Volume 13, Issue #2 May 2010
Chebeague Island Historical Society 2010 Exhibit Tourism Transforms Chebeague by Donna Miller Damon he Chebeague Island Historical Society is While the Chebeague Historical Society’s ex- busy preparing its newest exhibit, Tour- hibit focuses on Chebeague, the story the ex- ismT Transforms Chebeague, which is sched- hibit tells is representative of what happened up uled to open on July 1, 2010. This will be the and down the coast of Maine. By experiencing seventh major exhibit at the society’s Museum Tourism Transforms Chebeague, visitors will of Chebeague History since it opened in 2003. be challenged to reexamine the history and evo- The exhibit will examine the impact of tourism lution of tourism in their own communities. In on the island during the early 1900s and will other words, this is more than just Chebeague’s delve into the tourists’ connection to the island story, and it is more than just a Maine story. community that resulted in some of them com- This is a story of how a community chooses to ing back year after year. Many of Chebeague’s respond to the influx of people from away, and current year-round and summer residents have Chebeague Field Day the cultural differences that present themselves ties to this period in the island’s history. Some 1908 when the two groups interact. of them, known on Chebeague as summer na- The relationships between Maine’s year-round tives, have roots in the early summer colonies, arrived? How did the community respond to islanders and the summer tourists are complex while the ancestors of many of today’s islanders tourism? What did the tourists expect from their and in many cases span generations. The mod- benefited from the tourist dollars as they trans- island visit? How have the expectations of the ern-day interactions between these two groups formed their homes, vessels, and landscape community and the visitors changed over time? are complicated and are the result of conscious to accommodate the middle class vacationers What role has tourism played in creating the and unconscious decisions made by islanders who summered on the island. The relationship community that exists today? The answers to and summer people over the years. Some is- between the natives and the visitors varied, and these questions are multifaceted, and they are landers make a distinction between the day- the exhibit will reflect on the impact of cultural essential if the islanders of today hope to grap- tripper, the renter, and the long-time summer differences during the early days of tourism. ple with their past as they plan for the future. cottage owner, which is known on Great Che- The exhibit will be enhanced by hundreds of At the turn of the twentieth century three hun- beague as the summer native. Are there differ- photographs from private collections as well as dred of Maine’s islands were inhabited, but ences between a summer visitor who is new to postcards and ephemera from the tourist era. today only fifteen islands support year-round the island and one whose family has summered Steamboats, hotels, boarding houses, cottages, populations, and nearly half of those fifteen on the island for years or even for generations? summer families, island businesses, and leisure communities have winter populations of less Visit the Museum of Chebeague History and activities will be highlighted. Artifacts such as than one hundred inhabitants. With numbers find out! • souvenir china and trophies will be on exhibit, this low, Maine’s islanders could be considered and a ten-foot diorama that depicts many of an endangered species. The numbers of season- The Museum of Chebeague History is the boarding establishments and steamboat al visitors who vacation on the islands is greater open Tuesdays through Saturdays 11-4 landings will transport the viewer back to the than the number of year-round residents who and Sundays 1-4; July 1—September 15 golden era of tourism. live there, and many of the year-rounders have or by appointment. Admission is free, but To better understand the relationships of today deep summer roots. How important are the so- donations are gratefully appreciated. and to plan for the future, one must understand called summer natives to the survival of Maine’s Call 846-5237 or email the context in which summer people were first remaining year-round island communities? The [email protected] introduced into the island community. What story of the summer natives is entwined in the for more information. was the community like when the tourists first evolution of an island community.
M a d e p o s s i b l e i n part by a grant fro m t h e M a i n e H u m a n i t i e s C o u n ci l GRANT SOURCES
MAINE ARTS COMMISSION (MAC) INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM & (207) 287-2724, www.mainearts.com — LIBRARY SERVICES Call for deadlines. General Operating Support — Call for deadlines. MAINE HUMANITIES COUNCIL (MHC) (202) 606-8539, www.imls.gov Maine Archives and Museums Conservation Project Support — (207) 773-5051, www.mainehumanities.org 110 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20506 MAM Newsletter Discretionary Grants (up to $500), reviewed on a rolling (202) 606-8539 — Deadline March 5. Volume 13 • Number 2 • May 2010 basis. Outreach Grants (up to $1,000), reviewed quarterly. IMLS Conservation Project Support — Oct. 15. NEH Major Grants (up to $6,000), reviewed twice a year. Maine Archives and Museums Exemplary Education Projects — Oct. 15. P.O. Box 5024, Augusta, ME 04332-5024 NEW ENGLAND FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS (617) 492-2914 — Call for deadlines. ODIORNE GRANT PROGRAM 207-441-1410 • Fax 207-621-8048 Supports projects combining archives and archaeology. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS www.mainemuseums.org Maine State Archives, #84 State House Station, Augusta, (202) 289-9118, www.aam-us.org — Call for deadlines. ME 04333-0084 — deadline March 1. The Maine Archives and Museums Newslet- Museum Assessment Programs I: Operations ter is published on a quarterly basis as a ben- Museum Assessment Programs II: Collections NATIONAL HISTORIC PUBLICATIONS AND efit of membership in MAM, whose purpose Museum Assessment Programs III: Public Perception RECORDS ADMINISTRATION (NHPRC) is to develop and foster a network of citizens HERITAGE PRESERVATION Application guidelines and forms may be requested from NHPRC, National Archives & Records Administration, Conservation Assessment Program and institutions in Maine who identify, col- 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Room 106, 1625 K St., NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20006 lect, interpret and/or provide access to mate- Washington, DC 20408-0001 Phone (202) 634-1422 • Fax (202) 634-1435 rials relating to history and culture. (202) 501-5610 www.heritagepreservation.org fax (202) 501-5601 Contributions to the MAM Newsletter may NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR e-mail
Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 MAM NEWS Board Meeting Notes January 11, 2010, Maine Historical Society, Portland The first Executive Committee meeting was held 4 January 2010 to begin oversight for MAM operations, to make recommendations and set agenda for each board meeting. The committee will meet the first Monday of every month. The 2010 proposed budget is balanced exactly and is based on projected income/expenses and long-range planning initiatives. It was recommended that MAM’s mission statement be revised in order to include living collec- tions, as follows: “The purpose of the organization is to develop and foster a network of citizens and institutions in Maine who identify, collect, interpret and/or provide access to materials relat- ing to all aspects of our history and culture.” Regional Representative policy: Policy document presented by George, the result of several years’ discussion about the regional rep system. Includes directive that the system be managed by the EC. The vice president (George) and Edna will be primary contacts for the regional reps. Communication between the regional reps and all MAM committees will be key to success. Perhaps invite one non-board regional rep to each board meeting and rotate meeting locations to build rapport. Policy docu- ment approved as presented. On March 1, 2010, MAM’s executive committee voted unanimously to partner with the Maine Curators’ Forum for Where to Draw the Line: The Maine Drawing Project, a statewide col- laboration of arts organizations scheduled throughout the 2011 calendar year. At least twenty individual organizations will present an exhibition and related programming dedicated to the drawing medium during that time period. MAM will feature information about Maine Drawing Project exhibitions and events on its website and in its quarterly newsletter. MAM will also tie its annual programming, including spring workshops and the annual conference in November, in to the Maine Drawing Project by offering specialized workshops and presentations on topics related to drawings and works on paper. Stay tuned to the MAM website and newsletter for more information.
