Calling all Collectors Do you have a fun collection that can be moved and displayed without too much trouble? Would you like to have your collection featured at PHS? Our new Community Collectors program celebrates PHS’s 130 years of collecting local history by highlighting unique individual collections owned by Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell residents. Stay tuned for announcements of monthly Community Collectors exhibits in 2018 featuring items as diverse as keychains, Milton Bradley ephemera, costume jewelry, holiday collectibles, and more. We still have room on the calendar for several more exhibits! Interested? Email Larissa: [email protected]WINTER 2017-2018 Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 THE CUPOLA 130 YEARS OF COLLECTING Pejepscot Historical Society 1888-2018 On January 13, 1888, the National Geographic Society was formed in Washington, D.C. “for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge.” Like many such groups formed in the 19th century, it began as a club for elites—a group of wealthy, academically minded patrons interested in travel and the “exoticism” of the globe in the decades long before globalization. But, also like many such clubs, it has grown into something much more broad-minded, educational, and enlightening. Three days before those gentlemen got together in D.C., a group of 10 men in Brunswick gathered in the Office of the Selectmen “for the purposes of organizing a local historical society.” They were important town fathers with names like Furbish, Wheeler, Booker, and Pennell, and their interest was to “establish and maintain an Antiquarian Museum for the preservation and exhibition of relics of the olden time.” Over time, PHS has also become more diverse in its leadership, membership, collecting interests, and activities. But we applaud those early benefactors who saw fit to preserve the history of their community. They recognized that it must be saved and shared for the benefit of generations to come, and 188 years later we’re still carrying out their mission. In 2018, we’ll celebrate our founders’ efforts, and the many decades of collecting since, with a 130 Years of Collecting exhibit from May-December, a new “Community Collectors” pop-up exhibit program (see left), and an array of dynamic programs and events. (See page 3 for the January-May offerings.) Please join us this year in celebrating 14 decades of preserving, interpreting, and promoting local history. NEWS OF PEJEPSCOT HISTORICAL SOCIETY Winter 2017-2018 THE CUPOLA Brunswick, Maine Above: One of the first 10 items accessioned by PHS in 1888—a book of Sacred poetry, consisting of psalms and hymns, adapted to Christian Devotion in Public and Private, 3rd ed., by Jeremy Belknap D.D., 1801. A note included with the book reads: "This hymn book was used in the First Parish Church of Topsham in the early part of this century. Presented to the Pejepscot Historical Society by Henry W. Wheeler, Sept 1888.” (Yes, you read that right—First Parish Church of Topsham.)
Transcript
Calling all Collectors
Do you have a fun collection that can be moved and displayed
without too much trouble? Would you like to have your collection
featured at PHS? Our new
Community Collectors program celebrates PHS’s 130 years of
collecting local history by highlighting unique
individual collections owned by Brunswick,
Topsham, and Harpswell residents.
Stay tuned for announcements of
monthly Community Collectors
exhibits in 2018 featuring items as
diverse as keychains, Milton Bradley
ephemera, costume jewelry, holiday
collectibles, and more. We still have room on the calendar for several
WINTER 2017-2018 Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 THE CUPOLA
130 YEARS OF COLLECTING Pejepscot Historical Society 1888-2018
On January 13, 1888, the National Geographic Society was formed in Washington, D.C. “for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge.”
Like many such groups formed in the 19th century, it began as a club for elites—a group of wealthy, academically minded patrons interested in travel and the “exoticism” of the globe in the decades long before globalization. But, also like many such clubs, it has grown into something much more broad-minded, educational, and enlightening.
Three days before those gentlemen got together in D.C., a group of 10 men in Brunswick gathered in the Office of the Selectmen “for the purposes of organizing a local historical society.” They were important town fathers with names like Furbish, Wheeler, Booker, and Pennell, and their interest was to “establish and maintain an Antiquarian Museum for the preservation and exhibition of relics of the olden time.”
Over time, PHS has also become more diverse in its leadership, membership, collecting interests, and activities. But we applaud those early benefactors who saw fit to preserve the history of their community. They recognized that it must be saved and shared for the benefit of generations to come, and 188 years later
we’re still carrying out their mission.
