Lecture: The Race for Governor 100 Years Ago: An Insurgent Challenges the Establishment
Speaker: Lee Webb, Historian

One hundred years ago, Maine was consumed by another governor's race, pitting Frederick Plaisted, the insurgent Democrat, against Bert Fernald, the incumbent Republican governor. The major issues: taxes, the size of state government, and prohibition--a law that some saw as essential to progress, and others as a massive intrusion into the liberties of private citizens. More...

Painted maple box, James Otis Prior, Portland, 1822. Courtesy Maine State Museum

This illustrated lecture, based on a paper presented at Winterthur Museum's prestigious Furniture Forum earlier this year, explores the wonderful paintings on wood furniture done by the talented students at Misses Martin's School for Young Ladies in Portland in the early 19th century--the finest group of painted schoolgirl furniture known in New England. More...