Message from the Director
Steve Bromage
This year our theme for Celebrate the Season is Home for the Holidays and is reflected in the festivities and programs scheduled throughout the month of December.
The holidays are about family, place, and community--all important aspects of MHS. We hope you'll make plans during this busy time of year to come see us, and make a visit to MHS part of your holiday tradition.
On behalf of the entire MHS community, we wish you a happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing you!
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December Hours
Longfellow House Tours
From November 29 to December 23 the House will be open Fridays and Saturdays 10:30am - 3:30pm, Sundays 12pm - 3:30pm. On December 24, the last tour will leave at 1pm. Daily tours are offered December 26 - 31.
Music in the House
Saturdays, December 7, 14, 21, from 1 - 3pm
Museum & Store
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm; Sundays 12pm - 5pm
Brown Library
Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm MHS will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (last House tours at 1pm), and will be closed on Christmas and New Year's Day.
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Spotlight On
Pianist and MHS friend, David Maxwell
Renowned pianist Dr. David Maxwell will play the 1843 Chickering piano on Saturday afternoons in December at MHS. Over the last four years David has enjoyed playing traditional holiday hymns and early music for visitors to the Longfellow House during the Christmas season. "I really enjoy playing in the parlor, the setting is authentic and the guests ask some great questions and offer interesting stories of their own," David says. He became interested in forte pianos at the age of five, saying "the sound of the instrument was amazing" and the shape "was visibly beautiful. David studied with the esteemed Malcolm Bilson, and received formal education at the University of Illinois. He currently serves as the Minister of Music at State Street Church in Portland. Bring your family and friends to hear David play this holiday season!
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Holiday Sale at
$5 off all 8x10 prints
10% MHS member discount 20% discount when you order 5+ products
Buy prints of homes and businesses from the
1924 tax records to make fantastic gifts!
All neighborhoods and islands!
The 1924 Tax Record Digitization Project is a collaborative effort of the City of Portland, Maine Historical Society, and Portland Public Library.
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Historical Image: Benoit's Store Decorated for the Holidays, 1919
 | | Benoit's Store, Portland MMN #48255 |
It's easy to see that the retail world has now shifted into high gear for the holidays. Here in Portland's Monument Square we are enjoying the local decorations--lights, the Christmas Tree, and festive store window displays.
The tradition of dressing up the stores for shoppers is not a new one. This 1919 photograph of Benoit's Portland location shows the storefront adorned in garland and lights. It was the first year the store had displayed holiday decorations. View this image online.
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From the Collections
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Bangor Theological Society class of 1913-1914
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The archival collection of the Bangor Theological Seminary (BTS) was officially transferred to the Maine Historical Society on November 12, 2013. This transfer includes the historical records for the Seminary, such as correspondence, administrative records, writings, publications, school records (pre-1930s); photographs, theses, as well as materials related to missionary work, the Moulton Library, presidential administrations, convocations and faculty. The library holdings of the Moulton Library itself were transferred to Colby College, an institution with whom BTS shares a long history. This collection measures nearly 300 linear feet in its current state, and will spend the next three years off-site while being prepared for research- courtesy of generous funding provided by the Seminary itself. The collection should be available for research as early as Fall 2016.
To learn more about BTS at MHS, read this blog post by Jamie Rice, Director of Library Services.
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Celebrate the Season with MHS
 Home for the Holidays
Saturday, December 14, 1-3pm
Join us for a family-friendly open house celebrating domestic arts and holiday traditions in Maine. Children's book authors and illustrators will be in the lecture hall, and we'll have a blacksmithing demonstration on the Longfellow House lawn. Inside the house you'll find piano music, spinning demonstrations, and food historian Sandy Oliver will discuss Civil War era food and its preparation. Refreshments will be served.
General admission $5, free for MHS members
 Special Exhibits
Dear Old Maine I'm Coming Back: This display of beautifully illustrated sheet music covers, and song lyrics, contain a recurrent theme of Maine and New England as a place to come home to, a place of nostalgia--no matter how far one roams. (Lecture Hall)
Fancy & Functional: 19th Century Hair Ornaments is a mini-exhibit in the Longfellow House featuring hair combs, hairpins, and images of women wearing them, and is included with the guided tour.
