Below Ground at the Chapman-Hall House: An Archaeological Interpretation
2024-09-20 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Archaeologist Tim Dinsmore will discuss his findings during a study conducted on the grounds of Damariscotta’s Chapman-Hall House.

In the fall of 2022, Tim Dinsmore directed an archeological investigation into the earliest occupation of Damariscotta’s C

hapman-Hall homestead and the integrity of artifacts currently on display within the circa 1754 house museum. He will present the results of the field work and subsequent artifact analysis at the Damariscotta Town Office, located at 21 School Street at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20. The public is invited to this free event.

Dinsmore’s presentation, “Below Ground at the Chapman-Hall House – An Archaeological Interpretation” will discuss the many objectives in conducting the project, including the determination of the earliest occupation of the homestead, and the integrity of its archaeological deposits. Another objective was to determine whether objects currently housed and on exhibit within the house museum actually reflect the types of material goods that the Chapman and Hall families once possessed.
When the house was acquired by the Chapman-Hall House Preservation Society in 1960, the house was unfurnished. Under the guidance of historic preservationist Abbott Lowell Cummings, items representative of the time periods 1754, 1790 and 1820 were
acquired. Dinsmore’s archaeological survey subsequently uncovered numerous artifacts of actual objects that the Chapman, Hall and Dodge families possessed.
A professional historical archaeologist and proprietor of Midcoast Archaeology, Dinsmore has 35 years of experience including management of educational outreach, field schools, cultural research, and other research projects throughout Maine. Dinsmore attended both the University of Maine at Orono and the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia.
Open to the public!

Historical Theater at Pownalborough Court House
2024-09-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Guests at the Pownalborough Court House on September 21st will find the house and grounds occupied by historical theater reenactors who are interactive and friendly, performing and sharing the experiences of 18th century Pownalborough.
Guests are invited to observe and talk with performers as they demonstrate and act out the real day-to-day activities that took place on this property. It will be a true step back in time!

Cider Pressing at Pownalborough Court House
2024-09-29 10:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Join us as we welcome autumn at the Pownalborough Court House with a FREE cider pressing and sampling! People of all ages will love watching apples go into the press and being made into fresh delicious cider from 10-2.
If you have them, bring your own apples It takes 42 apples to make a gallon of cider. (Keep in mind that perfect apples are not necessary to make excellent cider.)
The historic courthouse will be open for tours from 10:00am until 4:00pm–tour admission is $15 for adults and free for kids under 16.
And as always, our system of hiking trails is free and open to the public. Why not try a fall nature hike?

Coopering at the Chapman-Hall House
2024-10-12 08:00 - 2024-10-13 17:00
Visit the Chapman-Hall House during Damariscotta’s annual Pumpkinfest weekend to learn about the historic craft of coopering! Jeffery Miller will be on site both days to demonstrate how a cooper would shape and secure wood to create vessels of all sizes that would carry and store a variety of items – including liquids.

Saturday and Sunday, 12-4 pm.

Annual Meeting & Member Gathering
2024-11-07 17:30 - 19:00
Wanderwood
79 Sidelinger Rd
Nobleboro ME

RSVP requested: lchamaine1954@gmail.com

One Stone at a Time: Restoration & Conservation of Ancient Burial Grounds with speaker Dave Probert
2025-01-30 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Dave Probert
One Stone at a Time: Restoration and Conservation of Ancient Burial Grounds
Thursday, January 30, 5:30 pm
Free Online Lecture, preregistration required, CLICK HERE to register
A $5 suggested donation helps LCHA cover costs with our free lecture series. All donations are gratefully appreciated, but no donations are required! Click here to donate online.
Join us on Thursday, January 30th to learn from Dave Probert about his restoration and conservation work in historic cemeteries. After he retired from a long career at Bath Iron Works, Lincoln County Historical Association was fortunate to have Dave sign up as a volunteer. Initially, Dave helped with the Pownalborough Court House trail system before beginning to work in our historic cemetery, then becoming a museum docent, co-chair of the Pownalborough Court House Stewardship Committee, and a valued Trustee helping to steer the organization.
Dave’s hours spent in historic cemeteries, conserving one stone at a time, have yielded fascinating stories about how he approaches the work and what he learns along the way. Join us for this glimpse into the past through the restoration and conservation of ancient burial grounds with Dave on January 30, 2025 at 5:30 pm. This lecture is free and open to all. Preregistration is required to receive the link.

