Readfield History Walk # 51 ~ Walker (Hawes) Road ~ Fri. April 26, 2019

Readfield's first poor farm (of three) was established on Walker Road in 1859. Four family farms had been built in this neighborhood years before that. Included among them was this poor farm built by Stephen Bean in 1823 and sold to the town of Readfield in 1859.

This area was originally settled by Joshua & Elizabeth (Longfellow) Johnson (circa 1790), who sold their homestead to their daughter and husband Elias & Nancy (Johnson) Gove in 1800. One of their nine children was Elias Gove Jr, "Immanuel Prince of Peace".
The second family to settle on Walker Road was Thaddeus & Mary (Sanborn) Richardson in 1802. In 1815 they sold 45 of their 100 acres to their son Asa & wife Sarah (Cottle). They built a farm adjacent to his parents and raised 13 children there - one was Mary Jane Richardson.

None of those original farm buildings remain in this neighborhood. When road names were changed or made permanent, during the development of the E911 system, this road was renamed Walker Road. Previously it had been known as the Hawes and the Lewis Road.

This walk will last from 10a.m. - 12:00noon. We will walk and talk along the road and not on rough ground, although part of the road is on a slight upgrade.
DIRECTIONS: From Main St. Readfield Corner (blinking traffic light) take Church Road north to Fogg Road. Walker Road is off Fogg Road. There will be someone there to show you where to park a short ways up Walker Road. More historic background, photos and old maps will be available for viewing, as well as some history of the poor farm, on the day of the walk. Hope to see you then. No fee or registration necessary. Donations to Readfield Historical Society are welcome. FMI crossings4u@gmail.com.

Readfield History Walks in 2019

East Readfield Cemetery was the gathering place when we
walked East Readfield village several years ago.

We are starting to plan history walks for 2019 - dates have not yet been set. These walks are presently under consideration:

1. 1. Readfield Town Forest, where the third and last town poor farm was located;
2. 2. "Hawes Road" (now Walker Rd) where the first town poor farm was located;
3. 3. The Esker Trail along Quimby Bog - more history occurred in this part of town than you might think!
4. 4. East Readfield "Dudley Plains" and Cemetery

Do you have ideas or requests for 2019 walks? We will consider re-visiting places that have already been covered since we began these walks in Oct. 2012. See the list / summaries of those elsewhere on this web site. To make suggestions or comments email crossings4u@gmail.com Hope to see you in 2019!!

Readfield History Walk #50 ~ Veterans' Day March and Ceremony

This event will happen rain or shine. The current weather report says clear 9am to 12 noon tomorrow. Even if we get a little rain that is nothing compared to what our Veterans had to endure. Besides, we will have some delicious hot soup and coffee waiting for us at the Church on Kents Hill afterwards. SO COME OUT and join us!!



The 3rd Maine Infantry (Civil War re-enactors) marching from Readfield Corner
Cemetery during the  2017 event. More than 100 people followed by
foot and vehicles and will be invited to do the same again this year.

An event honoring all Veterans will be held in Readfield on Saturday Nov. 10^th in which the Third Maine Infantry (Civil War re-enactors) will participate. Members of Readfield’s Historical Society, Selectboard and United Methodist Church have planned the event.

 Participants should gather at the Readfield Corner Cemetery, Church Road by 10am, for a special remembrance of some Civil War soldiers whose memorials and graves are there. From the cemetery the Third Maine will lead the way to Asa Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road, for a closing ceremony at 11am, in honor of all Veterans. All are invited to march along or those who are not able to walk that far can follow in their vehicles. Cub Scouts Pack # 622 and Girl Scouts Troop # 1701 will also participate in the march and subsequent ceremony. The Third Maine will give two musket volleys along the way, at the cemetery and outside Gile Hall. 

Following the ceremony a free soup, bread and dessert luncheon will be served in Fellowship Hall at the Readfield United Methodist Church on route 17, Kents Hill. Capt. Matthew Bray and First Sergeant Robert Pierce of the Third Maine will give a presentation about the Regiment during that time as well.