 Holiday Shopping
Our popular Holiday Bazaar is back with festive holiday gifts, hand made Maine crafts, ornaments, and seasonal merchandise. Find something for everyone on your shopping list in the Museum Store and Lecture Hall. MHS members receive a 10% discount!
$5 off all 8x10 prints now through December 31!
Music in the House
Renowned pianist David Maxwell will play the 1843 Chickering piano on Saturday afternoons during tours of the Longfellow House. Dr. Maxwell will play on December 7, 14, and 21 from 1-3 pm. Learn more about Dr. Maxwell in this e-connection's Spotlight On section.
 Longfellow House Tours
The house is decorated for the holidays, and guides give insight to what Christmas was like for the Longfellow family. Tours of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House during the holiday season are offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between November 29 and December 22; on December 23 and 24 (last tour on the 24th is at 1pm); and daily from December 26 through December 31. The house will be closed on Christmas and New Year's Day.
Member's Holiday Party
Our annual members party is on Thursday, December 5, from 5-7pm. Call 207-774-1822 to RSVP by December 1.
Thanks to our Celebrate the Season sponsor 
With additional thanks to our friends at 
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December Programs & Events
Click on the event date for details
 Wednesday, December 4, 12:00 pm
Intro to MHS: Library Catalog Instruction Facilitator: Jamie Kingman Rice, Director of Library ServicesJoin Jamie for this in-depth instruction of the MHS library catalog, Minerva, and learn how to search and access records, and discover other databases available for research.  Friday, December 6, 5:00 - 8:00 pmFirst Friday Art Walk Join us for the First Friday Art Walk and see the exhibit Dear Old Maine I'm Coming Back: Home & Hearth Reflected in the MHS Sheet Music Collection. On view in our museum is This Rebellion: Maine and the Civil War. The Art Walk promotes free, self-guided tours of museums and galleries in downtown Portland. MHS will serve refreshments, and the Museum Store will be open late. Click here for news about the special December Art Walk with street closings and circus performances!  Thursday, December 12, 7:00 pmThe Sea and Civilization: A Maritime History of the World Speaker: Lincoln Paine Portland resident Lincoln Paine takes us on a monumental tour of human history through the lens of the sea in his new book, revealing how people first came into contact with one another by ocean and river, and how goods, languages, religions, and cultures spread across and along the world's waterways. A book sale and signing will follow the talk - a great holiday gift for that maritime enthusiast on your list!  Saturday, December 14, 1:00 pmMaine Children's Authors: A Book Talk and Signing Join us before the holidays for a fun and family-friendly program with four Maine-based authors of children's literature. From 1-2pm the authors will read from their books and talk about how history and lore was woven into their stories. From 2-3pm, they will be available to talk with individuals one-on-one and sign books. A great gift opportunity for the children (or anyone) on your list! Maine Children's Authors is part of Home for the Holidays.
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Seen at MHS
Maine Beer: A History and Tasting on November 21, 2013
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 Give the Gift of Membership!
The perfect gift for the history lover or Maine enthusiast in your life is a membership to MHS! Just some of the benefits they will receive: * Free admission to the Longfellow House, Museum, and Brown Library * Our quarterly newsletter chock-full of Maine history All gifts come with a new member packet and personal greeting from the Executive Director and can be mailed to you, or directly to the recipient. Buy your gifts of membership online, or call us at 207-774-1822.
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Museum Store
Annual Holiday Bazaar: Shop, Shop, Shop!
We have expanded our store into the lecture hall for the holidays and filled it with a wide variety of seasonal items with our customers and friends in mind, including:
* Holiday and winter-themed merchandise
* Maine-made gifts
* Maine and history related books and DVDs
* Longfellow House Advent Calendar
* Books for all ages
* Games, decorations, and much more!
Visit us online or at the Museum Store 489 Congress Street, Portland, Maine Open daily: Monday through Saturday 10am-5pm; Sundays and 12-5pm Closing at 2pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day MHS Members receive a 10% discount on all store orders!
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