Carol Gardner, author, The Divided North Black and White Families in the Age of Slavery
2025-02-06 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Old Bristol Historical Society (OBHS) and Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA) present speaker Carol Gardner online on February 6, 2025 at 5:30 pm. This online lecture is free and open to the public, with pre-registration required.
Click here to register
Dr. Carol Gardner will discuss her book, The Divided North: Black and White Families in the Age of Slavery, a narrative history that follows two northern families throughout the turbulent 19th century. Born eleven months apart in 1798 and 1799, Reuben Ruby and Nathaniel Gordon were neighbors and schoolmates in Portland, Maine. Yet they were worlds apart, separated by temperament, family culture and race: Reuben was Black and Nathaniel was white.
The Rubys became prominent antislavery activists and operatives on the Underground Railroad. The Gordons became well-to-do ship masters: among them, the most notorious American slave captain of the century: Nathaniel Gordon III. Absent from history books for over a century, these two families offer a detailed portrait of life in the so-called “Free North” when slavery enthralled the nation. Their lives—as activists, traders, agents on the Underground Railroad, soldiers, slave captains, blockade runners, prospectors and politicians—took them far from home: to New York, California, Texas, Louisiana, Africa, Cuba, Colombia and Brazil. But they returned to Maine again and again.
As families and individuals, the Rubys and Gordons help us to explore slavery and freedom, racism and equality in America. They help reveal what it meant to live in a free state, with all the promise, disappointment, irony and hope that the notion entailed.

Carol Gardner has more than 30 years’ experience as a writer and journalist. She earned a Ph.D. in English from The Johns Hopkins University, taught literature and writing at Johns Hopkins, Wake Forest, and Florida State Universities, and has published pieces in a wide variety of books and periodicals, including the Portland Press Herald and The Washington Post. She is a past winner of a Maryland Individual Artist’s Award. Dr. Gardner is the author of a narrative history, The Involuntary American: A Scottish Prisoner’s Journey to the New World, and the forthcoming The Divided North: Black and White Families in the Age of Slavery. She lives in Alna, Maine.

Click here to register

The "Help" from Hampton: In Service at the Pownalborough Court House 1872-1892
2025-02-27 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
LCHA is proud to present:
The “Help” from Hampton: In service at the Pownalborough Court House 1872-1892
Thursday, February 27, 5:30 pm, free online with speaker James Tanzer,
Free Online Lecture, preregistration required, CLICK HERE to register
A $5 suggested donation helps LCHA cover costs with our free lecture series. All donations are gratefully appreciated, but no donations are required! Click here to donate online.
For 20 years, from 1872-1892, an aging Sallie and Captain Sam Goodwin, owners of the Pownalborough Court House in Dresden, Maine, relied heavily on the housekeeping and farm labor of four young Black workers from Hampton, Virginia: Katy Brown, Randall O. Johnson, Martha Jones, and her brother Joseph Henry Jones.

For the first time, through an examination of letters between the extended Goodwin, Canby, Johnson, and Marshall family members, and letters written by Katy, Randall, Martha, and Joseph Henry themselves, we are able to piece together the fascinating stories of these young Black people, and illuminate their lives both in Maine and in Virginia during the Reconstruction era and beyond.

