS Members $40.00.

Event Information

When: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 7:30am – 6:00pm

Where: Meet at UNO Chicago Grill’s restaurant parking lot, Maine Mall, South Portland
For more information call 207-774-1822 or email info@mainehistory.org 

 

Greetings, fellow Mainers and New Englanders! Be sure to mark your calendars for the 32nd annual MAINE CARRIAGE DAYS, October 3rd (rain date the 4th).

This year’s event will be held at Topsham Fairgrounds in Topsham, Maine during the height of Maine’s colorful leaf peeping season.

Proximity to Interstate 295 and several other approach routes makes this a very convenient location for attending. This is a the only Maine equine carriage driving event recognized by the American Driving Society, featuring an extensive Pleasure Class lineup as well as Driven Dressage, Cones Course, Marathon Pace, and a Carriage Dog Class.

It is open to all breeds of equine, from large draft to tiny mini horses, even mules and donkeys, and SPECTATORS ARE WELCOME.

The list of awards includes the Col. Paul Downing Trophy and Helen Sanborn Trophy among others.

The Maine Carriage Days event celebrates the traditional art of carriage driving, emphasizes the skills and training necessary to achieve harmonious communication between human and horse, and this event is often attended by people driving antique vehicles or competing with rare breeds of horses.

The event will also include product vendors, educational demonstrations, manufacturers’ displays, and horse-drawn carriage rides provided by Jerome St. Louis of Star Hill Stables driving a gorgeous pair of black Clydesdales.

Spectator Admissions: Adults $3, Children under 12 Free.

Overnight stabling and camping for competitors is available with prior reservation. FMI:organizer@mainecarriagedays.com (207) 865-2047

History Headline Roundup August 20, 09

Here’s another batch of history related headlines I’ve rounded up for your enjoyment:

Maine-New Brunswick Lighthouse Challenge Slated For September 12

MaineToday.com -
The public is invited and encouraged to participate in the 2nd annual “Lights Across the Border” International Lighthouse Challenge that will be held on Saturday September 12.
The daylong event is a joint effort by three different lighthouse groups to have people view and visit five “Downeast” lighthouses that include, Head Harbour Lighthouse and Muholland Lighthouse, both on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada, and Lubec Channel Lighthouse and West Quoddy Lighthouse, both in Lubec, and the Little River Lighthouse in Cutler, Maine… and is cosponsored by the Machias Savings Bank, and Lighthouse Digest Magazine, a Maine based national lighthouse history and news publication. …

Kamouraska has a landscape that seems lost in time

Canada.com – About 400 kilometres from Montreal, it is closer than the real ocean at Gaspé or Maine, but the St. Lawrence here mimics the sea with its salty water, …

History Comes to Life at Leonard’s Mills

WABI – The goal of Leonard’s Mills is to keep Maine’s forest and logging history alive and recreated authentic pioneer milling communities of yester-year. …

Dig opens window on 1694 raid by Native Americans

The Union Leader -Ryan Rybka, a high school junior from North Yarmouth, Maine, recently discovered some pottery pieces and nails. “This is a lot of fun,” he said, …

Bygone Era of Public Transit Comes Alive at Trolley Museum

MPBN News – Electric trolleys as a form of public transit in Maine have a limited history that began in 1887 and ended by the early 1940’s. But there is a place where …

Lost pioneers: The ill-fated flight of the Old Glory

Pembroke Daily Observer – Did William Randolph Hearst have misgivings about an ambitious, but dangerous venture, or a premonition of impending doom?…On Sept 6, 1927, a Fokker single engine plane called “Old Glory” took off from a sandy runway at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Its three-man crew had set out to …

Re-enactment slated Sunday at historic Bangor House

Bangor Daily News – The historic Bangor House, one of the city’s architectural gems, welcomed many famous visitors in the late 19th and early ..

CJ Pike: Newfield celebrating ‘Old Home Days’ this weekend

Foster’s Daily Democrat -The two men will discuss Maine’s role in the Civil War. The program is free and open to the public and will be held from 1 to 3 pm at the historical society …

Balloon forecast is optimistic

LEWISTON – According to the National Weather Service, a spotty weekend forecast should allow some balloon launchings, with the most optimistic outlook during the day Friday. Weather should also allow the Great Falls Ball…

Duct tape theme for Old Home Days parade

PHILLIPS — What can you do with duct tape?Ask Janet White, who last year used it to create curtains for an old hearse entered in the 50th annual Phillips Old Home Days parade. She did such a good job, the Phillips Area Chamber of Commerce chose that question as this year’s theme. The answers to it will be displayed during the procession that starts at 5 p.m. Friday.

Stevens to re-enact journey of Eustis’ settler Caleb Stevens

STRATTON — Philip Stevens, a descendant of Eustis settler Caleb Stevens, plans to recreate his ancestor’s founding walk from Kingfield to the intersection of Stratton Brook and the Dead River on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21 and 22.

The Dead River Area Historical Society will celebrate the town’s founding family Sunday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the society hall, hosted by the Stevens family.

