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.

Spring 2016 ~ READFIELD HISTORY ON THE MARCH…

Spring 2016 dates and subjects have been set for three Readfield History Walks and two Maranacook Adult and Community Education (MACE) classes. Read more about them below and mark your calendars.

To register for MACE classes call 207-685-4923 x 1065 or visit http://maranacook.maineadulted.org. There is no registration fee for Readfield History Walks, but donations to Readfield Historical Society for the Readfield “Museum in the Streets®” project are gratefully received. 

1. Friday, April 15, 10:00am-12:00noon History Walk at Readfield Depot

3. Wednesday, April 27, 6:30pm-8:30pm - MACE Rise & Decline of Readfield Depot

4. Friday, April 29, 10:00am-12:00noon History Walk at Kents Hill Village (Part I)

5. Friday, May 13, 10:00am-12:00noon History Walk at Kents Hill Village (Part II)

 

readfield depot: MORE BUILDINGS, Old Houses the People who lived there         

The rise and fall of Readfield Depot. When and why was it a buzzing community center?

By Dale Potter-Clark, Wednesday, April 27th (changed from March 30)

This class will include information about the old homes and buildings, past and present, in and around Readfield Depot; the evolution of Readfield Depot; some people who have lived there; and how the symbiotic relationship between Readfield Depot and summer residents helped boost Readfield’s economy and overall lakeside development. On the evening of the class booklets that contain house bios and photos from this section of town will be available for $5 each. Proceeds from registration fees will be applied towards creating a “Museum in the Streets® in Readfield. NOTE: All are welcome to attend a Readfield History Walk at Readfield Depot on Friday, April 15^th.

 

KENTS HILL: STILL MORE BUILDINGS, OLD HOUSES AND SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE  

When and how did Kents Hill village change from remote backcountry to a cultural and educational center?

By Dale Potter-Clark, PREVISOULY SCHEDULED FOR April 27 WILL BE DONE AT A LATER TIME

Before 1775 there were very few people living on “Kent’s Hill, so called, on the road from Hallowell” – the Packards, Foords and Kents were the first to stake their claims and buildings began to appear. The Packard men were housewrights so many were built by them. After the Revolutionary War others came. The most influential with a long lasting effect was Luther Sampson. From 1790 until 1824 a meeting house and parsonage, grammar school, store, cemetery and Methodist Seminary were established and the hilltop called Kents Hill evolved from a handful of family farms to a thriving cultural and educational center. In this class you will learn more about that evolution, hear more about those buildings and houses, and some of the people who lived there. On the evening of the class booklets that contain house bios and photos from this section of town will be available for $5 each. Proceeds from registration fees will be applied towards creating a “Museum in the Streets® in Readfield. NOTE: All are welcome to attend two Readfield History Walks at various parts of Kents Hill village on Friday, April 29^th and Friday, May 13^th.

READFIELD HISTORY WALKS 2016

History Walks and Maranacook Adult and Community Education classes are all behind us for 2015, but plans are in the making for more in the spring of 2016. If you are interested in knowing of plans as they evolve:

1. Check this web site regularly for updates;
2. Sign up to receive emails when new posts are made on this web site (right column); 
3. Request that email updates be sent to you by emailing crossings4u@gmail.com;
4. Visit the Readfield Historical Society facebook page;
5. Watch local newspapers Community Advertiser, Kennebec Journal, Lake Region Reader and others.
6. Read the Readfield Messenger - the town newsletter - it's online.

Thank you to all who hosted our history walks this year and to the dozens who attended. Also to Susan Simons at Maranacook Adult and Community Education for her unwavering encouragement and support! All told we had at least 250 different attendees come to the various historical events described on this web site this year.
Hope to see you in the spring.

Veterans Day - Friday, November 11, 2016

On Veterans Day - Friday, November 11, 2016 - there will be a special Readfield History Walk when we will remember our Veterans in a special way. If there are people in Readfield who wish to help plan that please be in touch with Dale Potter Clark crossings4u@gmail.com Thank you!

READFIELD ORAL HISTORIES RECORDINGS AVAILABLE

NOW AVAILABLE - The last history walk for this year will take place on November 13th for the winter hiatus, but you need not stop walking into the past during the cold months ahead. You can listen to memories and stories of Readfield through the voices of several people who have roots here... What a great holiday gift idea!