James Tanzer is the Special Collections Research Services Librarian at Bowdoin College, and the Vice President of Lincoln County Historical Association. He holds a BA in history and an MA in medieval history.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Maine’s German POW Camps in World War Two
2025-03-06 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Old Bristol Historical Society (OBHS) and Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA) are proud to present speaker David Greenham online on March 6, 2025 at 5:30 pm. This online lecture is free and open to the public, with pre-registration required.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Maine’s German POW Camps in World War Two
Between 1944 and 1946, more than 4,000 German prisoners of war called Maine home. The story of how they arrived, and the lasting impact that they had on the people who encountered them is one of Maine’s most interesting and obscure stories. It is a story of cooperation, kindness, and enemies who found a way to work for a common good, and even became friends.
About David Greenham.
David Greenham is a writer, researcher, and cultural consultant, as well as a lecturer of drama and theater at the University of Maine at Augusta. He is an experienced non-profit manager specializing
in organizational development. Greenham serves as the executive director of Viles Arboretum in Augusta. Prior to
that David spent two years as the interim executive director of the Maine Arts Commission. The
research for this program was started following a 2012 exhibit that David created for the Holocaust
and Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC), where he served eight years as associate director.
As a theater artist, David spent 14 years leading The Theater At Monmouth, the Shakespearean
Theater of Maine, and has been involved in theater and the arts in Maine for nearly 40 years. David is
a contributing reviewer for the Boston-based on-line arts journal The Arts Fuse (artsfuse.org) and is a
member of the board of Amjambo Africa/Ladder to the Moon, Capital Areas New Mainers, and
UMA Senior College. He can be found at https://davidgreenham.com/
David is also the founder and creator of Maine History Theater of Ideas (MHTI) The program
combines history, research, and presentation to share stories about Maine, and of interest to Mainers.
Several MHTI programs have been supported by the Maine Humanities Council. In addition to the
German POW program, MHTI programs include programs focusing on growth, taxation, labor, and
letters written home by soldiers in WWI. The program also includes the Zany, Majestic Bard,
developed in honor of the 400 th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and aimed at helping Mainers
love Shakespeare.

Members Forum
2025-03-20 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Collaboration on Campus: Reflections on an Internship at the Mystic Seaport Museum

Click here to sign up!

Lincoln County Historical Association Members are invited to join a special online conversation with Board Member Kori Tanzer, who spent last summer with the Black and Indigenous Maritime Histories Internship at Mystic Seaport Museum. Kori will share a slideshow of photos from her experience and talk about what she learned during the program – best practices in inclusivity, the importance of collaboration and teamwork, and how to light a spark for each visitor. With plenty of time for questions and discussion, this forum will be a wonderful opportunity to not only learn about Kori’s experience, but to also make connections with her and other LCHA members.

Click here to sign up!

Not a member yet? Become one today! https://www.lincolncountyhistory.org/get-involved/memberships/

Members Forum - Old House Wisdom with Les Fossel - Ask the expert!
2025-03-27 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Do you have questions about your historic home? Whether you’re curious about its age, need advice on a tricky restoration, or are looking to solve an old house mystery, Les Fossel, an expert with over 50 years of experience in historic home preservation, is here to help!
Join us for this exclusive online Q&A event for LCHA members where Les will share his extensive knowledge on all things historic homes. Submit your questions and photos in advance, and Les will provide personalized advice, offering tips and historical context to help you preserve and restore your home. If you are curious about old houses and don’t have a question to submit, please join us just to listen in!

How It Works:
Register for the Event HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/iUzvzNR6QB6k15LjVTZC5A

*This program is designed for LCHA Members*

If you’re a current member in good standing, please feel free to sign up right away! The link is here: tinyurl.com/fosselforum
If you’re not yet a member or need to renew your membership, please sign up as a member first to participate in the event, https://www.lincolncountyhistory.org/get…/memberships/
Not sure if your membership is active? No worries—just email us at lchamaine1954@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to check for you!
Once registered, you’ll be able to submit your questions and photos for consideration.