Conversations on the Collaborative Future GET EXTRA NEWSLETTERS of Museums and Archives Single extra copy: $3.00 (members free) by Jane Bianco, Farnsworth Art Museum The Center for the Future of Museums, an initiative of the American Association of Museums, To order an extra copy or for is hosting a blog discussion about the evolving roles of libraries, archives, and museums, or price information on bulk orders, LAMs. One contributor to the conversation, David R. Curry, who has held posts as a director and call Edna board member of various arts organizations and libraries, believes that future trends indicating Maine Archives & Museums a convergence of LAMs are driven by external factors. These forces include economic pres- 207-441-1410 sures, the entertainment market, ever-evolving business models, digitization technologies, and increased demand for access to collections, driving “an increasingly common agenda in address- ing preservation, access, physical storage, and overall management of primary source content...” Regional Rep For more on the subject, see
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter MAM News, continued from page 3 GRANTS project. The segment will join nineteen other films on Maine Indian artforms, which are Historic New England New Century Community available for visitors to view in the museum or on the museum’s website: www.umaine. Awarded the Largest Grant Program Grant Recipients edu/hudsonmuseum. in Its History Announced • Cassie Gibbs, chair of the Museum Historic New England has been awarded the The Maine State Museum recently awarded Committee of the Friends of Edith Marion largest grant in its history, a total of $3 mil- New Century Community Program grants Patch organization, reports that the commit- lion over three years, to address preservation to eighteen nonprofit cultural organizations tee has been accumulating material relating maintenance needs for our historic proper- from around the state. The grants, totaling to Patch for some time. At the moment, they ties, including the six Maine properties. This $58,372.07, provide funds to assist Maine’s have quite a large collection of her publica- is truly both an amazing opportunity and an nonprofit cultural organizations improve tions, correspondence, newspaper clippings, amazing challenge. An anonymous foundation facilities that house historically, scientifical- photographs, and other archival material, as approved $1.2 million for 2010, which must ly, or artistically significant collections. New well as a few artifacts. be matched with $600,000 and $1.2 million Century Community Program grand funds for 2011, both of which must be matched by an were approved by Maine voters in a 2007 For the past several years, the FDEMP equal amount raised. In these tough economic bond issue. group has worked to complete a sensitive times, raising these matching funds will be a New Century Community Program grants also rehabilitation of Braeside, the former home major test for us. of Dr. Patch, and to establish there the Dr. require recipients to raise a minimum of one- Edith Marion Patch Center for Entomology, The Preservation Maintenance Fund supports to-one matching funds. “Although the grant the Environment, and Education. The center projects that contribute to the long-term sus- award itself is worthy of note,” says Maine will include a resource collection, museum, tainability of Historic New England’s proper- State Museum director Joseph R. Phillips, wildlife gardens and trails, and housing for ties and finances—such as reducing costs by “recognition of local efforts to generate match- visiting faculty. installing efficient heating systems, replacing ing funds is also important.” roofs with materials that will be good for Grant recipients include: • The Page Farm and Home Museum is twenty or more years, or resolving water pen- the recipient of a Historical Records etration issues. The Preservation Maintenance • Belfast Historical Society (Belfast) – $5000 Collection Grant,
Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums 2010 Board of Directors President BOARD MEMBERS Jay Adams (2008) Rick Asam (2010) Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library Pine Tree Arboretum 39 Second Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769 153 Hospital Street • Augusta, ME 04330 207-764-2571 or 2572, [email protected] 207-441-7357 (cell) • 207-621-0031 [email protected] Jane Bianco (2010) Farnsworth Art Museum 16 Museum Street, Rockland, ME 04841 VICE PRESIDENT 207-596-6457 x104, [email protected] George Squibb (2007) Amelia Chamberlain (2006) 19th Century Willowbrook Village Belfast Historical Society and Museum PO Box 28, Newfield, ME 04056 42 Grove Street • Belfast, ME 04915 207-793-2784, [email protected] 207-338-3340 [email protected] Carolin Collins (2010) Maine Historical Society 489 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 SECRETARY 207-774-1822, [email protected] Patricia Burdick (2007) Niles Parker Colby College Special Collections (2010) Penobscot Marine Museum PO Box 498, Searsport, ME 04974-0498 5150 Mayflower Hill 207-548-2529 x201, [email protected] Waterville, ME 04901 207-859-5151 • Fax: 207-859-5105 Candy Russell (2008) Moosehead Historical Museum [email protected] PO Box 1116, Greenville, ME 04441 207-695-2909, [email protected] TREASURER Patricia Henner (2009) Jessica Skwire Routhier (2009) Saco Museum Page Farm and Home Museum 371 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072 207-283-3861 x114, [email protected] University of Maine Orono, ME 04469-5787 Joanna Torow (2007) Maine State Museum 207-581-4100 83 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0083 [email protected] 207-287-2301, [email protected]
Isle) – $2125 toward the purchase of archi- Save America’s Treasures Grants val storage boxes and framing materials for artifacts Deadline: May 21, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. EST • Rangeley Lakes Historical Society SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES GRANTS cultural, artistic, or scholarly ideas of the (Rangeley) – $1775 to assist with the hir- are available for preservation and/or conserva- American people. ing of a consultant to assess environmental tion work on nationally significant intellectual APPLICATION GUIDELINES are available controls and cultural artifacts and nationally significant at