During the summer of 2015 Sydney Greene and Dale Potter-Clark, from the Readfield Historical Society, audio recorded six oral histories - each session varies in length from 1 to 2 hours. Several people who currently or formerly live in Readfield were interviewed about various sections of Readfield, farming, schools, WWII and much more. Copies of these are now available for a $10 donation. Proceeds will benefit a fund to have historical site markers - called "Museum  in the Streets" - created and installed at various locations in Readfield. Follow this link to purchase online or contact Dale at crossings4u@gmail.com. 
These interviews are included:

1. Lloyd Bruen and Evelyn Adell-Potter re Readfield Depot in 1930s-40s and much more. (July 3, 2015)
2. Dale Potter-Clark re Beginnings of Readfield Historical Society, growing up in Readfield in the 1950s and more. (July 14, 2015)
3. Russell and Phillip Walters re Sawyer-Walters farm on Church Road, memories of Readfield and Phil’s time as a German POW during WWII and more. (July 21, 2015)
4. Buster Potter, Steve Cowperthwaite and Barbara Clark-Gilman re Nason farm, Kents Hill village, Kents Hill School and more (July 27, 2015)
5. Joe Maloney, whose mother Margaret was a Fogg, talks about the Fogg Homestead, his memories of Readfield and more (August 3, 2015)
6. Bob Newman, Gene Newman-Potter and Peggy Lucas-Parks re East Readfield and more (August 11, 2015)

Readfied History Walk #32 11/13/2015 ~ Tours of the Community Library / Currier - Eaton House; Masonic Hall; and Readfield Grange

The final Readfield History Walk of this year will take place rain or shine at Readfield Corner. Walkers should meet at Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road by 10am. From there we will walk to the Readfield Community Library to begin phase one of a three part tour.

Readfield Community Library is housed in the historic Dr. Samuel Currier homestead. Dr. Currier was the first doctor at Readfield Corner and his son George, who also lived at this homestead, followed in his father’s footsteps. Together Dr. Samuel and Dr. George Currier served as town physicians for 75 years. The circa 1800 building was donated to the Town of Readfield in 1945 by their grand-daughter Alice Eaton, for use as a community gathering place. For many years it was known as the Currier-Eaton House and also called “The Community House”.   Activities and meetings were held at The Community House such as Lions Club, Boy and Girl Scouts, Little Town Club, dancing classes, Rifle Club and more. Readfield Community Library has been housed here for the greater part of the past seventy years.

Following a tour of the library walkers will proceed to the second floor of the Masonic Block where John Lord will show the Lafayette Masonic Lodge. Free Masons is the oldest and largest fraternity in the world whose motto is "Better men make a better world." The Readfield Masons was founded in 1826 and met for several years on the second floor of Lory Bacon's store across the street. He was their first Readfield lodge master. They eventually constructed their own building on the present site which burned in the great fire of June 11, 1921 as did nearly all of Readfield Corner. By that fall the Masons laid the cornerstone in a special ground-breaking ceremony and the Masonic Block, as we know it today, was rebuilt within months of the tragic fire. The Masons have contributed to the community in many ways over the past two centuries.

Finally, history walkers will go to the old Readfield Grange Hall for a tour. Readfield Grange # 217 was organized March 24, 1876 with 38 charter members – only three years after the first chapters were organized in Maine. For 21 years their meetings were held in private homes until this hall was built in 1897. The organization was an integral part of life in Readfield. It was here where farmers and others gathered to socialize, learn new farming methods, and share political and local concerns. Among the benefits were cooperative buying of insurance, seeds and agricultural supplies. Readfield Grange remained active until about a decade ago, and was then owned by Golden Guys and Gals Senior Citizens for several years. In 2014 Nicole Danielson opened Maple Tree Community School for K-8 here. The building has been adapted to include a science lab, art room, library, dining room and a performing arts space, but the beautiful hardwood floors and other original features have been retained.

Walkers are invited to bring a sandwich and eat at the old grange hall following the tour. Plans are already in the making for history walks next spring. FMI www.readfieldhistorywalks.blogspot.com  Request that email reminders be sent directly to you by sending your name and email address to crossings4u@gmail.com.

IT'S TIME TO GET READFIELD HOUSE CIRCA SIGNS!!

Dale Potter-Clark and Bill Adams have researched about 150 pre-1900 Readfield houses over the past couple of years with plans to write a book. They are currently collaborating with Readfield Historical Society to see that house circa signs are placed on some of those old homes and also that a  "Museum in the Streets" is created. Dale has taken the lead in securing orders and raising the funding. Contact her for more info at crossings4u@gmail.com 
The house circa signs are phase 1 of a three phase effort:
Phase 1 House Circa Signs
Phase 2 This is an offshoot of the Readfield History Walks. In researching for history walks so much info about various sites throughout town has been unearthed. To preserve information about those sites for visitors and future generations a Readfield “Museum in the Streets” will be created with hopes to move forward with this phase in time for Readfield’s 225^th anniversary in 2016. 
Phase 3 Potter-Clark and Adams will publish a comprehensive book titled Old Houses in Readfield and the People Who Lived in Them