Submit Your Question & PhotosAfter registering, email your question and photos to us at:lchaprograms@gmail.com
Please use the following format for the subject line:Old House Wisdom Submission – [Your Name]For example:Old House Wisdom Submission – John Doe
In your email, include the following:
Full NameEmail AddressHome LocationAge/History of Your Home (Anything relevant you think provides context)Your Question(s) (Be as detailed as possible!)Photos of Your Home or Restoration Issue (Please attach any relevant photos of your house or any areas you’re seeking advice on)Additional Information (Optional) (Anything else that may be helpful for Les to know)

Tune In and Get Expert AdviceDuring the event, Les will answer as many questions as possible, offering practical advice and insights. While not every question may be answered live, we’ll do our best to address as many as time allows.
Important Notes:Deadline for Submissions: Be sure to submit your questions and photos by March 24.Not All Questions May Be Answered Live: While Les will address as many inquiries as possible, we may not have time to get to every submission.

Shredding on Site
2025-05-16 08:00 - 12:00 | Chapman-Hall House, 270 Main Street, Damariscotta, ME, United States
May 16th from 8 AM to 12 PM
Back by popular demand: our annual shredding event brings you the perfect solution for safe and fast disposal of old paperwork and documents!
Mark your calendars for our Annual Shredding On Site Event – May 16th from 8 AM to 12 PM in the parking lot of Bath Savings on Church Street in Damariscotta.
For a donation, you can securely shred your old documents while supporting the historic Chapman-Hall House. It’s a win-win!
Come by, clean up, and help preserve a piece of history!

Memorial Day and Reenactors at Pownalborough Court House
2025-05-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
May 26, 2025 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT

LCHA’s annual commemoration of Memorial Day. After being called to order at 11 a.m., the gathered will proceed up the woods road to the Court House cemetery. Veteran soldiers of three wars will be remembered through spoken words and the placing of bouquets upon the graves.
Reenactors from the Colonial Maine Living History Association will be on-site with their encampment open to the public.
Everyone is invited to stay on after the conclusion of the Memorial Day ceremonies and enjoy the grounds of the Pownalborough Court House. Take a walk on the nature trail following along the high bank of the Kennebec River through a beautiful old stand of white pine. Explore the well-marked trail system across Route 128. We recommend a picnic lunch. Perhaps catch a glimpse of one of the historic site’s resident bald eagles!

Archaeologist Tim Dinsmore at the Chapman-Hall House
2025-05-31
Tim Dinsmore to discuss results of archaeological survey at Chapman-Hall House
Historical archaeologist Tim Dinsmore, who headed the 2022 archaeological survey of the grounds of the 1754 Chapman-Hall House in Damariscotta, will be on hand to discuss the objectives and results of his work on Saturday, May 31 from 12:30-4 p.m. One of the oldest standing houses in Damariscotta, this house museum, maintained by Lincoln County Historical Association, is located at 270 Main Street.
Artifacts recovered during the survey help to shed light into the material worlds of the Chapman, Halls, and other families that once occupied the homestead. These objects—found mostly in a highly fragmented state—provide tangible information about the everyday lives of these two families.
On display will be a variety of ceramics and glassware, architecturally-related materials such as window glass, nails, and brick, personal items including clay tobacco pipes and buttons, and faunal material represented by animal, bird, and fish bones and shellfish. Augmenting the exhibit will be several 3-dimensional antiques and/or high-quality reproductions that allow visitors to see how the fragments might have looked in their original state.
A site report that summarizes the results of Dinsmore’s archaeological work as well as photographs of the 2022 dig are included in this special exhibit. Tim Dinsmore, a professional historical archaeologist, is the sole proprietor of Midcoast Archaeology.

Community Day at the Museums!
2025-06-01
All three of LCHA’s museums are open with free admission to Lincoln County residents on June 1, 2025.
Help us celebrate the start of the summer by stepping into the past at the 1754 Chapman-Hall House, the 1761 Pownalborough Court House, and the 1811 Old Jail with its attached 1839 Jailer’s House!
Tours are available on a walk-in basis. Please arrive by 3:30 pm.