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter WORKSHOPS Crucial Conversations: Teaching and Interpreting the Civil War: Are How to assess the many values of your You Ready for the Sesquicentennial? collections to maximize support Are you an elementary or middle school teacher hoping to enrich your Monday, June 21, 2010 • 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Civil War curriculum as we approach the Sesquicentennial Commemo- ration (2011-2016)? Are you a museum educator or docent looking to The Workshop Presenters: improve your interpretive skills? Are you interested in learning about Dr. Paula Work, Registrar and Curator of Zoology, how the Civil War is a Maine story? Then consider this workshop, de- Maine State Museum signed for both teachers and heritage resource volunteers and profes- Ron Harvey, Conservator, Tuckerbrook Conservation sionals. The date is Saturday, May 22, 2010, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Fifth How to effectively evaluate your collections and their many societal Maine Regiment Museum, Peaks Island. Fee $15 per person. values in order to connect with support communities. Come learn up- to-date best practices for planning for and assessing your collection! Presenters will include: • Brian Collins, Executive Director, Pejepscot Historical Society, 8:45 a.m. Registration Education • Jamie Kingman-Rice, Public Services Librarian, Maine Historical 9:00 a.m. Introductions Society, Civil War Resources at the Maine Historical Society 9:20 – 9:45 a.m. Dr. Paula Work • Kim MacIsaac, Executive Director, Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, Collections: Why should society care? Remembering the Civil War in a Throw-Away Society (PowerPoint presentation) • Patricia Erikson, Adjunct Professor of American and New England Studies and Consultant for Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, Hands- 9:45 – 10:15 a.m. Ron Harvey On and Minds-On: Using Primary Sources to Teach the Civil War Collections Assessment Methods • Caitlin LeClair, King Middle School, Expedition into the Past: The Civil War as Context for Teaching Civil Rights 10:30 to 10:45 a.m. Break • Rachel Talbot Ross, President, Maine Chapter NAACP, and Artist The Underground Railroad & the Abyssinian Church 10:45 – 11:15 a.m. Paula Work / Ron Harvey Daniel Minter, Crucial Conversations – How to think about your Registration information at
Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
Alfred Shaker Museum tion of the museum. This season’s exhibition Andrew Jackson Bean and the 118 Shaker Hill Rd., Alfred, ME 04002 honors Sister Mildred Barker (1897-1990), Fifth Maine Open Wed. & Sat. 1-4 p.m. beginning May 15 raised at the Alfred Shaker Community from Sunday, May 23, 2010, 2:00 p.m., free www.alfredshakermuseum.com childhood. The Alfred Community closed in Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, Peaks Island Upcoming workshops and events: 1931, and those who remained moved to Sab- Authors Anne Chandonnet and Roberta Pevear bathday Lake (New Gloucester). There, Sis- discuss their new book, Write Quick: War and May 15 Penney Rug Workshop ter Mildred became a candy-maker, cared for a Woman’s Life 1836-1867, based on the let- May 29 Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.m. many young children, and sang a repertoire of ters exchanged between Bean, his wife, sister, June 5 Rug Braiding Workshop Shaker songs one after another. She was a tiny and brother-inlaw during the Civil War. Private June 6 Book Signing / Talk but powerful woman. Bean served in Company I of the Fifth Maine Regiment 1861-1864 and because one of the Jeannine Lauber, author of newly Alfred Village founding members of the Fifth Maine Regi- published Chosen Faith, Museum Opening ment Memorial Society on Peaks Island. Chosen Land The 2010 opening exhibit for the Alfred Vil- June 19 Continued Rug Braiding lage Museum will be Sunday, May 16, from A book-signing and refreshments follow the June 25 Women’s Drumming Circle 2-4, with almost forgotten music from the talk. twenties and homemade ice cream. The music June 26 Basket Making Workshop For more information: [email protected] will be produced on an early Edison Victrola July 24 Punch Needle Workshop or 207-766-3330. donated and repaired this past year. Those who Aug. 7 Atting Workshop remember Fatty Arbuckle and his “Thipping Aug. 14 Wool Felting Workshop Thider Through a Thraw” will especially enjoy Sept. 11 Shaker Knit Hat Workshop the music. The ice cream will be produced by Oct. 2/3 Apple Fest a committee member. This year’s exhibit, The Dec. 5 Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe March of Time in Alfred, will trace the village’s history from the arrival of the first white set- For more information, call Linda, 207-490- tler in the 1700s to the present. Following the 5709, or Barbara, 207-490-1646. opening, the museum will be open Wednesday and Saturday 2-4 through October 9. For more Alfred Shaker Museum has just received a information: 207-324-5823. $10,000 Davis Grant to help with the comple-
Workshops, continued from page 6 Friday, May 7, 2010 Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Arts at the Old Jefferson Frame Up! Exhibit Critique and Tour Tech Workshop for Museum Professionals Town House Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Endicott College, Beverly, Mass. Saturday, July 10, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Museum, Essex, Mass. Independent Museum Professionals PAG The Jefferson Historical Society’s Annual Arts Exhibitions PAG Thursday, June 17, 2010 will have its annual Art Show and Sale at the Monday, May 10, 2010 Suddenly You’re the Boss: Management Old Town House. Two dozen artists and fine What Every Curator Should Know for Techniques for New Managers craftspeople will display and sell their work. Preserving and Advancing Collections in the Fruitlands Museum, Harvard, Mass. Visitors may visit with and enjoy the efforts of 21st Century HR & Volunteer Management PAG painters in oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolor; fab- House of Seven Gables, Salem, Mass. ric artists, photographers, jewelry designers, Curators PAG Monday, June 21, 2010 sculptors, authors, quilters, metal and wood Adult Learning: Beyond the Lecture workers, and much more. A portion of the art- Friday, May 14, 2010 Mystic