June – November, 2006 ~~~ Peaks Island
Sacred At Any Cost, an exhibit focusing on the contributions and sacrifices made by the men and women of the Fifth Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, will be on view at the Fifth Maine Regiment Museum (located at 45 Seashore Avenue on Peaks Island) from June through November, 2006. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the Regiment’s battle flag, which survived the Regiment’s three-year term of service without being captured and became a point of pride among the veterans. The grand opening of the exhibit will take place on June 11, when the flag (currently being treated by a professional textile conservateur) is returned to the museum. For information and exhibit hours, please contact the museum at (207) 766-5514 or fifthmaine@juno.com.
Back to the TopJune – November, 2006 ~~~ Freeport
The Freeport Historical Society’s new exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the attack on Thomas Means and his family. The “Means Massacre” took place in 1756, but oral traditions quickly proliferated around the event and remain in the community consciousness today. Through the exhibition, Freeport residents will be able to study the significance of this incident from both the Scots-Irish and the Native American perspective, within the context of the French and Indian Wars. A symposium offering three lectures will begin at 2 p.m. on June 25, at the First Parish Congregational Church, followed by a reception and exhibit opening across the street at Harrington House. In addition, an archaeologist will be excavating at what is believed to be the site of the Thomas Means homestead. The exhibition will remain on view at the Harrington House, 45 Main Street, through November. For further details, please visit www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org.
Back to the TopJuly 5, 2006 ~~~ Ellsworth
The Hancock County Cultural Network has planned a Brown Bag Artist Series for the first Wednesday of every month (with the exception of August) from April 2006 through March 2007. The intent is to encourage a varied audience to see behind the scenes of an organization or an artist’s work. Speakers will begin at noon and present for thirty minutes, then invite the audience to join in a discussion. The first speaker, on April 5 at the Unitarian Church in Ellsworth, was Robert Shetterly, a painter from Brooksville who discussed how his art relates to current affairs. On May 3 at the Ellsworth Public Library, Stuart Kestenbaum, director of the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, read his poetry. Classical vocalists Marcia and Peter Sly performed at the Unitarian Church in Ellsworth on June 7, introducing and contextualizing each piece. On July 5, Ellen Werner, Executive Director of Kneisel Hall in Blue Hill, will speak about the Hall’s history. For details and future lecture dates, please contact Carolyn Hecker at (207) 348-2535.
Back to the TopJuly 10 - 15 ~~~ Hanover, New Hampshire
The Classical Association of New England (CANE) Summer Institute brings people interested in ancient cultures together with New England’s most accomplished scholars for a six-day collegial program of lectures and mini-courses on the campus of Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. This year’s program, “Freedom and its Discontents,” explores the concept of freedom and its origins in the Classical world. Courses and lectures will consider ancient philosophical theories of freedom, and the impact of those theories on later philosophy; the phenomenon of slavery in Latin literature; and artistic freedom (or the lack thereof) in literature and the visual arts. Portions of the program are open only to paid registrants, but ten public lectures are free and open to the public. In addition, scholarships are available to Maine residents (primarily teachers) who would not otherwise be able to attend. This year’s Institute runs July 10-15. Visit www.dartmouth.edu/~classics/CANE/CSI_2006_Index.html.
Back to the TopJuly 12 - 29 ~~~ South Portland
Weekend audiences at this summer’s free outdoor performances of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, presented by The Stage at Fort Preble in South Portland, will enjoy a pre-show presentation called “Welcome to the Classics.” Originally designed to help those with minimal theatre-going experience appreciate the contemporary relevance of classic drama, these 45-minute presentations are now open to all. They draw on the expertise of director Lisa DiFranza, members of the company, and local scholars to present information about Shakespearean dramaturgy, language, music, and dance. As You Like It runs Wednesday through Sunday nights, July 12-29, 2006. “Welcome to the Classics” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights during the run. For details, please call The Stage at (207) 828-0128 or visit www.thestagemaine.org.
Back to the TopJuly 15, 2006 ~~~ Chebeague Island
“Creating Community: The Hamilton Connection” is an exhibit and lecture series at the Chebeague Island Historical Society that follows the evolution of the island community through the entrepreneurial endeavors of its largest extended family. Ambrose Hamilton settled Chebeague Island 250 years ago. His relatives and descendents would go on to play key roles in the stone slooping industry, the hotel/boarding house era, and small island businesses. Historical documents on display at the Museum of Chebeague History this summer will include photographs, genealogical records, personal diaries, brochures, newspaper articles, land deeds, and business ledgers. An extended Hamilton family reunion is scheduled for July 15. The museum is open daily from 1-4:30; for more information, please call (207) 846-5237.
