Notes from the Director
Stephen Bromage
We are at the epicenter of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, a moment that is drawing vast attention across the country and here in Maine. This week marks the 150 th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg, widely considered the turning point of the war and a moment with which Maine is closely identified.
Click to continue reading Steve's remarks.
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Summer Hours
June - September
Longfellow House & Garden
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm; Sundays 12 - 5pm. Call for tour times: 207-774-1822
Museum & Store
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm; Sundays 12 - 5pm
Brown Library
Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
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Spotlight
Annual Meeting Awards Recipients
Awards included the James Phinney Baxter Award for the best article published in Maine History, given to Dickinson College Professor Christopher Bilodeau (not pictured);  the Neal Allen Award for outstanding contributions to Maine history to former Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Stanley R. Howe;  the Trustee Distinguished Service Award to Fred Thompson, a trustee since 2005 and Maine television pioneer;  and the Elizabeth Ring Award for volunteerism to Frances Pollitt, a longtime MHS volunteer and former staff member.
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Essay Contest
Maine in the Civil War: Family Legends
We are interested in your family's stories about ancestors involved in the Civil War. Essays are due by July 5, 2013. All details can be found on our blog.
For more information, contact Laura Webb at 207- 774-1822 or by email.
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Travel with MHS
Annual Trip
Join us for the trip that Food & Wine magazine rates #2 in the top 5 river cruises for foodies! 
14-day Splendors of Italy:
Rome, Tuscany, Venice, and the Po River
October 13 - 27, 2013
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Thank you for recognizing the importance of our work and our place in the cultural landscape of Maine.
For more information call 207-772-1822.
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Historic Object: Dunlap Declaration of Independence, 1776
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Happy Birthday, America! On Thursday, family and friends will gather together for food, festivities, and fireworks to celebrate Independence Day. In Portland, MHS presents its traditional noontime reading of the Declaration of Independence. This year, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Address will also be read.
If you want to peruse the Declaration beforehand, zoom into the digitized version of our rare Dunlap broadside. Only 26 known copies survive from the original printing on July 4, 1776! (Gives you goosebumps, doesn't it?)
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MHS News
Annual Meeting a Success
About 75 people attended our annual meeting on June 8, held at the Pepperell Mill Campus in Biddeford. In addition to approving new bylaws for the organization, the board voted in new officers and trustees, gave out awards, enjoyed a keynote talk by Maine author Colin Woodard, and toured the 1 million square foot former mill complex, now being redeveloped for mixed use. Read on for the full story and list of new officers.
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July Programs & Events
Click on the event title for details
Longfellow Garden Series kickoff event
Featured Program
New Longfellow Garden Summer Program Series
Mark your calendars for July 17, 24, 31, and August 7 (all Wednesdays at 5:30pm) for our first-ever "Summer in the Garden" series. Programs include a little something for everyone--a brass sextet playing Civil War era music, a poetry reading by Annie Finch, a talk by the Maine's Favorite Birds authors, and a historic gardening workshop. For more details, see our Programs & Events page.
Summer Programs
Visit us online for a calendar of programs and events happening throughout the summer, and for ongoing programs such as:
- Historical Walking Tours of the Old Port
- Longfellow Garden Series
- Intro to MHS programs
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From the Collections
The E. Christopher Livesay Imprint Library
What was being printed and published in Maine in late 18th and early 19th centuries? A newly acquired and cataloged collection at the Maine Historical Society tells the tale. The E. Christopher Livesay Maine Imprint Library of approximately 657 titles ranges from about 1772 to 1845, and most were printed in Maine. Hotbeds of printing in Maine were found in Hallowell, Augusta, and Portland, with publishers such as Peter Edes, Ekekiel Goodale, Arthur Shirley, William Hyde, and Nathaniel Cheever leading the charge.
Continue reading this blog post by MHS Archivist/Cataloger Nancy Noble.
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Seen at MHS
A Vintage Maine Evening, May 22
MHS introduced its redesigned Vintage Maine Images website and improved reproduction services to more than 100 local business leaders last month. More images on the Vintage Maine Images Facebook page.
Annual Meeting, June 8
 Story and images on our blog.
Vintage Baseball Games, June 22
We had sunny weather and an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 at this year's 1860s style baseball games at SMCC. More images on the Maine Historical Society Facebook page.
Down East Magazine Best of 2013 Awards Party, June 27
 
MHS's Dani Fazio, seen here with Down East editor-in-chief Paul Doiron, accepted the magazine's award for Best Hidden Garden. More images and winners on the Down East Magazine Facebook page.
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Museum Store
New Civil War Merchandise
Explore the Civil War through art, memoir, and historical narrative.
Visit the museum store at 489 Congress Street in Portland and browse our extensive Civil War section, or explore our online store's collection of more than 50 related titles.
The Civil War and American Art; $65 in store and online.
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