Spring 2007 - Pejepscot Historical Society

Founded in 1888 at Brunswick, Maine
NEW DIRECTOR TAKES OVER
HIGHLIGHTS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Buildings and
Grounds
2
Scots-Irish Exhibit
Opens at PHS
3
Wish List
4
Maine Highland
Games
4
Changes at the
Chamberlain House
5
Used Book Sale
6
Made in Maine
6
Volunteer News
8
Preservation Party
8
Membership
9
Summer Hours
Summer 2007
10
We Need You!
The Pejepscot Historical
Society is looking for
new volunteers for various projects both long
and short-term. Those
interested can contact
Dir. Brian Collins at
(207) 729-6606 or by
E-mail at :
[email protected]
The Society recently hired Brian C. Collins for the post of Executive
Director of the Pejepscot Historical Society. Mr. Collins is a native of New
Jersey and served four years in the United States Marine Corps before attending
Monmouth University where he received his BA and Masters degrees in
history. Brian was previously employed for five years as the Executive Director
of the Cedar Falls Historical Society in Cedar Falls, Iowa before moving to
Ireland and assuming the post of Director of the Rothe House Museum in
Kilkenny, a post he held for six years. Mr. Collins returned to the United States
to assume the Director’s post here at the Society in February.
In the coming months he will concentrate on making improvements to
all three of the Society’s museums, making the museums more accessible to the
public and raising funds to carry out restoration projects in our buildings. “I see
many great opportunities with our museums,” Mr. Collins said. “We have an
excellent collection of artifacts and two very special house museums that are
quite unique. I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees and the staff
and volunteers of the Society to help it reach its full potential.”
The new Director is currently in the process of organizing the Society’s
Annual Appeal to the membership of the PHS for donations towards our
restoration and educational programs.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 2
Buildings and Grounds Committee News
The Buildings & Grounds Committee, Jan Wilk, Skip O’Rourke, Bob Shepherd and Sidney Hodgdon, has
had a very exciting and successful year. There were several areas in our buildings that needed attention,
some more immediate than others but all requiring funds that the Society did not have.
A major concern was the furnace in the museum building. It was old and inefficient and, given the cost of
fuel, it seemed like a good investment to work toward installing a newer furnace. Jan Wilk’s suggestion that
we apply to the Fischer Foundation resulted in a grant of $4,000. Although that was not enough to complete
the project the money gave us the impetus to keep on working.
If you have been in either the exhibit room or the research room on the first floor of the Museum since
December, 2006 you may have noticed a bright new look. That look is due to the installation of new UV
filters on windows in those rooms as well in the rooms above. Working with Interim Director Kate McBrien,
we applied to the State of Maine for a Historical Collections grant to protect our extensive collection of
artifacts and historical records as well as materials on loan for an exhibit. Our application was successful
and in 2006 we received a grant of $1,599.00 The installation was completed in December. Although the
first and most important goal was to protect our valuable historical collections the work also resulted in a
greatly improved atmosphere in our public areas.
In late October we submitted a request to the Senter Foundation for funds to complete the furnace project.
The $20,000 application was approved and with the Fischer grant was large enough to install a new furnace.
Work was completed in late March—not only do we have warm rooms upstairs, but removal of the old, very
large boiler created much needed storage space. Our new Director, Brian Collins, is planning to install
shelving along one wall—volunteer carpenters will be needed so if you are so inclined please give Brian a
call.
In January we turned our attention to the fire/security systems in all three buildings. Jan Wilk was able to
secure a $5.000 grant from the Margaret Burnham Foundation that, although it does not cover the cost of
upgrading all the buildings, acted as the Fischer grant had—as an impetus to move forward. We have toured
the buildings with Northeast Security and a representative of the Brunswick Fire Department. The proposal
by Northeast meets the requirements of the town so we are now working of funding. The money raised by
this year’s Preservation Party has been dedicated the
project so we hope to be able to complete the upgrade
of at least one building this year. Efforts will continue
through grant applications and fund raising until this
very important work is completed.
