A special Readfield History Walk will be held on SATURDAY morning August 8th from 10am to 12noon during Readfield Heritage Days. Walk leaders will be Dale Potter-Clark, Readfield History Walks Coordinator; Milt Wright, Readfield Trails Committee; and William Adams, Readfield Corner Historian. Adams and Potter-Clark are researching for a future publication about all the old houses in Readfield and the people who lived in them. Thus far they have researched more than one-hundred fifty buildings throughout town.
Included on this History Walk will be the new pathway
that leads from the Community Library to Union Meeting House, and parts of the
Old Fairgrounds Trail. Also, lower Church Road and Main Street from Gile Hall
to the Old Fairgrounds trailhead on route 17. Walkers will make some brief stops
to learn about some of the oldest and more intriguing homes. Bill Adams will be
stationed at Readfield Corner center, where a major fire occurred in 1921, and
where many businesses have come and gone since the late 1700s. The Judge Emery
O. Beane house circa1850 will be open for tours along the way.
Meet at Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road by 10am. There
is no fee for the walk although some of Potter-Clark and Adam’s research will
be available in a specially produced booklet for a minimum donation of $20. The
40+ page booklet includes three (of the nine) maps Adams has created that
portray the evolution of Readfield Corner since pre-1799. Also included are
dozens of pictures and information about the old homes and buildings at
Readfield Corner; excerpts from Ernest “Tink” Rolfe’s oral history done by
Potter-Clark in 1987 – including his memories of Readfield Fire Department and
another big fire that occurred at Readfield Corner in 1934; and information
about the Old Fairgrounds and development at the north end of Lake Maranacook.
Booklet profits will benefit a project to purchase and install historical site
markers throughout Readfield.*** If you are unable to attend and wish
to purchase a booklet you can do so online
and have it mailed to you or email crossings4u@gmail.com to make arrangements.
*** After
expenses the income from this booklet will be applied to the "Readfield
Historical Site Markers" fund. Your tax-deductible donation towards
the Readfield Historical Site Markers fund are welcome at any
time. Checks should be made out to Readfield Historical Society with a notation
it is designated for the historical site markers. Mail to: Readfield Historical
Society PO Box 354 Readfield, ME 04355 attn: Mary Jernigan, Treasurer