Hamlin birth bicentennial celebration this Saturday

PARIS — A bicentennial celebration of U.S. Vice President Hannibal Hamlin’s birth will be held on Paris Hill this weekend with speeches, tours and a rededication of a memorial stone erected in his honor in 1909.

Festivities will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on the common near the home where he was born Aug. 27, 1809. Centennial and sesquicentennial celebrations were held in 1909 and 1959.

‘Brief’ history of Bethel published

Bethel Citizen – Since 2008, when the last copy of the 1991 “Bethel Maine: An Illustrated History” was sold, the Bethel Historical Society has lacked a town history book available for general sale to tourists and local readers. That changed this month with the publication of “Bethel Maine: A Brief History,” by Stan Howe, executive director of the Bethel Historical Society.

Nelson reveals Washington’s navy

knox.VillageSoup.com – Maine author James Nelson will present his book “George Washington’s Secret Navy: How the American Revolution Went to Sea” 6:30 pm Thursday …

Antique appraisal day set for Aug. 22

Seacoastonline.com ~ From 10 am to 2 pm Saturday, Aug. 22, Kittery Point’s First Congregational Church will hold an antique appraisal day. ..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday, August 23, 12pm-3pm
Walking Tour of Fort Scammell on House Island

Historians Joel Eastman, Ken Thompson, and Captain Harold Cushing

Join us for a walking tour of Fort Scammell on House Island in Portland Harbor. Conducted by Historians Joel Eastman, Ken Thompson, and Captain Harold Cushing, the tour will offer an opportunity to learn the history of the 1808 fort while exploring the structure’s passageways.

Captain Cushing will transport visitors on his vessel from Long Wharf on the Portland waterfront to Fort Scammell, which is on privately owned House Island in Portland Harbor. During the ride, passengers will enjoy views of the harbor while Thompson and Eastman give an overview of the fort’s history.

Space is limited. Advance reservations are required. To register, please contact the Portland Harbor Museum at 773-3800 or by email at:director@portlandharbormuseum.org

Fee: $25.00; MHS and PHM Members: $20.00

Event Information
When: Sunday, August 23, 2009, 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm
Where: Long Wharf, Commercial Street, Portland, Maine
For more information Portland Harbor Museum; 207-773-3800;

director@portlandharbormuseum.org; www.portlandharbormuseum.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alfred Shaker Museum:

Shaker Knit Hat using Shaker Yarn with instructor Barbara Carlson

Saturday, August 29, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Cost: $25.00

Register: Barbara Carlson 207-490-1646

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maine Historical Society invites you to…
Thursday, September 24
7:30am-6:00pm
Research Trip to the National Archives

Spend a day doing research at the National Archives in Waltham, MA. Located just outside of Boston, NARA’s Northeast Region facility is among New England’s renowned research facilities for research into local, regional, and national history.

Walter V. Hickey, Archives Specialist, NARA, will lead an onsite orientation and tour for those who are interested. Following that, you will be able to search through thousands of records on microfilm, paper, and computer including: Census records covering the entire nation, 1790-1930; Naturalization records; Ship passenger lists; Canadian Border Crossings; Draft, Military Service, and Pension Records; Bounty Land Application Files; and much more. Participants will also be able to access Footnote.com, Ancestrylibrary.com, and other online databases.

Trip will depart from the parking lot of UNO Chicago Grill’s restaraunt at the Maine Mall at 7:30am and return at 6:00pm.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required; call 207-774-1822.
Fee: $45.00; MHS Members $40.00.

Event Information

When: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 7:30am – 6:00pm

Where: Meet at UNO Chicago Grill’s restaurant parking lot, Maine Mall, South Portland
For more information call 207-774-1822 or email info@mainehistory.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greetings, fellow Mainers and New Englanders! Be sure to mark your calendars for the 32nd annual MAINE CARRIAGE DAYS, October 3rd (rain date the 4th).

This year’s event will be held at Topsham Fairgrounds in Topsham, Maine during the height of Maine’s colorful leaf peeping season.

Proximity to Interstate 295 and several other approach routes makes this a very convenient location for attending. This is a the only Maine equine carriage driving event recognized by the American Driving Society, featuring an extensive Pleasure Class lineup as well as Driven Dressage, Cones Course, Marathon Pace, and a Carriage Dog Class.

It is open to all breeds of equine, from large draft to tiny mini horses, even mules and donkeys, and SPECTATORS ARE WELCOME.

The list of awards includes the Col. Paul Downing Trophy and Helen Sanborn Trophy among others.

The Maine Carriage Days event celebrates the traditional art of carriage driving, emphasizes the skills and training necessary to achieve harmonious communication between human and horse, and this event is often attended by people driving antique vehicles or competing with rare breeds of horses.

The event will also include product vendors, educational demonstrations, manufacturers’ displays, and horse-drawn carriage rides provided by Jerome St. Louis of Star Hill Stables driving a gorgeous pair of black Clydesdales.

Spectator Admissions: Adults $3, Children under 12 Free.

Overnight stabling and camping for competitors is available with prior reservation. FMI:organizer@mainecarriagedays.com (207) 865-2047