July 7, 2014

Greetings!

I'd like to take a moment and say thank you to all our esteemed readers. For four years, we've sent e-mail messages in two ways: a lengthy monthly newsletter and shorter weekly blasts. We are now combining these into a redesigned weekly e-Connection--you'll still get our news every Monday, and you don't need to change any of your subscription settings. We make this change to better serve you and to ensure the work we do reaches the communities we serve.

We value your feedback and enjoy connecting with you in person, through e-mail, and of course on Facebook and Twitter @mainehistory.

All the best,

Dani Fazio

MHS Creative Manager

DIGITAL HISTORY

Stories from Maine Memory Network

Online Exhibit:

Bangor: Lumber Capital of the World

Lumber Mill on the Penobscot, Bangor, ca. 1895
MMN# 34780
Click to view larger

Five years after 7th and 8th grade Maine Studies students at Cohen Middle School created their first exhibit on Bangor's Maine Community Heritage Project website, teacher Ron Bilancia still features the project as a core part of his curriculum. Last week, the school's fifth exhibit--about Bangor's heyday in the lumber industry--went live on the site. View it here.

The students do every part of the project--from working with local community members during the research phase, to scanning and cataloging historical images, to writing and editing. In other words, they do the work of real historians.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

All our programs and events are listed online, visit us for details.


Tuesday, July 15, 12:00pm Research and Renovation: Understanding and Using the 1924 Portland Tax Records Panelists: Kathy Amoroso, Deb Andrews, Dan Kennedy, and Scott Hanson In partnership with the City of Portland and Greater Portland Landmarks Location: MHS Lecture Hall Cost: Free for MHS members; $5 for non-members (pay at the door). Details online.	Wednesday, July 16, 12:00 - 1:00pm Intro to MHS: Researching in the Museum Collections Facilitator: Holly Hurd-Forsyth, MHS Collections Manager Location: Meet in MHS Lecture Hall Free. Limited to 8. Pre-registration is required. Sign up in advance by sending an email to hhurd@mainehistory.org. Details online.	Wednesday, July 16, 5:30pm Summer Garden Series: Castlebay Presents Maine's Bygone Ballads Performers: Fred Gosbee and Julia Lane Location: Longfellow Garden @ MHS Cost: Free for MHS members; $5 for non-members (pay at garden gate). Details online.


Thursday, July 17, 5:30 - 7:30pm The Role of the Museum: Panel Discussion Speakers: Steve Bromage, MHS; and Mark Bessire, Portland Museum of Art Location: Portland Museum of Art Free. Refreshments served. Details online.	Tuesday, July 22, 12:00pm Student Spotlight Talk: Defining a Nuisance: Pollution, Science, and Environmental Politics on Maine's Androscoggin River Speaker: Wallace Scot McFarlane In partnership with Maine Audubon Location: MHS Lecture Hall Cost: Free for MHS and ME Audubon members; $5 for non-members (pay at the door). Details online.	Thursday, July 24, 5:30pm Portland Food: The Culinary Capital of Maine Speaker: Kate McCarty of The Blueberry Files Location: MHS Lecture Hall Cost: Free for MHS members; $5 for non-members (pay at the door). Locally-produced refreshments highlighted in her book will be served. Details online.


Saturday, July 26, 9:00am - 1:00pm MHS Tag Sale Location: 1000 Riverside Street, Portland, ME 04103 $5 Early Bird Preview 8-9am Read our blog to learn about donating items to our tag sale. Details online.	Wednesday, July 30, 5:30pm Summer Garden Series: An Evening with Four Maine History Press Authors Speakers: Cathy Billings, Camille Smalley, Kate Webber, and Allen Workman Location: Longfellow Garden @ MHS Cost: Free for MHS members; $5 for non-members. Pay at the garden gate. Details online.	Monday, August 4 - Friday, August 8, 2014 Junior Docent Camp Who: For students entering 4th-6th grades When: Monday, August 4 - Thursday, August 7: 9:00am-12:00pm, and Friday, August 8: 9:00am-2:00pm Cost: $75 per student from MHS member families/$100 per student from non-member families Registration: By July 21. E-mail Kathleen Neumann. Details online.

FROM THE COLLECTIONS

Notes from the Archives: Hiram Kelley Morrell's Family Genealogical Records

In 1892, Hiram Kelley Morrell (1827-1911), of Gardiner, undertook the daunting task of tracing the descendants of both John Morrell of Kittery and Abraham Morrill of Salisbury, Massachusetts. This project spanned nearly 20 years and resulted in a remarkably detailed manuscript.

Continue reading this article by MHS library volunteer Tessa Surette on our blog.

SEEN AT MHS

HOME exhibition opening on June 26

HOME: The Longfellow House and the Emergence of Portland opened to a crowd of MHS members and friends, all eager to see the much-anticipated new show that explores the evolution of the Longfellow House and our beloved city.

Curator John Mayer is seen here, answering questions about the exhibition.

See more photos on our blog.

July 4th Public Reading & Display of the Declaration of Independence

More than 100 people listened to and reflected upon the words of our country's founders during our annual reading of the Declaration of Independence by former State Rep. Herb Adams. Many visitors had the chance to view our rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration.

See photos on our Facebook page.

Watch video clips from local TV stations WCSH and WMTW.

ONGOING PROGRAMS & EXHIBITIONS


Wadsworth-Longfellow House Tours House tours given by friendly guides and docents offer a glimpse into the life of America's beloved poet and his family, as well as into the cultural and social history of 19th-century Portland. The House is the oldest brick structure on Portland's peninsula, meticulously restored to the 1850s. Be sure to visit the Longfellow Garden--now in full bloom! Click for information and tour times.	Historical Walking Tours of Portland Walk to the waterfront and be guided through Portland's evolution from a small British colony to a booming center of American culture and commerce. Tours leave from MHS and are 60-75 minutes in length. Limited to 12 guests; first come, first served. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Weather permitting. Walking Tour Times: Daily at 1:30pm. Call for details and group bookings 207-774-1822 ext. 212.	Visit the Museum Exhibitions Home: The Longfellow House and the Emergence of Portland uses the Wadsworth-Longfellow House as a prism to explore how Portland has grown and changed over more than 230 years. A Snapshot of Portland, 1924: The Taxman Cometh, celebrates the informal photographs taken by the tax assessor of every taxable building in Portland in 1924. *Remembering Our Visit: Souvenir China and Mementos of the Longfellow House* features objects relating to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his boyhood home that demonstrates the poet's wide public appeal.

SUPPORT MHS

Become a MHS Member and enjoy great benefits this summer, including free admission to the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, free admission to our Museum and programs, unlimited access to the Brown Library, shopping discounts, and much more!

STAY CONNECTED

MHS WEBSITES

Maine Historical Society	Museum Store
Maine Memory Network	Museum Catalog
Vintage Maine Images	Library Catalog
Maine History Online	Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

489 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101

207-774-1822

The MHS e-Connection is your online source for news, exhibitions & events.