In 2018, we’ll celebrate our founders’ efforts, and the many decades of collecting since, with a 130 Years of Collecting exhibit from May-December, a new “Community Collectors” pop-up exhibit program (see left), and an array of dynamic programs and events. (See page 3 for the January-May offerings.)
Please join us this year in celebrating 14 decades of preserving, interpreting, and promoting local history.
NEWS OF PEJEPSCOT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Winter 2017-2018
THE CUPOLA Brunswick, Maine
Above: One of the first 10 items accessioned by PHS in 1888—a book of Sacred poetry, consisting of psalms and hymns, adapted to Christian Devotion in Public and Private, 3rd ed., by Jeremy Belknap D.D., 1801. A note included with the book reads: "This hymn book was used in the First Parish Church of Topsham in the early part of this century. Presented to the Pejepscot Historical Society by Henry W. Wheeler, Sept 1888.” (Yes, you read that right—First Parish Church of Topsham.)
2 THE CUPOLA Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 WINTER 2017-2018
FROM THE DIRECTOR...
You can see from the photo—even though in print you’re looking at it in black and white—that it was a sunny day when I took this chimney selfie up in the cupola on December 6. It was sunny for a metaphorical reason, too: I had just gotten the news that major repairs to our “leaker” chimney (pictured), which allowed water to seep into a collections storage space in early 2016 (no collections were damaged!), had been completed. All that remained to be done was the removal of the scaffolding. That’s not to say the chimney work is complete—far from it. As you can see on page 7 of this newsletter, we’re running a “Brick by Brick” campaign to raise funds for repairs to all seven chimneys on our Park Row property over the next three years. Thank you to those who have con-tributed to date—including several individuals and the Belvedere Historic Preser-vation Fund with a $10,000 grant. (And thank you to Ray Gerbi, who made the wooden “bricks” for the campaign.) We’ve got a bit more to cover for Chimney #1 (and the collection room wall repairs), and then we’ll start working on funding for Chimney #2, and so on… And that’s the way it goes when you’re a 130-year-old historical society with two major 19th century properties, a mission to serve three communities, year-round programs and activities, 100,000+ collection items, a small staff, and more. You chip away at it, or—to stick with the original metaphor—you build it “brick by brick.” (Helped immeasurably by all our wonderful volunteers and supporters!) Over the past year, following a November 2016 Board of Trustees retreat, the PHS Strategic Planning Committee has been doing just that with regard to the fu-ture of the society. Meetings, sub-committees, site visits, surveys, interviews, many discussions, reports… they are all bricks that eventually become the plan for the next iteration of this venerable organization. It’s a phenomenal group—half board members, half community members, all deeply engaged in PHS and the towns it serves. You’ll hear more in 2018 about its substantive work and recommendations. Meanwhile, I’m so pleased to be a part of one of the oldest historical societies in the state of Maine, in a region of the state so rich in history, in a state so beloved by both residents and visitors. Even as we head into the grayer days on the calendar, it looks pretty sunny here at PHS.
Current PHS Board of Trustees
Rob Jarratt, President Tom Dupont, Vice President
Spike Haible, Treasurer Laura Almasi, Secretary
Rebekah Beaulieu Dana Cary
Emile Clavet Ray Gerbi
Shannon Gilmore Bill Morin
Nancy Pennell Todd Rider
John Voorhees
PHS board meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of the month at 5pm.