Our thanks to all the agencies that contributed to the
maintenance and improvement of Pejepscot’s building
assets — The Fischer Foundation, Maine’s Historical
Collections and Facilities Grant Program, The Senter
Fund and the Margaret Burnham Foundation. Thanks,
too, to all of our members who help by volunteering
and supporting our fundraisers.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 3
N E W S C O T S - I R I S H E X H I B I T AT P E J E P S C O T
A new exhibit on the Scots-Irish in Maine has opened
this past spring at the Pejepscot Historical Society’s 159 Park
Row address. The exhibit chronicles the history and lifestyle of
immigrants from Northern Ireland who came to our area in the
colonial era. The exhibit features several artifacts from the period such as tools, household items, ship models and a Brown
Bess musket that was standard issue for the militia of the period. It also features maps of the local area from the period of
Scots-Irish colonization. The exhibit was conceived and designed with the help of PHS Board member Fred Koerber who
was involved with building the display. The project was also
assisted by PHS Board President Maureen Hurley who helped with painting the display cases and provided advice as to the layout. The exhibit has been well received by the public and will remain on display
throughout this year.
Education, Events, and Program Committee
Through the early spring, the Pejepscot Museum has been hosting a Young Researchers Project with
fourth grade students from Hawthorne and Jordan Acres schools. The work has included analyzing artifacts in order to understand lifestyle earlier times. Using museum protocol, the students have studied attributes of the objects
and researched using the Internet as well as print sources. These young historians hope to share their insight with
classmates, teachers, and parents.
A high school junior shares her thoughts on the exhibit "The Scots-Irish in Pejepscot":
I found the Scots-Irish exhibit at the Pejepscot Historical Society Museum very informative and interesting. I have lived in the Pejepscot area for about fifteen years, but had never given that much thought to the history
of its establishment. I suppose I simply assumed that this area was colonized by English settlers, but today I
learned otherwise.
While visiting the exhibit, I found that wars with the local natives had depopulated Maine's coast and that,
in an effort to establish towns and repopulate the area, the Massachusetts General Court offered incentives for people to come to the area. I also found out that the Puritan clergy in Massachusetts tried to get the Scots-Irish to
move to New England, and that it was the combination of these offers and the desire to escape religious persecution, conflict with the English and Irish, draught, and disease that brought the Scots-Irish to the Pejepscot area.
Though these reasons for coming interested me, what the Scots-Irish did while living in the BrunswickTopsham-Harpswell area interested me more. I learned that it was the Scots-Irish who really developed and expanded the area. They farmed, were active in politics, built ships, and conducted business. They also defended the
Pejepscot area in the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution. It was also cool to look at the list of
the Scots-Irish families that inhabited Pejepscot. I recognized many of the names as ones which I had seen on our
class trip to the cemetery earlier this year and as street names around town (Woodside, Stanwood, McKeen, etc.)
Finally, I really enjoyed looking at the tools and belongings of the Scots-Irish. My two favorite items were
the corset made of whalebone and cotton (even though it looked like it would be really painful) and the triangle
bayonet (I thought it was really cleaver how they engineered it to make a three-sided wound so that it would be
harder to sew together.)
In conclusion, I learned a lot about the role of the Scots-Irish in Pejepscot and actually enjoyed viewing
the exhibit.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 4
MAINE HIGHLANDGAMES
AUGUST 18TH
General Chamberlain Wants You!
To Volunteer at the Pejepscot
Historical Society
More Volunteers Needed at PHS
We need you! The Society is urgently in
need of more volunteers for the three museums. We
need tour guides for the Skolfield-Whittier and
Chamberlain houses. The Chamberlain House needs
guides for its tours Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00
am to 4:00 pm. The Skolfield-Whittier House needs
guides for its tours Thursday, Friday and Saturday,
11:00 am and 2:00 pm. We will train you and you
set your own schedule. We also need volunteers to
help out in our administrative office at 159 Park
Row. Answering phones and working in our museum shop. We also have many one-time projects we
need help with (painting, gardening, moving things,
etc.).