Chapman-Hall House, circa 1754
270 Main Street, Damariscotta
Open noon – 4:00 PM
Pownalborough Court House, built 1761
23 Court House Rd, Dresden
Open 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Old Jail, built 1811, & attached Jailer’s House, built 1839
133 Federal St., Wiscasset
Open noon – 4:00 PM

The Gardens of Lincoln County
2025-06-21 10:00 - 15:00
Join us for a special tour of some of the amazing private gardens of our region! Details to TBA!

1775 at Pownalborough Court House
2025-06-21 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-09 10:00 - 16:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
On June 21, August 9, and September 20, join us at the Pownalborough Courthouse in Dresden, Maine, for a unique chance to experience history firsthand. History enthusiasts will be on-site portraying scenes from 1775, reenacting moments from the colonial era that would have unfolded at this very location.
Visitors are welcome to come dressed in 18th-century-inspired clothing — it’s not required, but it’s a fun way to dive into the spirit of the day!
This is a perfect opportunity for families, history lovers, and anyone looking to immerse themselves in the past!
Dates:
June 21, August 9, September 20
Location: Pownalborough Courthouse, Dresden, Maine

Dresden Summerfest at Pownalborough Court House
2025-07-20 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States

Jailhouse Rock!
2025-08-09 17:00 | LCHA Museum at the Old Jail, 133 Federal St., Wiscasset, Maine
ORDER TICKETS HERE
Donate to “Bail Out The Band” HERE

Join us at the Old Jail in Wiscasset on Saturday, August 9 at 5 PM for Jailhouse Rock, a fun-filled event for all ages!
Gather your friends and family for an evening of great music from the Leopard Girls, dancing, tasty food, lawn games, and tours of the historic jail cells. It is a perfect way to enjoy the summer and support a wonderful cause.
Tickets are just $5 for adults, and kids get in free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The event will take place rain or shine, so come prepared for a good time no matter the weather.
Don’t miss the highlight of the night, the Bail Out the Band fundraiser! Our musicians will be live (pretend) “arrested” right at the event for causing a rock ’n’ roll disturbance and locked up tight in the Old Jail. Your donations will help pay the Rock ’n’ Roll Ransom to set them free and get them back on stage to keep the party rocking.
All proceeds from the bail fundraiser support the Lincoln County Historical Association and help preserve our community’s rich history. So come ready to dance, donate, and make a difference. It is all in good fun and for a great cause!
CLICK TO ORDER TICKETS

The Lincoln County Old Jail is located at 133 Federal Street in Wiscasset.

Preservation Party 2025
2025-09-07

1775 at Pownalborough Court House
2025-09-20 10:00 - 16:00

Local Soldiers & The 1775 Arnold Expedition
2025-09-25 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Speaker Rob Stevens presents Local Soldiers and the 1775 Arnold Expedition
September 25, 5:30 pm ONLINE
Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/77kZ-vWQQ6GMiAJEzwa7gA

Learn about the soldiers from our community who took part in this historic journey of the American Revolution along with stories from the speaker’s own voyage retracing their route eight years ago.
This lecture is offered free online and open to the public!

Donations to support LCHA’s ongoing programming are welcome! www.lincolncountyhistory.org/get-involved/donate

Preregistration is required to receive zoom link.

Restoring a Treasure: Steven Williams on the preservation of the historic Kavanagh House
2025-10-02 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Homeowner Steve Williams discusses the project to restore the historic Kavanagh House in Damariscotta Mills. This beautiful example of Federal-style architecture presented Williams with the challenge of balancing restoration and rehabilitation of an 1803 home for modern living. Don’t miss the story of this incredible preservation effort!
This online talk is free and open to the public! Registration is required to receive the link for participation. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Donations welcome to support our ongoing programming! Click here to donate to LCHA!

Shades of the Past - a twilight tour of the Pownalborough Court House
2025-10-24 - 2025-10-25 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Over more than 250 years, this historic house has gathered its share of legends and ghost stories. Find out what stirs after dark on a guided tour through key interior rooms, each with its own memorable tale, and make a stop at the house’s private cemetery. Bring a flashlight, bundle up, and come ready for a little Halloween fun.

Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance.

Choose Your Tour Time and Purchase Tickets
Our tours run on October 24 and 25 at four hourly start times each day: 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, and 7 PM.
Please select and purchase tickets for the exact date and time you wish to attend. Each tour time has limited availability, so be sure to book early to secure your spot!
Click your preferred tour time below to buy tickets:
October 24 at 4 PM (4 tickets remaining as of 11 am Thursday)
October 24 at 5 PM (few spots left)
October 24 at 6 PM (SOLD OUT)
October 24 at 7 PM (SOLD OUT)
October 25 at 4 PM (6 remaining as of 11 am Thursday)
October 25 at 5 PM (few spots left)
October 25 at 6 PM (few spots left)
October 25 at 7 PM (Closed for booking)
Please note: Your ticket is valid only for the date and time you select.

Proceeds of this event support the installation of UV-protective shades to help safeguard its historic textiles, artwork, and furnishings for future generations!

Members Forum: Lincoln County and the Struggle for Maine Statehood, 1816-1819
2025-11-20 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Thursday, November 20, 2025 • 5:30 PM (Online)
The Lincoln County Historical Association welcomes Ryan LaRochelle, Senior Lecturer at the University of Maine’s William S. Cohen Institute for Leadership and Public Service and former LCHA Board President, for this special Members Forum.
In this talk, Ryan will explore how Lincoln County became a key battleground in Maine’s statehood struggle. In 1816, leading figures including Abiel Wood Jr., Moses Carlton Jr., William King, and Peleg Tallman, known as the county’s “Great Quartet, ”found themselves on opposing sides of the debate. As Maine’s most populous county by 1820, Lincoln County’s divided leadership played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of the movement toward separation from Massachusetts.
Ryan LaRochelle is the author of “Lincoln County’s ‘Great Quartet’ and the Struggle for Maine Statehood, 1816–1819,” included in What We Know, What We Wish: Maine Statehood, Historical Commemoration, and the Urgency of Public History (UMass Press).
Registration for this Members Forum is free, but advance registration is required → Register here
Membership InformationMembers Forums are a benefit of LCHA membership.Membership starts at just $25 per year, supports our mission, and includes access to Members Forums, free unlimited admission to our three museums, and other benefits. Join today or email us with your questions about membership!

The Dirigo Men of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery: Stories of Maine's WWII Service Members
2026-01-22 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
LCHA is proud to launch our 2026 Winter Lecture Series on January 22 with author Aimee Fogg, who will share stories of Maine’s WWII Service Members as she discusses The Dirigo Men of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. Thanks to sponsor J. Edward Knight Insurance, this online lecture is free and open to the public, pre-registration is required to receive the link to participate!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Located in Homburg, Belgium, Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery is the final resting place for 7,992 WWII service members, and where the names of 450 Missing in Action service members are commemorated. Fifty-four of these men called Maine home. From the state’s rocky coast along the Atlantic Ocean to its highest peak of Mount Katahdin and from towns in between, these men answered their country’s call. They left everything familiar to fight in a faraway land. They hugged their parents, siblings, spouses, and children goodbye. They missed their families. They dreamt of reunions. They wept. They suffered. They mourned. They sacrificed. They freed a continent. They liberated generations. Silenced by the passage of 80 years, their voices speak once again in The Dirigo Men of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery: Stories of Maine’s WWII Service Members.

Aimee Gagnon Fogg is the great-niece of PFC Paul M. Lavoie of Nashua, NH, who is interred in Plot C Row 1 Grave 9 at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Homburg, Belgium. She is the founder of They Speak: Voices of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, which is dedicated to collecting the personal stories and photos of the nearly 8,400 men of HCAC. She is the author of several publications and is also the recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution Women in American History award. The Dirigo Men of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery: Stories of Maine’s WWII Service Members is her third published title about HCAC. Aimee resides in New Hampshire with her husband, their three children, and their many pets.