Seaport ists’ sales will be donated to the continued res- Introduction to Visitor Studies Education PAG toration project by the historical society of the Museum of Science, Boston, Mass. treasured 1869-built building which serves as a Administration, Facilities & Services PAG Tuesday, June 22, 2010 local history center. No admission. Event will Back to Basics and Beyond: Art Handling be held at the Old Jefferson Town House at the Monday, May 17, 2010 Workshop intersection of Bunker Hill Road (Rt. 213) and Maximizing Your Resources: Attract More Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Conn. Gardiner Road (Rt. 126). Members, Raise More Money, and Market Registrars PAG, in partnership with PACIN More Efficiently Castlebay Concert Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Mass. Thursday, June 24, 2010 Tuesday, July 27, 7:00 p.m. Membership, Development, PR & Marketing Getting Your Show on the Road The Jefferson Historical Society will sponsor PAG, in partnership with PRAM Tufts University Art Gallery, Medford, Mass. a concert by Castlebay, the well-known Celtic College & University Museums PAG • duo of Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee. The pair Thursday, June 10, 2010 will take the audience on a musical historic Disaster Preparedness: Starting From Home tour through 250 years of Lincoln County, Northeast Document Conservation Center, featuring some pieces based on Jefferson his- Andover, Mass. tory in particular. Selections will be hauntingly Conservators PAG continued on page 8
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS beautiful or rollicking, and all will be enjoy- will be at the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Castle Tucker, 2 Lee Street, and Nickels Sort- able. The concert will take place in the main Skowhegan from June 28 to July 2. See
Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
Enjoy a look at these two 1807 mansions at a house, try using a quill pen or test your skills May 22, 2010, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. very special time of day. See rooms not usually in mental ‘rithmetic or spelling. In the man- Co-authors of Write Quick: War and a Wom- on the public tour that offer a deeper picture of sion, an interpreter of the youngest Washburn, an’s Life in Letters, 1836-1867, a book based how the family, staff, and guests lived. daughter Caroline, shows you the family home. on Civil War-era documents and artifacts in the In the historic kitchen, women are busy cook- collections of the Bethel Historical Society, are Colonial Revival Maine – Lecture ing, spinning, or doing seasonal chores. For Roberta (“Bobbi”) Gibson Pevear of Exeter, Sunday, July 25, 3 - 4:30 p.m. more information: 897-4366, www.norlands. New Hampshire, who is descended from Eliza Nickels Sortwell House Barn, entrance on Fed- org. Bean Foster, the main character of the book, eral Street, Wiscasset and poet and author Ann Chandonnet of Vale, Admission: $5 Historic New England mem- Norlands Tea Party: A Taste of History North Carolina. The book is based on nearly bers, $10 nonmembers Washburn-Norlands Living History Center, 200 letters written by Roberta’s and Ann’s Registration recommended 290 Norlands Road, Livermore. Bethel area ancestors and their extended kin- Kevin Murphy, author of Colonial Revival Enjoy a hot cup of tea and homemade cookies ship network in New England. During the talk Maine, will talk about this remarkably perva- served up with an entertaining history talk of and book-signing, a sampling of the letters, sive and long-lasting style. Now a professor at your choice and a guided tour of the Washburn photos, and artifacts used in creating the books the graduate program in Art History at CUNY, mansion. $12.50 per person, by appointment. will be on display. Mason House Exhibit Hall, Dr. Murphy will show how movement inspired Sample group programs include: 14 Broad Street. For more information, 800- and influenced architecture and design along The Proper Sphere of Woman 824-2910, www.bethelhistorical.org. the coast of Maine. The proper place of a nineteenth-century farm RUG HOOKING IN MAINE & BEYOND New Sweden woman. Farnsworth Art Museum New Sweden’s Annual Midsommar Celebra- Health, Sanitation, and Deadly Diseases May 1 - Dec. 31, 2010, Crosman Gallery tion will be held June 18-20 in New Sweden, Home remedies, customs, and beliefs related to Approximately 40 splendid examples of Maine. The center of the festivities is the New nineteenth-century health care. hooked rugs that include Waldoboro, Arts Sweden Museum at 116 Station Road, New and Crafts, cottage industry, and other types Sweden, but events are happening at other Sw- Strange Happenings in Livermore are displayed, organized by guest curator, rug edith Colony towns of Stockholm, Woodland, Stories having to do with coffins. historian, and author Mildred Cole Péladeau. Westmanland, and Perham as well. Activities For more information: 897-4366, www.nor- The exhibition is supported by a grant from the include traditional music, crafts, dancing, food, lands.org. Maine Humanities Council and by additional decorating the Maypole, Dala horse-painting, donors, with rugs lent from private and public and much more. Historic buildings such as the PORTER collections. Larsson/Ostlund House, the Lars Noak Black- [email protected] smith Shop, and the Lagerstrom House will A new exhibition, First Person Rural – a Por- Sabbathday Lake be open for tours. A complete schedule can be trait of a Maine Town, features original pho- Shaker Museum found at
