History Walk of Readfield Town Forest / Poor Farm & Macdonald Woods ~ Sat. May 7th, 1 p.m.

Next Saturday, May 7th, there will be a guided tour of the Readfield Town Forest (former Readfield Poor Farm) and the Macdonald Woods. This walk will be co-led by Milt Wright, former Readfield Trails Committee Chairperson, and Tim Sniffin, Readfield Conservation Committee member. The event is sponsored by the Kennebec Land Trust, which owns and manages Macdonald Woods.
Meet by 1p.m. at the designated parking area on Kents Hill Road in North Wayne (directions below). Walkers will proceed through woodland paths and discontinued roads, about 3 miles in length. Wear sturdy shoes and bring drinking water. A walking stick and insect repellent (ticks) is recommended. There are no longer any buildings on these properties but foundations of two old homesteads remain and will be viewed as well as the site of Readfield's District #6 school house. Remnants of an old, earthen dam and lumber cutting operation also remain on these properties. The ancient Huntoon Cemetery is on the route, where some town pauper graves are said to be buried, their graves marked with fieldstones. There were many more Readfield and North Wayne residents buried in this cemetery than is evident today, but most of the ancient slate gravestones have disappeared over time.
Readfield History Walks have covered this area twice in the past, #1 and #8 , so if you missed those here is your chance to take in a guided tour!
There is no charge for this walk.


DIRECTIONS below or follow this link http://www.tklt.org/macdonald:
From Kents Hill, route 17 to P Ridge Road; right onto Lane Road; at T intersection left onto North Wayne Road; at T intersection left onto Kents Hill Road. After about 1/2 mile you come to a large white Colonial home on the right, and the end of that part of this road that is accessible by auto. Park across the street from said house.
From North Wayne: From the dam on the south end of Lovejoy Pond in North Wayne village drive straight / east up the hill and keep going until you come to said house.


Kennebec Land Trust (KLT) works cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve the forests, shore lands, fields, and wildlife that define central Maine. For more info about KLT and their various land holdings visit http://www.tklt.org/ 

Readfield History Walk #34 ~ Kents Hill Village (part 1 of 2) ~ April 29, 2016

Meet at the parking lot across from Torsey Methodist Church by 10am. We will walk to "Packard's Corner" and learn about the houses, buildings and some of the families who lived in them (between the church and Packard's Corner). Then, proceed up Packard Ridge Road (P Ridge) to learn about the Lane family and the site of the old Hackett farm and where Mattie Hackett was murdered in 1905.
We will also walk off the P Ridge road onto a short woods trail that leads us towards the Kents Hill School campus. On that trail walkers will be shown a patch of wildflowers in the orchid family that was placed on the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants in 1982. After the walk we will return to the church where Nancy Russell will have some soup prepared for all to enjoy. Bring a sandwich and anything else you wish to eat in addition or instead of the soup.


Part 2 of Kents Hill village will take place at Readfield History Walk #35 on May 13th so mark that date on your calendars and details of that walk will be announced soon!
No charge for Readfield History Walks but donations are welcome to Readfield Historical Society, to help procure and install historical site markers in Readfield, a "Museum in the Streets".

"Rise and Decline of Readfield Depot" ~ April 27, 2016 ~ Maranacook Adult & Community Ed

"The Rise and Decline of Readfield Depot" was changed from March 30th to April 27th. Time 6:30-8:30pm. At Maranacook Adult and Community Education, Maranacook High School, Millard Harrison Drive, Readfield. $20 per person or $15 if you bring a "buddy". Books with pictures and information about the coming of the railroad, many of the houses, businesses and people who have lived at "the Depot" over the decades will be available for $5 each on the night of the class. Proceeds from this class will help fund the creation and placement of historical site markers in Readfield.
To register for MACE classes call 207-685-4923 x 1065 or visit http://maranacook.maineadulted.org.
Read on to learn about spring 2016 Readfield History Walks.

• Friday, April 29, 10:00am-12:00noon History Walk at Kents Hill Village (Part I)
• Friday, May 13, 10:00am-12:00noon History Walk at Kents Hill Village (Part II)

Questions can be emailed to Dale at crossings4u@gmail.com.

Readfield History Walk #33 ~ Readfield Depot ~ April 15th

Well here it is – SPRING, and time to begin Readfield History Walks again. Imagine – this will be #33. Who would have guessed they would have caught on so well when we started these 3 ½ years ago!

On April 15^th we will be walking Readfield Depot and learning about the activity, businesses and railroad station that was once there. Walkers will also learn of the old homes and some of the families that lived in them. Meet at Readfield Historical Society (RHS) on Main Street no later than 10am on April 15^th. If you park across the street PLEASE do not block access to the business (in the old grain mill) next door and / or their ability to get to the vehicles parked behind their business / building.

Come inside the RHS where we will get started. We hope you will be understanding that the RHS is not officially open for the season yet so spring cleaning is not done. Nor is the water turned on nor is the bathroom "open for business". You will be welcome to look around nevertheless. There is no fee for Readfield History Walks but donations for the creation of Historical site markers, a "Museum in the Streets", in Readfield are gratefully received! FMI contact crossings4u@gmail.com.