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Notes from the Director
Much is written these days about how museums need to be participatory, something that MHS strives for. Many of us enjoyed participating in history this past Saturday, sitting in right field at Ft. Williams Park during our 19th century baseball event. Right field was both shaded, drawing a crowd, and short, drawing many line drives. There we sat, on chairs and blankets, as players in vintage garb chased balls around us, dodged trees, and threw over us. No one was hurt, and everybody was part of the action!
During summer, we try to keep our programs light and engaging. We have a particularly great lineup this July and August, including screenings of four John Ford classics, author events about some traditional Maine topics, and new walking tours of the Old Port. There's our brand new Wired! exhibit to engage with. And, if you like the open water, join us for annual Wendameen sail on Casco Bay on August 4. Read on for more details on all of it. We hope to see you there!
Best,
Steve Bromage
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Current Exhibits
Museum
Wired! How Electricity Came to Maine 
Lecture Hall Gallery
They Wired Maine
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Summer Hours
Museum & Museum Store: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sundays 12-5pm.
Brown Library: Tues-Sat 10am-4pm
Wadsworth-Longfellow House:
Daily tours. Call for times: 207-774-1822.
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Maine Facts
& Trivia:
Maine humorist and storyteller John McDonald will be at MHS on Thursday, July 26 for a free book talk. His latest work is, John McDonald's Maine Trivia: A Storyteller's Useful Guide to Useless Information.
Here are a few excerpts from his book, which is on sale in our Museum Store. Who is Pamola? A: According to Abenaki mythology, Pamola is the protector of Mount Katahdin. He has the head of a moose, the body of a man, and the wings and claws of an eagle. Yes, it does sound like he was designed by a committee or a board of selectmen. Q: What is the state's official nickname? A: The Pine Tree State-which is just so much better than The Coffee Brandy State or The Scratch-Ticket State, which I believe were two of the original suggestions. To find out who invented the hole in the doughnut, learn about female blackflies, and discuss proper Maine yard sale etiquette, be sure to join us for a rollicking good time! |
Summer Fun Membership Contest
 Become a new member of Maine Historical Society this summer and be entered to win a $100 gift card from TD Bank.
As an MHS Member, you'll enjoy great benefits, including free admission to our museum, store and program discounts, access to our Research Library, and much more. Learn about membership perks on our website.
Friend level members and above receive free admission and other reciprocal benefits at over 500 museums nationwide. Become a member today! Sign up online, or call 207-774-1822. Contest runs through September 30, 2012. Only new members who pay dues during this time are eligible to win. |
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Annual Fund
 Please take a moment to support the MHS Annual Fund. Our fiscal year ends September 30, 2012 and we need your help to reach our goal. The Annual Fund provides critical funding for our daily operations, educational programs, the Longfellow House & Garden, Maine Memory Network, Brown Research Library, our museum exhibits, and much more. Your contribution of any size is appreciated. Thank you for recognizing the important role that MHS plays in the cultural life of Maine.
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Charles W. Cole's Draft Notice. MMN# 72480 |
Home Ties: Sebago During the Civil War, created by the Sebago Historical Society in conjunction with the Sebago Memorial Library, tells the story of four families touched by the War through letters to and from soldiers, as well as a variety of other War-related documents. This evocative exhibit is one of hundreds of Civil War resources now easily accessible via Maine Memory's new Maine and the Civil War section.
Home Ties is one of several new exhibits created with a Community Mobilization grant from MHS.
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MHS News
MHS is thrilled to add Old Port Walking Tours to our summer roster of programs. These 90 minute guided tours highlight Portland's history, colonial maritime heritage, and authentic 19th-century architecture.  | |
Docent John Serrage shows tour-goers a granite disk that features the names, dates, and descriptions of important city residents of the past (left). The group stops at the John Ford statue (right).
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This tour was created by Greater Portland Landmarks. Maine Historical Society welcomes the wonderful docents from GPL who will be leading the tours.  | |
Boothby Square in Portland, ca. 1920 (left); in 2012 (right)
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Tours begin at MHS, and are offered
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
at 10:30am and 1pm in July and August.
Admission: $10/person, recommended for children age 12 and older. Tickets available in the Museum Store. Visit our blog post, The Heart of Portland on Foot, for tour notes and photos. |
| July Programs
July and August is packed with a diverse array of engaging programs and events. Highlights include:
Visit us online for a full schedule of
programs and events.
Featured July Program Series
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From the Collections
Manuscripts Collections
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A page from Coll. 2615, containing botanical specimens
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Maine Historical Society owns all shapes and sizes of manuscripts. One type, bound volumes, refer to scrapbooks, photo albums, and account books. One particularly interesting and recently processed and cataloged bound manuscript is Coll. 2615. This scrapbook and herbarium (ca. 1855-1859) was kept by Oscar F. Dana of Falmouth, and includes sketches from European travels, poems, and botanical specimens, attached or pressed into the pages. Read this recent blog post by MHS Archivist/Cataloger Nancy Noble to find out about nine new bound volume accessions--a diverse and delightful mix. |
Seen at MHS
Museum Exhibit, Wired!, Opening Reception
A positively charged atmosphere pervaded MHS on the evening of June 21 as more than 100 of our members and friends attended the official opening of the new museum exhibit, Wired! How Electricity Came to Maine. Drawn largely from the Central Maine Power collection, the exhibit includes such dramatic features as a turbine and generator, and an actual utility pole. Steve Bromage, MHS executive director, welcomed attendees. He was followed by John Carroll, CMP's Public Information Officer, who affirmed the company's commitment to its history and expressed appreciation for MHS's care of the collection and the new exhibit. Wired! will be up through May 26, 2013.
19th Century Baseball at Fort Williams Park  A large crowd gathered at Fort Williams Park on June 30 to watch the Essex Base Ball Club square off against the Dirigo Vintage Base Ball Club in a 19th century-style game. |
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Museum Store
The Industrial Revolution: Investigate How Science and Technology Changed the World
Fun For Kids!
Keep the kids engaged and learning while having FUN with the 25 do-it-yourself projects in this book!
Activities include making a pinhole camera,
a telegraph machine, and a water-powered wheel!
Suitable for ages 9-12. $15.95.
Available online and in the MHS Museum Store.
Visit us at 489 Congress Street in Portland. Museum store hours are Monday through Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm. |
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