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS fact that this iconic American artist spent the Most living history events take place outdoors Monday, July 12, 7:30 p.m. second half of his career here on Saco Bay, the on the weekends, and while there is no charge, Lessons from the Underground Saco Museum presents this celebration of his donations are gratefully accepted. History lec- Lecture by Tom Desjardin, historian with the work as a graphic artist. tures are held on Monday evenings in the mu- Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. $5 donation seum at Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site, or free to members. SOUTH BERWICK where a modest fee of $5 is charged for non- Historic New England Calendar of Events for Saturday, July 17, 8:30 p.m. members. The popular archaeology discovery Southern Maine Houses, May - July 2010 Evening Lantern Walk workshop is a hands-on, family-friendly event Tour a seventeenth-century village and meet Sunday, May 23, 1 - 3 p.m. that offers participating youths and adults the an eighteen-century soldier on duty at Fort A Sailor’s Life for Me! Family Festival chance to try out a simulated dig, reassemble William Henry. Rain date: July 18. Donations Hamilton House, South Berwick broken ceramics, and learn the basics of his- welcome. $4 for Historic New England members, $6 toric archaeology. Summer 2010 will also see nonmembers. the initial construction of authentic replicas of Monday, July 19, 7:30 p.m. two seventeenth-century dwellings. Straw, Sticks & Mud: Homebuilding in Ear- Saturday, June 5, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. ly Colonial Maine Open House Day Colonial Pemaquid is open daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Lecture by local author and historian James All Historic New England Houses Memorial Day through Labor Day. Park per- Nelson. $5 donation or free to members. Celebrate the beginning of the organization’s sonnel and interpreters are available to answer centennial year. Free admission. questions and to direct visitors to the site’s his- Saturday/Sunday, July 31 - Aug. 4, 1-4 p.m. toric structures, archaeological remains, muse- Uneasy Alliance Saturday, June 5, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. um, burial ground, and gift shop. A permanent Trade and conflict in seventeenth-century Teddy Bear and Doll Clinic During South exhibit, Guns, Politics, and Furs, is housed in Coastal Maine, featuring living history inter- Berwick Kids’ Day Festival the partially reconstructed Fort William Henry preter Ken Hamilton. Donations welcome. Sarah Orne Jewett House, South Berwick on site. For reservations for school or group Free admission tours, call 207-677-2423. Monday, August 2, 7:30 p.m. Ambivalent Allegiances in Revolutionary Saturday, June 26, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, May 29, 2 p.m. Maine South Berwick Strawberry Festival St. Andrew’s Pipes & Drums Lecture by University of Maine history profes- Sarah Orne Jewett House, South Berwick Traditional tunes of the British Isles performed sor Liam Riordan. $5 donation or free to mem- Free admission. by a kilted band from Corinth, Me. Donations bers. July 4, 11, 18, and 25, 4 - 5:30 p.m. welcome. Monday, August 9, 7:30 p.m. Sundays in the Garden Concert Series Saturday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. Martha Ballard, 18th-Century Midwife Hamilton House, South Berwick Evening Lantern Walk Lecture by Old Fort Western educator Patti Call for performer information: 384-2454. Tour a seventeenth-century village and meet Violette. $5 donation or free to members. Free for Historic New England members, $8 an eighteen-century soldier on duty at Fort nonmembers. William Henry. Rain date: June 6. Donations Wednesday, August 11, 8 p.m. Evening Lantern Walk Saturday, July 17, 5:30 - 7 p.m. welcome. Tour a seventeenth-century village and meet The Way They Were Saturday, June 12, 1 & 3 p.m. an eighteen-century soldier on duty at Fort Hamilton House, South Berwick For King and Country William Henry. Rain date: Aug. 12. Donations $8 for Historic New England members, $12 Join the militia garrison of eighteenth-century welcome. nonmembers. Registration required. Call 207- Fort Fredrick, learn to march and drill, defend 384-2454 to reserve your place now. the fort, and earn a day’s pay. Rain date: June Saturday/Sunday, Aug. 14 - 15, 1 & 3 p.m. The Age of Pirates Thursday, July 8, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. 13. Donations welcome. Recreation of the infamous Dixie Bull by liv- Landscape and Garden Tour Saturday, June 19, 2 p.m. ing history presenter and local author James Hamilton House, South Berwick A Colonial Concert: Tunes of Early America Nelson. Old Bristol Days Event. Donations $6 for Historic New England members, $12 & the British Isles welcome. nonmembers. Registration required. Call 207- Traditional folk songs by musical duo Three 384-2454 to reserve your place now. Cups. Rain date: June 20. Monday, August 16, 7:30 p.m. 12,000 Years in Maine: Pemaquid’s Place in Summer 2010 at Sunday, July 4, 2 p.m. Maine’s History Colonial Pemaquid 234th Anniversary of the Declaration of In- Lecture by Bates College anthropologist Dr. Living History, Lectures, and Archaeology dependence Bruce Bourque. $5 donation or free to mem- www.friendsofcolonialpemaquid.org Public reading and commentary by a living bers. In 2010 Colonial Pemaquid once again will history interpreter. Donations welcome host a series of living history events, lectures, Monday, August 23, 7:30 pm. and an archaeology workshop to showcase var- Saturday, July 10, 1 - 5 p.m. They Came to Fish: Exploring Early Pema- ious aspects of life in Pemaquid and midcoast Archaeology Discovery Workshop quid’s Transformation from Seasonal Fish- Maine during the seventeenth and eighteenth Featuring historical activities for youths and ing Station to Permanent Settlement centuries. Sponsored by the Friends of Colo- adults by archaeologist Dr. Neill DePaoli. Rain Lecture by historical archaeologist Dr. Neill nial Pemaquid, these events draw expertise date: July 18. Donations welcome. DePaoli. $5 donation or free to members. from historians, authors, and archaeologists to help build an accurate picture of Pemaquid. continued on page 13
10 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 DISPATCHES
Howe Lecture Endowment and membership and the opportunities pres- The new facility is located on the second level of Established ent in mid-coast Maine, Historic New England the Collins Center and encompasses over 9500 William D. Andrews, BHS president and chair is proud to announce that we have expanded sq. ft. of exhibition space. The old patchwork of the Board of Trustees, announced recently our Wiscasset Site Manager position to a full- quilt of galleries scattered over three levels that the Board had approved a resolution es- time, year-round position. Site manager Peggy has evolved into a museum space with identity tablishing an endowed lecture fund in honor Konitzky is responsible for Castle Tucker and and integrity. It consists of three exhibit galler- Stanley Russell Howe, Ph.D., longtime execu- the Nickels Sortwell House in Wiscasset and ies: the Merritt Gallery, which is designed for tive director of the society, who stepped down Marrett House in Standish. She can be reached temporary exhibits; a World Cultures Gallery, on January 1 to become the society’s associate at