If you have some time to spare give us a call.
We will do everything we can to make it worth your
while. At the same time you would be helping the
Pejepscot Historical Society fulfill its mission of educating the public about our region and its history
and culture.
Anyone interested in volunteering should
contact Executive Director Brian Collins at 207-7296606, or drop by our administrative office at 159
Park Row during business hours, Tuesday through
Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
For a second consecutive year, the Pejepscot
Historical Society will participate in the Maine
Highland Games to be held August 18th at Thomas
Point Beach. Our purpose there is to promote the
Society’s resources and historic houses to the public
by handing out brochures, answering questions, and
selling selected items from our museum stores. Last
year we brought the Society to the attention of many
people who otherwise might not have been aware of
our services and attractions. Additionally, we made
some new friendships.
The festival is organized by the Saint Andrews Society of Maine and will be held Saturday,
August 18th at Thomas Point Beach, Cooks Corner,
Brunswick. The games will be held rain or shine and
the gates open to the public at 8:00 am. If you plan
on attending, please be sure to stop by our tent to say
hello. For more information check out their web site
at www.mainehighlandgames.org.
Wish List

More Volunteers.

Gardening Equipment (garden hoses, tools,
etc.).
● Cordless drill for the many miscellaneous
maintenance tasks performed by staff.

Digital Movie Camera.

DVD player.

Books for book sale.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 5
CHAMBERLAIN FURNISHING PLAN
After researching for over a year, the Chamberlain House Museum Furnishing Committee presented its recommendations to the Pejepscot Historical Society’s Board of Trustees last April. The
Board reviewed the recommendations and approved the plan at April’s Board meeting. The
recommendations accepted were the following: 1.
When the original furniture or artifact cannot be
found, a replica or reproduction be substituted. 2.
Because the most useful description of the interior
of the Chamberlain house is the Lewiston Journal, August 1907, that the date for the restored rooms be
set at 1907 and before. 3. That the following changes be undertaken: a. Creating a visitor center out of
the present dining room, moving the exhibit case in the Curvey room and the saddle and modern battle
scenes in the library to the dining room. b. Purchasing and mounting a replica of the regimental flag on
the ceiling of the library, if feasible. c. Rearrange the furnishings in the parlor to reflect Fanny’s role by
setting up the room as if Fanny were having visitors to tea (using the Chamberlain china). Move the student military uniform to the exhibit room. Executive Director Brian Collins was asked to implement these changes before the beginning of the tourist season. During the course of implementing these changes
the decision was made to open up the parlor more for visitors and allow them to get closer to the rather
unique fireplace in that room (see above photo). Although not all of the changes have been carried out
the reaction from visitors has been positive. The
house was recently visited by long-time PHS
supporter, and Chamberlain family member,
Doug Chamberlain who was very pleased with
the new additions to the museum. The staff and
Board of Trustees hope that the changes will inspire renewed interest from the local community.
We need to convey the impression that there is
always something new to see at the Chamberlain
House.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 6
New Alarm Systems for the
Chamberlain House Museum
The Society recently carried out a
$7,893.00 upgrade of the fire and burglar alarm
systems at the Joshua L. Chamberlain House.
$5,000.00 of the cost was offset by a grant from
the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust, who
responded favorably to a request from long-time
PHS supporter Jan Wilk. The remainder of the cost
was raised by our recent Preservation Party this
past May 5th. The work was carried out by Northeast Security, who completed the upgrade the
week before opening day at the museum. So far
the new system is a big improvement over the old.
The Society plans to carry out similar upgrades to its other two buildings as funds become
available. Those wishing to contribute to this project should contact the Society at 207-729-6606.
Used Book Sale to be Held
The Pejepscot Historical Society will be having
a used book sale and Community Appreciation Day on
Friday, August 24th as a fund raiser for the museums.