All are welcome to join in for this special remembrance and honoring of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Services. To begin, at Readfield Corner Cemetery, parking is available at the Old Fairgrounds parking lot or in the north end of the cemetery. Please invite and / or bring Veterans you know. FMI email crossings4u@gmail.com. 

Readfield History Walk #49 ~ Whittier Cemetery and "W Corner"

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2018 10am-12noon
In this history we walk will walk "W Corner" and visit Whittier Cemetery on South Road (intersection South / Tallwood / Beaver Dam Roads). W Corner has been dubbed that by Readfield historian Dale Potter-Clark because in the earliest days of Readfield's history the Waugh, Whittier, White and Wyman families all lived there or in close proximity. The 1791 town meeting, when Readfield voted to separate from Winthrop was also held at one of the "W" farms. The Townsend Farm, Beaver Brook Tourist Home and Sir Charles Hotel (later known as Tallwood) were also in this neighborhood. Our guest host this time will be Bill Rourke, who resides on "W Corner" and has lived there for most of his life, as did his parents and grandparents. During his lifetime he has lived in Tallwood Farm, the Whittier homestead and Beaver Brook Farm. We will meet by 10am in the yard by Bill Rourke's barn off South Road. Contact crossings4u@gmail.com for directions if needed. No registration or fees, although donations to Readfield Museum in the Streets project fund c/o Readfield Historical Society are appreciated. Please mark your calendars for Oct. 5th, 2018 at 10am. You will not want to miss this one!

READFIELD HISTORY WALK #48 ~ Readfield Depot Village of Days Long Ago

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2018 10:00am-12noon

Join us to learn some of what Readfield Depot village was like long ago. In those days the railroad depot was still present and trains, carrying passengers and cargo, stopped several times a day. There were stores, a post office, granary, taverns, blacksmiths, livery, sawmill, tenement house, school, church, several homes and more. Still later there was car dealership and garage in the center of the village. Vintage photos will be shown, stories shared - do feel welcome to come and share your own stories about Readfield Depot! A walking tour of the village will led by Dale Potter-Clark.

Meet at Readfield Historical Society, 759 Main St. by 10am.

No registration or fee. All ages are welcome. Donations gratefully received.

READFIELD HISTORY WALK #47 ~ Union Meeting House, then on to Readfield Corner Cemetery

Friday, June 15th 10am-12noon
Meet at Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road by 10am. PLEASE do not park directly in front of the building - leave those parking spots open for town hall patrons. There is also parking available in the grassy area on the opposite / south side of route 17, that is town property.


From Gile Hall we will walk up the sidewalk along Main St. to the Library pathway / trail and on to the Union Meeting House, Church Road where we will be given a guided tour by a UMH board member. While there we will take note of whose names are memorialized on the stained glass windows; then we will walk to Readfield Corner Cemetery to visit some of their gravesites and hear more about them.


No registration or fee necessary. All ages are welcome. If you are unable to walk the first leg, feel free to meet us at Union Meeting House, we should arrive there by about 10:30.

READFIELD HISTORY WALK #46 ~ FACTORY SQUARE

Friday, May 18, 2018 10am-12:00 noon

Meet at Readfield Town Office, 8 Old Kents Hill Road by 10am. Important!! Do not park in front of the building but leave those parking spots open for Town Office patrons. There is also parking available in the grassy area on the opposite side of route 17 / Main St.
From  Readfield Town Office we will walk to the lower dam, on Factory Square. There we will view the old lower dam (there were four at one time) and learn about recent efforts of the Readfield Trails and Conservation Committees to revive the area into a park like evironment. Jerry Bley will be on hand to talk about the grant that has been recently received, making it possible to complete the project. We will also walk the new trail, recently groomed by the Readfield Trails Committee, to an area that overlooks where the mill pond once existed. Also at that location is a rare 80ft American Chestnut tree that has gained national attention. There will be more, as time and people's interest warrant. Join us for this interesting tour. No charge or registration. All are welcome.