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter 11 DISPATCHES
Maine Maritime Museum has a pool of more at Oxford Hills High School. This production The umbrella covers are donated by patrons or than 200 active volunteers who perform a va- was well received, selling out four of the six anyone who happens to have one lying around. riety of activities, such as tour guide, curato- February show dates. Plans are currently in the A story that describes the history of the cover rial and research work, boat-building instruc- works to travel the play around the state. is requested with submission. Some of the ex- tion, grounds maintenance, guest relations, and hibits include The Basic Black Sheath, Inter- much more. Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum national Covers, Controversial Covers, Covers An extraordinary gift of 130 Canadian Inuit from Trustees and Their Families, and an inter- Limerick Historical Society carvings and 67 prints was donated to the active exhibit entitled See Me, Touch Me, Feel The Limerick Historical Society continues to Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum by Robert Me (aka the Petting Zoo). make progress toward opening the third Lim- and Judith Toll. The Tolls intend it to be the This museum has been featured on National erick Academy to the public. Built in 1881 and first of a series of gifts of Inuit art they give Public Radio, BBC Radio, in the New York the second to be built on the site at the head the Arctic Museum for exhibition and use in Times, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and The of Main Street, it was purchased in 2003 by Bowdoin College education and outreach pro- International Herald Tribune. Most recently, the Limerick Historical Society for one-dol- grams. the Umbrella Cover Museum has flooded the lar from the Highland Lodge No. 48, IOOF, in airwaves with spots on Sirius Satellite Radio. spite of the poor condition of the building. You can see it on the show “Cantore Stories” Since then, the foundation has been stabilized on The Weather Channel—a perfect place for by replacing missing stones and rotten sills, and the Umbrella Cover Museum! providing proper drainage around the building. Support for the lower floor has been reinforced. LEDS at the Farnsworth Portions of the roof have been reshingled, and by Jane Bianco the bell tower secured. The bell was rehung, al- In an effort to better serve the Farnsworth’s lowing it to be rung on occasion—e.g., a class mission to celebrate Maine’s role in American trip where each child was given the chance to art, the museum has been involved in a three- pull the rope! The windows have been reglazed year re-lamping project to replace all incandes- using the old glass and frames. Projects on the cent and halogen bulbs throughout its galleries horizon include exterior painting and upgrad- with energy-efficient LED lamps. By the end ing the electrical service. of this summer all galleries in the main build- ing will have LED lighting installed for exhibi- tions, thanks to support from Efficiency Maine and the Maine Arts Commission. Most notice- Umbrella Cover Museum able is the incredible depth and range of color The Umbrella Cover Museum is the only col- that artworks display under LED lighting; lection in the world of umbrella sleeves. There there is an observable difference from view- are close to 700 covers from 36 countries in ing under traditional lighting when intensity of the museum’s coffers. The Umbrella Cover color, surfaces, and tones are acutely sensed in Museum was founded in 1996 on Peaks Is- the gallery spaces. Not only does LED lighting land, Maine, by director and curator Nancy 3. appear to enhance presentation but at this time Hoffman. Having discovered that she had five provides the best option for color temperature or six umbrella covers she didn’t know what without harmful light rays that over time ad- to do with, and eventually stealing one from versely affect artwork. Nine-watt LED bulbs a local department store, she decided to start a with a life expectancy of 17 years have been museum. People flocked by the tens to see the manufactured by LEDtronics to be retrofitted museum, people were thrilled to donate their to existing track lighting fixtures throughout old umbrella sheaths, and the international the galleries. Appropriate foot candles are reg- ulated by use of filters devised by Farnsworth This is an exciting and challenging project press went bonkers. assistant superintendent Aedan Jordan. The for a small society. Please visit our website to The museum’s mission is “appreciation of the new lighting system will provide budget relief see the building and to check on the progress: mundane in everyday life, finding wonder and and will promote a healthier environment by www.limerickhistorical.org. beauty in the simplest of things, and knowing reducing energy use by the Farnsworth as a re- that there is always a story behind the cover.” sult of this project. Cost savings due to a reduc- A Library/Museum-Theater This small and quirky museum is open sum- tion in man-hours for bulb replacement, elec- Collaboration mers only, from around June 15 to Labor Day. trical bills, cooling of heat load generated by The Margaret Chase Smith Library was pleased Call for viewing, 207-939-0301, or email conventional bulbs, and landfill waste are sig- to provide an exhibit in conjunction with the ([email protected]>, website
12 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 SEEN & HEARD
Presque Historical Society Staff Recognition Kimberly Smith, Treasurer/Corresponding Secretary, and Billie Brod- sky, volunteer, of the Presque Isle Historical Society were recently recognized for their volunteer efforts by the Presque Isle Area Cham- ber of Commerce. Ms. Brodsky was named Chamber Director of the Year, while Ms. Smith was named Citizen of the Year for her enthusi- astic leadership of Presque Isle’s 2009 Sesquicentennial and her untir- ing participation in the historical society. LEFT: From left to right: Billie Brodsky, Chamber director Theresa Fowler, and Kimberly Smith.