We are currently looking for donations of used books
from our friends and supporters. If you have any old
books you would like to get rid of, and help a good
cause in the process, please drop them off at the 159
Park Row address. If you are unable to drop them by
we may be able to arrange to pick them up. Contact
Brian Collins at (207) 729-6606. We will accept hard
or soft cover, fine literature to contemporary novels. No
school text books or encyclopedias please.
The event will be held at 159 Park Row and will
run from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be free admission
to the museums that day. Funds raised will be used towards our educational programs so please come out
that day to shop and show your support of the Society.
Made in Maine Show Interviews Filmed at PHS
John Wilson and Frank Ferrel
An episode of Maine Public Television’s “Made In Maine” was filmed at the Society’s 159 Park
Row location on April 17th. The episode was about the Scots-Irish in Maine and featured interviews with
John Mann (author of Ulster-Scots on the Coast of Maine) and visiting University of Ulster professor John
Wilson. The show’s producer Frank Ferrel, requested permission to use our new Scots-Irish exhibit as a
backdrop for the interviews. The episode premiered June 7th but will be repeated periodically on Maine
Public Television.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 7
News from the Marketing Committee
We have had an exciting new year so far with several special events. On Saturday, March 24th, the Society hosted a talk by Michael C. Connolly and Edward T. McCarron, authors/contributers to the book, They
Change Their Sky: The Irish in Maine. This event boasted one of the largest audiences we’ve recently had and
coincided with the opening of our exhibit, “Pejepscot’s Early Scots-Irish History.” Also, on Saturday, April
21st, at 1:00 p.m., we hosted a talk and book signing by author Nancy Orr Johnson Jensen in the historical society research room. Her latest book, published that month, is Helen, Ethel & the Crazy Quilt, a children’s book
based on correspondence between her grandmother, Ethel Orr, and the famous Helen Keller. Nancy was born
and raised on Bailey Island in the 40’s and 50’s in a home overlooking Lowell’s Cove on the west side of Bailey Island. The house is illustrated on the book’s cover.
The 2007 season is upon us and we invite you to check out the new items in both the Pejepscot Historical Society Museum Store and the Chamberlain House Museum Store. New to the shelves are the following:
Books:
Bailey Island: Memories, Pictures and Lore
Tragedy in Casco Bay
Confluence: Merrymeeting Bay
Unsettled Past, Unsettled Future – A Story of the Maine Indians
Women of the Dawn
Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Life
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Personal Memoirs: Ulysses Grant
Amazing Women of the Civil War
Great Maps of the Civil War
The Portable Hawthorne
Civil War Curiosities
Civil War Trivia and Fact Book
Ghosts and Haunts of the Civil War
Evangeline and Selected Tales and Poems
The Little Veggie Cookbook
Victorian Entertaining
Victorian Etiquette
The Ulster-Scots on the Coast of Maine
Children’s Books:
CD:
Helen, Ethel & the Crazy Quilt
Song of Hiawatha
Paul Revere’s Ride
Feathertop
Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers
They Also Led
A Nation Torn
Commander in Chief: Abraham Lincoln
Paper Dolls, Coloring Books and more
Longfellow Reads Longfellow
Please remember that your membership and purchases support the Pejepscot Historical Society.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 8
They Make It Happen,
And He Knows It!
Some, Dick Thompson is the preeminent example but Anne Brookes is another of that hardy breed, soldier
on through the winter months at the PHS offices, working on the inevitable research and curatorial challenges
that confront any museum. Most of the others, no less important, like Mary Sistare, Ed Langbein, Bea Furbish, Dick Leighton, Rita Bailey, and Chloe Carmer arrive with the spring and the opening of the Chamberlain
and Skolfield-Whittier Houses to public tours. These are, of course, the volunteers of the Pejepscot Historical
Society. Among their ranks are former PHS trustees, but however they may be described or delineated, the
following fact is most telling: Nothing of importance gets done at any of the museum sites without them.
