Martha Ballard Pop-up Tour

On July 10, 1790, famous local midwife Martha Ballard sat in the court room during a trial at the Pownalborough Court House. Step back in time, stand in the same room Martha stood in, and learn about the trial! During this hour-long tour, participants will not only hear about the trial, but also Martha’s experiences as a midwife living in central Maine in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The tour will begin outside on the banks of the Kennebec River where Martha arrived by boat. After a brief introduction to the Kennebec River Valley region, the tour will move inside. In the Court House, participants will hear about Martha’s midwifery career, as well as general information about life as a woman in this area in the Early Republic period. The tour will conclude in the courtroom, where exactly 236 years ago, Martha observed the trial of Joseph North.

There will be two tours offered on July 10, 2026 at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Pownalborough Court House in Dresden. 

Tickets for the tours must be reserved in advance. Purchase your ticket here!