Events & Exhibits November 2009 Lincoln continued from page 10 Bicentennial Monday, August 30, 7:30 p.m. Exhibits in Castine Early Shipwrights Along the Damariscotta Lecture by historical archaeologist Tim Dins- Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in more. $5 donation or free to members. America, a traveling exhibit from the Presidential Library and Museum in Sunday, September 5, 1 & 3 p.m. Springfield, Illinois, featured repro- Castlebay in Concert: Season’s End duction artifacts in seven kiosks. Ini- Celtic music performed outdoors by popular tiated by the Wilson Museum, hosted local duo Fred Gosbee and Julia Lane. Rain at the Castine Historical Society, and date: Sept. 6. Donations welcome. made possible by many individu- als and organizations in and around Tour of the 1910 Hall House and Castine, the one-month collabora- Historic New England Program tion included five additional exhibits Bethel Historical Society, Bethel highlighting the local context of the June 26, 2010, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Lincoln era. Artifacts and books were Join us as we celebrate the 100th anniversaries loaned by the Bangor Museum and of Bethel’s Hall House—a Craftsman-style res- History Center, Deer Isle/Stonington idence in Bethel recently added to the National Historical Society, Wilson Museum, Register of Historic places—and Historic New Penobscot Marine Museum, and England (formerly the Society for the Preser- Brooksville Historical Society, along with 50 other organizations and indi- viduals. Over 1400 people visited, and the local exhibits are being extended for 2010-2011 seasons. RIGHT (top): Castine Historical Society exhibit hall. RIGHT (bottom): Detail of desk in Noah Brooks library exhibit. vation of New England Antiquities). From 1 to Photographs © 2009 Nancy Robinson Watson. 3 p.m., enjoy a tour of the 1910 Hall House on Kilborn Street (off Chapman Street; watch for signs). Following the tour, there will be a pre- Women’s History Month sentation in the Mason House exhibit hall by On March 27, 2010, the Bethel Historical Society celebrated Women’s History Month by invit- Peggy Konitzky, Maine Site administrator for ing several local women who served in various branches of the military services to discuss their Historic New England, entitled Society for the careers, some extending back to World War II. The role of women in the military has changed Preservation of New England Antiquities/His- dramatically since the 1940s, and this forum was designed to capture first-hand accounts of the toric New England, 1910-2010: A Centenary challenges women have faced since that time. Perspective. Free, but donations accepted. For more information, 800-824-2910, www.bethel- Collections storage at the Robinson House has been greatly improved by the purchase of metal historical.org. • shelving with funds recently provided by a Davis Family Foundation grant. •
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter 13 Norlands Rising From the Ashes Part One of Three Articles by Kathleen Beauregard, Executive Director, Washburn-Norlands Living History Center
ne never knows where he or she will museum doesn’t have a disaster plan, this be when disaster strikes. When an ac- would be one great reason to do it now. cidental fire destroyed two buildings Oat the Washburn-Norlands Living History We were fortunate. People came to our aid. Lo- Center (Norlands), we found that it was the cal volunteers cleaned and sorted through the people around us who made all the difference rubble. Local contractors worked on water and in the success of the museum’s recovery. With mold mitigation, extensive roof repairs, and in- a small staff team, we joined forces with the terior damage to the frame and plaster walls. community to implement restoration and re- Professional conservators quickly helped us de- construction activities and, in the process, im- sign a recovery plan and a team of conservators proved our management systems and expanded assessed and conserved damaged collections. our programmatic vision. It’s difficult, in the Norlands had reconnected with professional aftermath of a tragic loss, to see the opportuni- Photo by Ryan Burnham museum networks. Conservators of textiles, ties, but that frame of mind has been our rudder oil paintings, furniture, and stenciled ceilings over the past two years. coached us and inspired us to expand our prac- unteer turnover and scattered documentation tices and knowledge, and now, two years later, In this first of a three-part series of articles over the organization’s 35-plus years had left it we are implementing a newly designed collec- about the lessons we learned, I will describe with incomplete knowledge of the collections tions management system and supporting soft- how the community stepped forward during a and buildings. So in the first days after the fire ware. time of transition and stayed to become a part when damage and loss had to be assessed, the of Norlands’ bright future. many people who “came back” to Norlands Volunteers stepped forward on the night of the and generously shared their memories and fire, carrying the collections out of the man- In late April, 2008, an 80-foot barn at the oldest evidence of inventories and architecture were sion into the Universalist Meeting House on living history farm in Maine caught fire near a invaluable. We were not prepared to manage the museum grounds for safe-keeping. Over pen holding a sow and her piglets. Their lives the recovery. Without a disaster plan in place, the past two years, we have witnessed a steady and that of several chickens were lost in the fire, we simply went to work, established a team of stream of generosity in the form of fundrais- which was believed to have started at a heat two part-time staff, and created a flow chart for ers organized by children, quilters, musicians, lamp in the pen. Fire departments from elev- duties and decision-making related to assess- and living historians and work groups who en communities responded to the alarm, and ment, conservation, restoration, rebuilding, have painted, renewed the gardens and trails, through their heroic efforts the attached 1867 and management of volunteers. restored the collections, and hunted for replace- Washburn mansion and kitchen were saved. ment artifacts or materials for the renovation The barn, which was not the original structure, Going forward in my life, whenever I might and rebuilding. and the attached “farmers cottage,” which had feel the angst of “juggling priorities,” I can al- been renovated numerous times over its life- ways look back with pride for surviving those People came to help Norlands rise from the time, were completely gone, save one oil lamp, first months of the recovery—a whirlwind of ashes and stayed to rebuilt its future. We have a bean pot, a period dress, an anvil, one bridle, priority-setting and quick decisions. If your recently expanded our staff with a historic and a drawer full of china and linens. The next farmer. Our volunteer team has grown to 47 morning, hundreds of barn swallows circled Washburn-Norlands Living History Cen- people, clocking 3800 hours in 2009. That team the aftermath looking for home. And then, the ter is a nonprofit museum dedicated to includes the living historians/interpreters who phone started ringing. And people started com- preserving the heritage and traditions of have continued to implement Norlands’ his- ing by. rural life in Maine’s past, to celebrate the tory education programs for Maine schoolchil- achievements of Livermore’s Washburn dren and offered guided tours of the museum They came with work gloves on. They came family, and to use living history methods throughout the recovery period. to a rural museum in Livermore, Maine, which