Executive Director Brian Collins has been on the job for four months, but it is obvious that he is particularly
attuned to this truism. One of his first administrative decisions was to call the group together for a pre-season
planning session. The meeting, held on Wednesday April 4th at the offices on Park Row, gave the director and
volunteers an opportunity to get some useful first impressions. Clearly mindful of the native Mainer’s dubious
view of that other branch of Homo sapiens “from away”, Brian owned up immediately to being “…a real foreigner (newly arrived from) Kilkenny, Ireland”. More important matters were at hand, however, and the introductions and social niceties were dispensed with quickly. Since the PHS will be scaling back its professional
staff in 2007, the group focused most of its deliberations on nuts and bolts operational issues like making do
without site managers at the Chamberlain and Skolfield-Whittier Houses and assisting with office tasks in the
absence of a business manager.
Another practical issue, and an endemic problem at the Society in past years, is work space for volunteers
(viz. unwind space too when appropriate). To ameliorate the condition, Brian announced that the first-floor,
back room of the Park Row building will now be theirs to use as they wish. This innovation prompted Treasurer emeritus Charlie White to note, despite the fact that his tongue had obviously lodged firmly in his cheek,
“We’ve come up in the world!!!” As the meeting adjourned, it was clear to all that the new director, like Joshua Chamberlain and Master George Skolfield before him, understood the first requirement of any leader:
KEEP THE TROOPS HAPPY!
Dan Dorman
2007 Preservation Party a Success
The Pejepscot Historical Society’s annual Preservation
Party was a big success this year. Hosted by Jan and Marty Wilk
at their residence at Windy Ridge in Brunswick, we had an excellent turnout of guests and also many donations from those unable
to be there. A good time was had by all and the money raised was
used towards the upgrade of the burglar and fire alarm systems at
the Joshua L. Chamberlain House Museum. The Society wishes
to thank all of our supporters for this event.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 9
P E N N E LV I L L E R E C E P T I O N
The staff and Board of the Pejepscot Historical Society
were honored to be invited to a special tour and reception hosted
by the residents of Pennellville this past April 28th. The tour
kicked off at the home of Nancy Pennell with an overview of the
family’s shipbuilding and shipping history by family historian
Jack Pennell. The group then took a walking tour of the homes of
Richard and Eliza Stark, Charles and Nelia Dunbar, and Cecily
Hume ending the day with a tour and tea reception at the home of
Brad and Kitty Babson. The Board of Trustees wishes to again
thank the residents of Pennellville for a delightful and informative
day.
Kitty Babson describes restoration
work at the Jacob Pennell House.
Membership Matters! Please enter my/our name(s) in membership, at the level indicated below, in the Pejepscot Historical Society. Memberships are valid for 12 months and may be renewed annually.
Basic Memberships
Individual………………………….….…$35.00
Family……………………………………$50.00
Contributing Memberships
Fort George Defender…………….……$75.00
Furbish Fellow……………………….…$125.00
1888 PHS Founder………….……..…...$250.00
Pejepscot Proprietor…………….……...$500.00 and up
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Name (as you would like it to appear in our records)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Address
________________________
City
______________________
State
___________________
Zip Code
Payment may be made by check or credit card, we accept Mastercard and Visa. Please send payment to:
Pejepscot Historical Society, 159 Park Row, Brunswick, ME 04011 or call (207)729-6606 for credit cards.
T he C up ol a • S u mme r 2 0 0 7 • P ag e 1 0
Summer Hours
Pejepscot Museum
Tuesday–Saturday: 10:00 am–5:00 pm
FREE Admission
Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum
Open from May 26th to October 27th
Tuesday—Saturday 10:00 am—4:00 pm
Guided tours offered every hour, last tour leaves at 3:00
Skolfield-Whittier House Museum
Open May 26th to October 27th
Thursday—Saturday
Guided tour at 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Admission to either Historic House: Adults ($5.00) Children ($2.50)
Discounted Combination Tickets are Available.
Members receive free admission and a 10% discount in our museum shops.
PEJEPSCOT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
159 Park Row
Brunswick, Maine 04011
www.curtislibrary.com/pejepscot.htm
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