Laboring Lives and Hidden Stories in Colonial New England
2026-01-29 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Thanks to sponsor J. Edward Knight Insurance, this online lecture is free and open to the public, pre-registration is required to receive the link to participate!
Click here to register
Colonial New England has long been associated with free labor. But, in reality, most colonial New England households were mixed-labor settings. They relied on a diverse group of unfree people, including Indigenous, African, and European women and men, who served as indentured, enslaved, and hired laborers. In this presentation, Dr. Carbonell will survey the landscape of labor in seventeenth- and eighteenth- century New England, exploring how and under what terms this diverse group of laborers joined colonial households. In her talk, Dr. Carbonell will also reflect on the process of researching laboring people in colonial records that often obscure their histories.
Caylin Carbonell is an Assistant Professor of History at Bowdoin College, where she teaches courses on colonial North America. She earned her Ph.D. in History from William & Mary in 2020 and her B.A. from Bates College in 2012. Dr. Carbonell is currently working on a book manuscript which peers in on New England’s colonial households and their daily goings-on at a granular level to examine the intimate contestations and collaborations between household members. Her writing has previously appeared in Early American Studies, Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life and the Junto: A Group Blog on Early American History.

Amos's Ear: Black Mainers, the American Revolution, and the Fight for Freedom
2026-02-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
A Free Online Lecture
Presented in partnership with the Old Bristol Historical Society
Free and open to the public – preregistration is required.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
African Americans used the American Revolution as a means to pursue freedom and equality. This lecture explores the history of freedom-making in Revolutionary-era Maine, with a particular focus on the community of Peterborough in Warren.
Founded by Revolutionary War veteran Amos Peters and his formerly enslaved wife Sarah, Peterborough became a beacon of freedom and hope for Black Mainers and their families throughout the Midcoast. This talk examines the complex and often contradictory realities of freedom and unfreedom experienced by Black Mainers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Dr. Kate McMahon is the Executive Director of the Castine Historical Society. She serves on the Operational Committee of SlaveVoyages.org and is a co-founder and board member of Atlantic Black Box. Dr. McMahon earned her B.A. in Art History and M.A. in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine and completed her Ph.D. in History at Howard University in 2017.
Her dissertation, The Transnational Dimensions of Africans and African Americans in Northern New England, 1776–1865, examined Black life and mobility across borders. Her current research focuses on New England’s connections to and complicity in the illegal slave trade and colonialism from 1809 to 1900. Dr. McMahon is dedicated to interpreting the lasting legacies of slavery and the slave trade for broad public audiences through scholarship and public engagement.
Thank you to J. Edward Knight Insurance for sponsoring our Online Winter Lecture Series.

Has Our History Whitewashed the Revolutionary War?
2026-02-12 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
LCHA continues our 2026 Winter Lecture Series on February 12, welcoming back a Winter Lecture Series favorite, Bob Greene! Thanks to sponsor J. Edward Knight Insurance, this online lecture is free and open to the public, pre-registration is required to receive the link to participate!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Has Our History Whitewashed the Revolutionary War? Bob Greene will explore this question and show that if you look carefully, you’ll realize that all of us took part in making us America. In this talk, Bob highlights some of the Black folks connected to Maine who were there when it counted during the Revolutionary War.
A native of Portland, Bob Greene is the eighth generation of his family to be born in Cumberland County. His roots in Maine stretch back into the 1700s. After graduating from Portland High, Bob went off to college and a career as a journalist, covering among other things airplane crashes, Mississippi River floods and the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He has met three presidents: Harry Truman, Lyndon Baines Johnson and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. And, as The Associated Press Tennis Writer, Bob traveled the world covering the sport. After retiring he returned home to Maine where his genealogical research has led to his deep knowledge about Maine’s Black history. He currently teaches a Black History of Maine course at OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Southern Maine. Bob also is a recipient of the Maine Historical Society’s Neal Allen Award, which is presented each year for exceptional contributions to Maine History.