to make values, issues, and activities of was in the process of developing a volunteer- the past relevant to present and future Now, as the spring of 2010 unfolds, the Wash- based organizational structure. The came to generations. burn-Norlands Living History Center Board of help a living history center that had touched Trustees is poised to reconstruct a replica of The 445-acre property is comprised of the lives of a hundred thousand Maine school the historic “farmers cottage” and to pour the working land and buildings relating to children since the mid-1970s through its inno- foundation for a barn, which has been designed the site’s role as the nineteenth-century vative history education programs and preser- based on the evidence of the original barn built homestead of the Washburn family. It vation of local nineteenth-century lore. They circa 1867, when the Washburn mansion was includes a preserved 1828 Universalist came with their talents, resources, memories, constructed. Volunteer and community involve- meeting house, the Washburn’s mansion, and hope. ment in the construction and barn-raising is in an 1885 granite library built by the Wash- the beginning stages or coordination. Please burn brothers, eighteenth-century cape, Norlands is a small museum, organization- watch our website for updates on the recon- sap house, carriage house, and restored ally, though it contains numerous historic struction and related fundraising goals: www. one-room school house. nineteenth-century buildings. Staff and vol- norlands.org. •
14 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2 MAINE ARCHIVES & MUSEUMS
PURPOSE Discounts on Museum and Archival Supplies Maine Archives and Museums is a membership organization whose purpose Offered to all MAM members by Brodart, Gaylord, and University Products. is to develop and foster a network of citizens and institutions in Maine who identify, collect, interpret and/or provide access to materials relating to his- JOIN/RENEW TODAY! tory and culture. Your support and participation enable MAM to provide ever-improved MEMBERSHIP services to Maine’s cultural community of historical societies, archives, museums and galleries. We have very important work to do. By working Students, trustees, volunteers, entry-level or experienced paid and unpaid together, we can realize our vital dreams and visions. professionals, museum and historical society members, the interested public and service providers — all are welcome as members of MAM. ★ JOIN MAINE’S CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS E-MAIL LIST! BENEFITS This is a great opportunity to share with others what we are all doing and to Quarterly Newsletter get information about problems, resources, grant opportunities, and more. Provides information on funding opportunities; books and publications; Maine’s cultural community has an e-mail based discussion forum avail- statewide museum, historical society, archives news and activities; shared able through the Internet. Intended for archives, museum, historical society, resources; all-volunteer organizations; ideas that work in Maine; computers; preservation, arts, library, etc., organizations, their professional staff and conservation; technical questions; ethical matters. active volunteers, the Maine Cultural Organization List Serve is a way of Listings keeping in touch. If you’re not familiar with this type of thing, it’s a way of On the Department of Tourism’s Internet/World Wide Web sending an e-mail message to everyone who has joined “the list.” When you Home Page (free!). join, you also receive any message posted to the list by others. You can read, ignore, or respond as you please. You need to subscribe before you can send Annual Conference and receive list messages. Opportunities to gather with fellow professionals, volunteers and other col- leagues in the state to share ideas, network and review and acquire the skills To subscribe, point your web browser to
Vol. 13, No. 2 Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter 15 OPPORTUNITIES Maine Civil War Trail Project • Fall 2010—begin fundraising; begin gathering needed images and information. Project Description As a component of the state’s Civil War Sesquicentennial commemora- • 2011—create text; hire graphic designer; hire website designer tion, 2011-2015, this proposed project will create a guide to museums (could be same person). having exhibits in 2013 related to the Civil War, 1861-1865. These sites • 2011—finalize designs. may include, but will not be limited to, museums, historical societies, muster fields, homes of important individuals, underground railroad, • 2012—launch website; print brochure and/or map; implement mar- Confederate incursions (yes, they invaded Maine twice), cemeteries, keting plan; distribute printed materials in time for 2012 summer mills, shipyards, G.A.R. and regimental halls, and churches. season. The project will be comprised of the following activities: For more information, contact: Kimberly A. MacIsaac, Executive Director • Museums/historical societies throughout the state will be asked if Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, Peaks Island, Maine they will mount Civil War related exhibits in 2013. Each institution 207-766-3330 • that participates will be responsible for funding its exhibit and any corresponding programs. Each will be included in the trail materi- als that will be produced. Ethel “Billie” Gammon • A stand-alone website (not attached to another organization’s web- History Education Scholarship Fund site) will be created. All participating sites will be included on the Offered website. Each may link their own organization’s website to the trail website. The website will provide links to each site’s website. The The life and work of Ethel “Billie” Gammon, founder of the Wash- website will be user-friendly and easy to maintain. burn-Norlands Living History Center (Norlands), is being honored with the establishment of a scholarship fund in her name. • A brochure, including a map, will be created that will contain im- ages and descriptions of each site, contact information, and direc- In 2010, on the first anniversary of Billie’s passing, the Norlands tions to the site. The brochure and/or map should contain a brief Board of Trustees established the Ethel “Billie” Gammon History introduction to Maine’s role in the Civil War and acknowledge Education Scholarship Fund to honor her bottomless enthusiasm project sponsors and funding sources. for history education by providing support in her name for “learning through fun.” • The Project Director will oversee fundraising and publicity. One $1000 scholarship will be awarded each year to a Maine High • The possibility of a publication and a Maine Civil War symposium School Senior who has been to Norlands and is planning to pursue will be discussed with participating museums. a field that can be related to the mission of the Norlands, which in- Project Timeline cludes history (but could also include American studies), education, • Spring 2010—contact museums/historical societies to determine museum studies, sustainable agriculture, and so on. No later than who is interested. May 1, applicants for the statewide $1000 scholarship must com- plete a simple application and submit an essay of 300-500 words • Spring 2010—locate professional fundraiser. about how the Norlands relates to and/or has impacted their inter- • Summer 2010—develop budget and full proposal; determine mar- ests and their life plans. Applications are available on our website keting and distribution strategy; engage fundraiser. (www.norlands.org) or by phoning 897-4366. •
Send news directly to MAM Newsletter Editor, PO Box 5024, Augusta, ME 04332-024 • [email protected] • 207-441-1410