Staff
Larissa Vigue Picard Executive Director
Catherine Cyr Museum Services Manager
Richard Thompson Volunteer Registrar
Meet the board and staff online at pejepscothistorical.org/about-us/people
Winter Hours
Museum/Research Center
159 Park Row Wed-Fri, 10AM-4PM
Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum
& Skolfield-Whittier House
Closed for the Season
THE CUPOLA is published by
Pejepscot Historical Society 159 Park Row, Brunswick ME 04011
207.729.6606 www.pejepscothistorical.org
3 THE CUPOLA Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 WINTER 2017-2018
4 THE CUPOLA Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 WINTER 2017-2018
With PHS’s 130th anniversary nearly upon us, and another successful Santa Day event in the Skolfield-Whittier House just behind us, we find ourselves speculating about what the Skolfield drawing room may have looked like at Christmas-time when the historical society was first organized in 1888. Newly back from a 20-year stay in England, the Skolfield family was completing renovations to their Park Row home to make it even more grand. Alfred and his wife Martha, along with their two daughters, Eugenie and Augusta Marie, were hard at work making the house feel like home again. Fine things from their time in England and travels around the world adorned almost every room, but none more so than in the drawing room. An elaborate room to showcase their treasures, the drawing room would have been the primary place for the family to celebrate the holidays and entertain guests. The drawing room in the Skolfield-Whittier House was reserved for special occasions, including weddings, funerals, and entertaining. Equipped with its own coal-burning fireplace in the basement, it could have easily been closed off, shutters secured and furnace dormant, when not in use. Christmas would have brought this grand room, the jewel of the house, to life. While the candles on the Belgian chandeliers were never lit, according to Alice Whittier, might a Christmas tree have been adorned with candlelight? Christmas trees were introduced to England in the early 19th century, having been a fixture in Germany since the 18th century. During the Victorian era, Christmas trees were often heavily adorned with all manner of trinkets—paper cut-outs and chains, dried fruit and nuts, ribbon, tinsel, and more—including small lighted candles. Such a tree in the Skolfield-Whittier House, perhaps set in the grand bay window at the far end of the room, would have caught the eyes of passersby—those on foot or in carriages—on Park Row. Augusta Marie, the pianist in the family, perhaps filled the room with Christmas carols played on the Rosewood piano brought back from England. Eggnog or hot mulled cider, served in some of the family’s vast collection of china, would have clinked cheerfully and filled the room with fragrant holiday smells. Christmas cookies, made following one of the many recipes recorded in the family recipe books, would be a welcome treat. With the furnace on, the room would have been warm and cozy—a perfect place to relax in one of the many velvet-upholstered chairs and kick up your feet on the footstool in front of the hearth. Almost 130 years later, the drawing room sits virtually untouched, a beautiful testament to the family and the Victorian Era.
Written by Stephanie Ruddock PHS Museum Services Manager 2016-2017
HOLIDAYS PAST (& PRESENT) AT SKOLFIELD-WHITTIER
Santa and friends in the Skolfield-Whittier House drawing room during this year’s Santa Day event, held on Saturday, December 2. 109 children and adults attended the event. Bowdoin’s a capellla group, Miscellania, sang in the foyer as children waited in line to visit with Santa.
5 THE CUPOLA Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 WINTER 2017-2018
Pejepscot Historical Society’s 2018 Annual Meeting takes place in two fantastic locations at Brunswick Landing—Flight Deck Brewing and the new Brunswick Naval Museum.
Join us on Tuesday, February 13, for a 4:30-5:30 pm reception in Flight Deck’s funky brewery where you’ll slake your thirst with their tasty beverages and enjoy a tour of the brewing process. Meanwhile, whet your appetite with hor d’oeuvres from popular Landing food establish-ment, New Beet Market.
Next, walk or drive the short distance to the up and coming Brunswick Naval Museum, in the former BNAS chapel. Following a short busi-ness meeting, you’ll tour the facility and hear from museum director John Briley (once a PHS interim director) and board president Sean Liedman, a retired U.S. Navy Captain who was stationed at BNAS, about the air station’s/Landing’s past and present.
Invitations will be sent in January. Don’t miss it!
ANNUAL MEETING: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
NEW EXHIBIT: EARLY BRUNSWICK PHOTOGRAPHERS
By day, Meagan Sluter works in education. On summer Saturdays, she volunteers as a docent in the Skolfield-Whittier House. But in her extracurricular time, she is an accomplished photographer and collector of antique cameras and photograph-ic ephemera. We thought that sounded like the perfect combination to kick off our 2018 “Community Collectors” program (see cover). Meagan agreed. And so she set about curating an exhibit on Early Brunswick Photographers that combines some items from PHS’s collection, and some from her own. The exhibit opens January 3 and remains up through April. The exhibit highlights five local photographers during the late 19th century and early 20th century, and features cameras, photographs, and other photography equipment. Meagan also provides a brief history of photography, and the photo-graphic processes of the time.
Meagan shares this about herself: I have been interested in photography for a number of years and enjoy taking pictures of nature, shadows, and architecture. I began collecting antique photographs and cameras four years ago. It is fun to learn how a box camera operates and to be able to utilize the few that are still functioning. I also look at details in the antique photos I collect in order to learn which decade they may be from. Most of the pictures in my collection were taken somewhere within the late 19th cen-tury and early 20th century. I am pleased to be able to tie my love of photography to my keen interest in the Victorian era.
