November 19, 2014

MHS NEWS

Holiday Celebrations Kick Off at MHS Next Week!

This holiday season, Maine Historical Society explores the friendship between the man who is said to have "invented America" and the man who is said to have "invented Christmas"--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Charles Dickens. Guests who tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow House will learn about both men, Dickens's visit to Portland, Christmas traditions of the Longfellow family, and the enduring effects of A Christmas Carol on our modern understanding of the holiday.

Programming begins on Friday, November 28.
Scroll down for a calendar of events.

Lincoln Exhibition Opened Friday to Large Crowd


Lincoln in the Brown Library	Jared Peatman lecture

Last Friday, 100 guests joined us for the opening reception of Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, a nationally traveling exhibition which focuses on Abraham Lincoln's struggle to meet the constitutional challenges of the Civil War. Guests also enjoyed a lecture by Lincoln scholar, Jared Peatman. Stay tuned for the release of that lecture as a podcast.

This exhibition is on view in the second floor reading room of the Brown Library, and is open to visitors free of charge on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am-4pm, through December 20, 2014. (Closed Thanksgiving week.)

Lincoln: The Constitution & the Civil War is being co-sponsored by Maine Irish Heritage Center, and was organized by the National Constitution Center and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. It has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the National Constitution Center.

New MHS Publication Now Available

A must-have book for scholars, Maine libraries,

and research institutions.

Maine in the Civil War, A Bibliographic Guide, 2nd edition, our latest publication, is now available for sale in our Portland store and through our online store.

Compiled by Jamie Kingman Rice, Director of Library Services, and William B. Jordan, Jr., this book offers a comprehensive list of published works on Maine during the War of the Rebellion.

This bibliography provides researchers with an exhaustive list of printed works including biographies, compilations, specialized studies, and regimental histories that specifically focus on or highlight Maine during the Civil War era. Originally published in 1976, the second edition includes works published since, as well as items not appearing in the original publication.

November & December Hours at MHS

Gallery & Store
November: Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm
December: Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm, Sunday 12pm - 5pm
Closed November 27, December 24 (closing at 2pm), December 25, and December 31 (closing at 2pm).

Brown Library
Wednesday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Closed for the holidays November 27 - December 2, and December 21 - January 6.

Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Closed November 1 - 27.

November 28 - December 18: Holiday tours offered Thursday through Sunday on the hour 12:00pm to 4:00pm.

Visit us online for more information about our Celebrate the Season programs and events!

DIGITAL HISTORY

The Diaries of Doris Blackman Merriam


Doris Blackman Merriam (standing) with her husband Paul (left) and children, ca. 1943.	Doris Blackman Merriam (second to right) with her family, ca. 1995.

Over the centuries, the human impulse to leave behind a record of our lives has taken many forms. Cave painting is perhaps the first, chronicling successful hunts or bountiful harvests. From clay tablets to illuminated manuscripts to bound diaries to blogs, we have found a way to preserve a bit of ourselves in the records we leave behind.

The diaries of Doris Blackman Merriam in the recently processed collection of the same name in the Brown Library are a shining example of this inherent feature of the human experience. Writing nearly every day from 1975 to 2001, Doris created not only a record of her life, but a record of the world around her--providing a fruitful study for social historians. Entries range from discussions of daily activities like baking treats for a school fundraiser to her opinions of global conflicts to the latest fashion trends. Her diaries not only open a portal into the life of a devoted mother of seven, her opinions and views reflect major cultural and social movements spanning four decades.

Continue reading in this blog post by library intern, Emily Gendrolis.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

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


Monday, November 24, 5:30pm Lecture: The History and Significance of the Portland Company Complex Location: Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library Speaker: Scott Hanson Presented in partnership with Greater Portland Landmarks, Portland Public Library, Friends of the Eastern Promenade, and the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization. Free and open to the public. Details online.	Tuesday, November 25, 3:30pm The Children's Hour: Weekly Story & Craft Activity for Kids For kids ages 4-9 and their caregivers. Book: Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving by Kimberly and James Dean. Thanksgiving Craft. Location: Meet at the MHS Store, 489 Congress Street, Portland. Free and open to the public. Details online.	Tuesday, December 2, 12:00pm Lecture: Portland's Irish in the Civil War Speaker: Matthew Jude Barker Location: MHS Lecture Hall Free and open to the public. This lecture relates to the exhibition Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War. Details online.

CELEBRATE THE SEASON at MHS

Celebrate the Season at MHS

November 28 - December 28, 2014

Guided Holiday Tours of the
Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Thursday - Sunday, 12pm - 5pm.
Last tour leaves at 4pm

MHS Store Holiday Bazaar
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm
Sunday, 12pm - 5pm
November 28 - December 28
Shettleworth Lecture Hall

Holiday Music In The House
Pianist David Maxwell plays during House tours.
Sundays November 30, December 7 & 14, 1pm - 3pm
Wadsworth-Longfellow House

MHS Members Holiday Party
With Violinist Hope Hoffman
December 4, 5pm - 7pm
Shettleworth Lecture Hall

First Friday Art Walk
With Deering High School carolers
December 5, 5pm - 8pm
MHS Galleries, Brown Library & Wadsworth-Longfellow House

Blacksmith Demonstrations
With Master Blacksmith Sam Smith
December 6 and 13, 11am - 3pm
Wadsworth-Longfellow House front lawn

An Evening with Longfellow and Dickens
Presented in partnership with Portland Stage Company
December 11, 7pm - 8:30 pm
Shettleworth Lecture Hall

Portland Stage Company affiliates Daniel Noel and Andrew Harris bring Longfellow and Dickens vividly to life in this special performance. A reception follows. Advance registration required. Cost: $12 MHS members; $15 non-members. Reserve your seat online.

Give the Gift of Membership

This holiday season give friends and family a gift that will last all year long: membership in Maine Historical Society.

Benefits include:

* Invitations to our holiday party, exhibit openings, trips, and special programs

* A 10% discount in the MHS Museum Store and online store, and online at Vintage Maine Images

* Free Admission to the MHS Museum and Wadsworth-Longfellow House

* Free access to the Brown Library and its resources

* Subscriptions to Maine History and to our quarterly newsletter

Buy memberships online, or call us at 207-774-1822 ext. 216.

ONGOING PROGRAMS & EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitions

MHS Gallery
Home: The Longfellow House and the Emergence of Portland

Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. Lecture Hall

Wholesome Habitations: Architectural Collections of the Maine Historical Society

Showcase Gallery

Remembering Our Visit: Souvenir China and Mementos of the Longfellow House

Brown Library, Second Floor Reading Room

Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War

Wadsworth-Longfellow House

Affectionately Yours, Charles Dickens

This special exhibition is included in holiday tours of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, November 28 - December 28.

Ongoing Programs

The Children's Hour, an after school story and craft program

Upcoming dates: November 25, December 6 and 13, at 3:30pm

Children ages 4-9 (with their caregivers) are invited to celebrate reading and literature at Longfellow's childhood home with a new program called The Children's Hour. The hour-long program includes a read-aloud of a favorite children's book in Wadsworth-Longfellow House, and a fun craft-making activity inspired by the story. The program is led by Kathleen Neumann, Manager of School and Interpretative Programs. Details online.

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.