History Walk #54 ~ Readfield Town Farm & Forest and Macdonald Woods ~ Friday, Sept, 13, 2019

This History Walk is co-sponsored by the
Kennebec Land Trust
Mark your calendars for Sept. 13th 10am-12noon
RAIN DATE is Friday, Sept. 20th 10am-12noon 
A notice will be posted on this site by 8:00am on Sept. 13th if this walk is postponed to Sept. 20th due to rain.

A group of twelve showed up for the VERY first History Walk in October, 2012.
That walk was held at the Readfield Town Farm and Forest and we
have done three at that location since then because there has been so much interest.
On Friday, September 13th we will do another by popular demand.
Pictured L to R: Brenda Deojay, Annette Donaghy, Natalie Giles, David Libby, Barbara Gilman, Eileen Lord, Bonnie Gilman, Evelyn Potter, Milt Wright and his guest and Dale Potter-Clark. Photographer was Harvey Boatman.

Since we did the very first history walk at the Readfield Town Farm and Forest in October 2012 three more have been done at that same location because there has been so much interest. We will start at the North Wayne entrance at 10am and plan to wrap up by noon. In addition to Readfield Town Farm and Forest we will stop at the Huntoon Cemetery - years ago referred to as the "Poor Farm Cemetery". Howard Lake from the Kennebec Land Trust will join us to "show and tell" about the adjoining Mcdonald Woods that includes an ancient mill site, ways you can "read the woods" that have evolved from farmland to forest, and more. Members of the Readfield Conservation Commission will join us to share plans for the next timber harvest and other aspects of their management plans of the Town Forest. Dale Potter-Clark will share what she has learned about the Poor Farm in writing her latest book about Readfield's poor farms and paupers of long ago including some of the photos she unearthed in the process; and Bill Adams will have morsels to share about other farms in the area that he has been researching. No doubt there will also be some bird call identifications along the way as we will have a couple of avid "birders" with us. All in all you will learn a lot on this history walk so be sure so mark your calendars!

DIRECTIONS: To the trail head for this history walk: From North Wayne village drive due east on Kents Hill Road until you come to a large while Colonial house at the trail head. You cannot miss it. OR - from route 17 on Kents Hill in Readfield take P Ridge Road; right onto Lane Road (Elvin's farm is on that road); at the end of Lane Road turn left onto Innes Ridge Road (also called North Wayne Road - Camp Kirkwold is on that road); at the end of Innes Ridge Road turn left onto Kents Hill Road in North Wayne and drive until you see that large white Colonial house.

Readfield History Walk #55 ~ Esker Trail along Quimby Bog ~ Oct. 11, 2019

This walk has been rescheduled from May 10th, when we were rained out. The makeup date of Oct. 11th has been chosen so we can enjoy the beautiful fall foliage in Quimby Bog at its peak!  This is the newest trail developed in Readfield, among several that have been added over the past several years. Quimby Bog, once named "Dudley Bog", extends from Readfield Depot Village to Rat Mill Hill Road in East Mt. Vernon (near Dunn's Corner). It was named after Dr. Samuel Quimby of Mt. Vernon who once owned a mill on the stream at the north end of the bog, Essentially, North Road in Readfield runs parallel to the bog although never within sight of it. Near the southern end there used to be a gravel pit not so long ago (makes sense, since an esker is made of gravel). Also, about 1930 the Readfield dump was established near the SW side of the bog, over an aquifer. In later years the Readfield Transfer Station took its place.

Co-leaders of this walk will be Dale Potter Clark, Readfield historian and author, and Andy Tolman, a retired hydrogeologist who has worked for the Maine CDC Drinking Water Program and previously by the Maine Geological Survey, conducting aquifer mapping throughout the State of Maine. Both are also members of the RHS board of directors. 

Walkers should meet by 10am at 73 North Road, in the parking lot at the RSU #38 School Bus Transportation Service, which is adjacent to the road leading into the Readfield Transfer Station. The trailhead is located there. All ages are welcome. FMI contact crossings4u@gmail.com. No fee or registration necessary. Donations to RHS are welcome.

Readfield History Walk #56 ~ Veterans' Day on Monday, November 11, 2019, 10-12 noon

Gather by 10am at Readfield Corner Cemetery

The 3rd Maine Civil War re-enactors will be leading the march from Readfield Corner Cemetery on Church Road to Asa Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road. All are welcome to march along. If your group would like to join us please be in touch with Dale at crossings4u@gmail.com. Scouts, National Guard, Military Veterans, school kids, Masons are encouraged to come and join in. If you have an antique auto or truck you would like to enter into the procession we also welcome that. Do plan to participate in any or all of the following.

10:00-11:00 am A special commemoration of

some Veterans who are buried in Readfield Corner Cemetery followed by a march to Asa Gile Hall with the 3rd Maine in the lead.


11:00 - 11:30 am A special ceremony in honor of all Veterans will be held at Asa Gile Hall at the culmination of the march.


12:00 noon The Readfield United Methodist Church on Kents Hill will provide a soup and desert lunch at their fellowship hall. No charge.

Stay tuned for more details, in the meantime mark your calendars!