Aerial view, looking southeast, of Brunswick Naval Air Station, on August 6, 1958.
6 THE CUPOLA Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 WINTER 2017-2018
EXITS & ENTRANCES
We said goodbye to one staff member and hello to two new faces in the last quarter of 2017.
Stephanie Ruddock, who started as Museum Services Manager in September 2016, left at the beginning of December. She and her husband are expecting their first child in February, and are moving back home to Michigan to be near family. We will miss her! Thanks to PHS volunteer Pam Gerbi for organizing a fun and festive going away party during Stephanie’s last week. (Right: Stephanie, on left, with PHS director Larissa Vigue Picard. Below: Stephanie’s farewell gathering.)
Succeeding her in that role is Catherine Cyr (below left), Bowdoin College Class of 2017, and no stranger to PHS. During her four years at Bowdoin, Catherine conducted research, interned, and cu-rated an exhibit at PHS. This summer, Catherine completed the coveted Historic Deerfield Summer Fellowship program. We are thrilled to welcome her back as a staff member!
In October, American Public University student Samantha McDorr approached us about a project for her capstone practicum in history. Did we, perhaps, have any projects that she could sink her teeth into?
Did we ever: Assessing the state of the massive Skolfield-Whittier House collection inventory (some of which is located in the closet at left), and making recommendations for consolidation and data-base creation. (That’s correct—none of it is in a searchable data-base.)
While Samantha’s practicum concludes in December, she plans to stay on as a volunteer thereafter. Given the size of the collection in the Skolfield-Whittier House, that was music to our ears!
Photos at top and center taken by Jym St. Pierre
7 THE CUPOLA Serving Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham since 1888 WINTER 2017-2018
BUSINESS PARTNER PROGRAM
BRICK BY BRICK CAMPAIGN Help restore a chimney at 159-161 Park Row!
Our beautiful 19th c. brick Italianate building on Park Row in Brunswick has seven grand chimneys—all of which need some measure of repair. We’re working on the first, and have raised $10,650 out of $14,700 needed. Help us raise the remaining $4,050 by purchasing a bronze ($25), silver ($50) or gold ($100)“brick.” We’ll write your name on it and add it to the stack! Name(s): Mailing Address: Phone: Email: _____ Bronze $25 _____ Silver $50 _____ Gold $100 __ Charge credit card: Exp: ___/___ CVV: __ OR ____ Check enclosed
In the Fall of 2017, Pejepscot Historical Society unveiled a new Business Partner program designed to collaborate with local businesses on an annual sponsorship for PHS programs and activities in return for year-round recognition. We are pleased to list those businesses that had signed on by the time this newsletter went to press. Several more are pending. Expect to see their names and logos in a variety of places throughout the coming year.
Bowdoin College Eaton Peabody Fore River Foundation Goodwin Motor Group Hancock Lumber Company
Highland Green The Highlands Morton Real Estate Priority Group Real Estate Riley Insurance Company
In addition, the following businesses provided free or discounted food, gift cards, or in-kind services to PHS in 2017: The Brunswick Inn, Brunswick Instant Printing, Byrnes Irish Pub, First Parish Church, Flight Deck Brewing, Frontier Café, Greater Portland Landmarks, Hannaford, Joshua’s Tavern, Mr. Bagel, Ship-yard Brewing Company, Union Bakery, and Wild Oats.
Please patronize these businesses and thank them for their support and service to the community!
If you know of a business that should be a Business Partner, please contact Larissa at [email protected] or (207) 729-6606.
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage PAID
Brunswick, ME Permit #31
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Collections of the Pejepscot Historical Society, Vol. 1, Part 1. 1889. 66 pages. “On the 10th of January, 1888, a public meeting was held, in the office of the Selectmen of Brunswick, for the purpose of organiz-ing a local historical society.” So begins this volume, the first publication from PHS, which turns 130 years old in 2018. Articles include:
“Early movements to separate the District of Maine from Massachusetts, and the Brunswick Convention of 1816,” by Hen-ry L. Chapman
“Brunswick at the time of its incorporation,” by Henry W. Wheeler
“Reminiscences of a former resident of New Meadows,” an anonymous excerpt from a larger work, written in 1843