Back to the TopJuly 20, 2006 ~~~ Portland
On July 20, 2006, the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance will host Brian Turner, soldier and poet, for a reading and discussion on the subject of whether “poet” and “soldier” are mutually exclusive terms. Turner will draw heavily from his collection Here, Bullet, published in 2005 by Alice James Books in Farmington, Maine. Turner’s book has received national acclaim, selling over 12,000 volumes and winning him appearances on National Public Radio and the Larry King show. During the discussion portion of his appearance, Turner will address the nature of regimented creativity and the implications of poetry during wartime—specifically, the upsurge in soldier blogs. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Glickman Family Library in Portland. For more information, please contact the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance at (207) 228-8264.
Back to the TopJuly 20, 2006 ~~~ Orono
The Orono Historical Society will host a monthly public lecture series as part of the bicentennial celebration of the town. The lectures will take place on the third Thursday of every month for the rest of the year. On July 20, retired UMaine professor Stewart Doty will give an Orono history overview. January’s speakers, David Sanger and Harold Borns, addressed the prehistory of the Orono area. In February, Roxanne Soucier of the Bangor Daily News spoke about early family life. The March lecture featured two women, Sally Jacobs and Nancy Smith, with direct links to Orono’s history. In April, Kerck Kelsey lectured on one of Orono’s most prominent residents, Israel Washburn. Kelsey is the author of a biography about Washburn, a Civil War-era politician. The May lecture brought State Historian Earle Shettleworth to address the topic of Orono’s historic buildings. Before Shettleworth’s lecture, participants could tour the former St. Mary’s School on Main Street, now a private residential complex that is not usually open to the public. In June, “Zip” Kellogg spoke about rivers and the lumbering era and Patti Henner spoke about the Stillwater Canal. All lectures are free and open to the public in the Town’s Council Chambers. For other lecture topics and details, please contact the Orono Historical Society at (207) 866-4270.
Back to the TopJuly 29, 2006 ~~~ Waterville
Waterville’s Lebanese population, the oldest and largest in the state, was established over 100 years ago and has had a tremendous influence on the city’s social, cultural, religious, and economic development. This summer, Maine artist Kevin James will create a mural celebrating this distinctive Lebanese heritage. The mural’s design was shaped in public meetings with the Lebanese community in April and unveiled at a Lebanese dinner on May 3. The 25 x 60 foot mural is being painted at 51 Main Street starting in mid-May, and will be on view during the Waterville In-Town Arts Fest on July 29. For details, please contact Waterville Main Street at (207) 680-2055.
Back to the TopAugust 5 and 6, 2006 ~~~ North Waterboro
The historic Elder Grey Meeting House in North Waterboro, Maine, was constructed in 1806. This summer, a celebration will be held to honor the 200th anniversary of the building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A 10-foot by 12-foot replica of the church will be constructed and will appear in the “Old Home Days” parade in Waterboro on July 10. On August 5 and 6, the replica will be moved by an oxen-drawn sledge as a reenactment of the relocation of the church in 1832, from the bottom of Chadbourne Ridge closer to the aging Elder Grey’s house at the top. Festivities accompanying the reenactment will include period children’s games and music (researched by the Waterboro Historical Society), as well as a picnic at which the church replica will be auctioned off. To learn more about the celebration, please contact the Elder Grey Meeting House and Cemetery Association at (207) 247-5199.
Back to the TopAugust 11, 13, October 12, November 9, 2006 ~~~ Bethel
The Bethel Historical Society marks its 40th anniversary in 2006 with a series of lectures that celebrate life in New England. On August 11, David Watters will address “New England’s Legacy: Memory and Identity in an American Region.” Two days later, Thomas Hubka will explore “Maine’s Connected Farm Buildings: The Uncommon Architecture of Common Farmers.” On October 12, James Kiepper will speak about the life of “Styles Bridges: Yankee Senator.” Finally, on November 9, Kent Ryden will address “Landscape and Figures: Nature and Culture in New England.” For details, please visit the Society on Broad Street in Bethel or call (207) 824-2908.
Back to the TopSeptember 16, 2006 ~~~ Hinckley
The L.C. Bates Museum in Hinckley presents a public exhibit and accompanying programs that document the unique life story of Gerd Heinrich (1896-1987). Heinrich was an explorer, collector, and writer who grew up in Germany and later traveled worldwide from his home in Wilton, Maine. The exhibit will use natural history materials, illustrations and translated excerpts from Heinrich’s writings (including his autobiography), and interviews with family members to document his collecting trips. Raffael Scheck, a professor of history at Colby College, will devote significant scholarly support to this project, and along with Heinrich’s family, he will speak at the exhibit’s opening at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 16, 2006. An opening reception will follow at 2:30 p.m. The exhibit remains on view through September 15, 2007. For more information, please contact the museum at (207) 238-4250 or lcbates@gwh.org.
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Notes from an Open Book welcomes feedback from its readers. Please contact Diane Magras by email at diane@mainehumanities.org or by phone at (207)773-5051 ext. 208 (toll-free 1-866-637-3233, ext. 208) to respond.