Lincoln County Historical Association

“My fingers on the canvas move”: A History of Textile Samplers - A special talk by textile historian Susan Jerome
2025-12-16 05:28 (America/New_York) | ME
Quickly now, what do you think of when someone begins to speak of a sampler? Words of wisdom, often from the Bible, stitched on to a piece of fabric? The alphabet, in capital and small letters, embroidered in a cross-stitch in both cursive and block letters? And one form of needlework often signed by the maker, unlike so many other kinds of needlecraft made by women before the twentieth century. This program explores the ways in which samplers are a part of American culture and folklore. Using images of antique samplers, Ms. Jerome discusses some of the definitions and ideas surrounding the word “sampler.” What pictures come to mind? How has the term evolved through time? Ms. Jerome explores how textile history and technological changes in fabric production influenced the slow demise of samplers during the 19th century.

Susan J. Jerome is the Collections Manager at the University of Rhode Island Historic Textile and Costume Collection. She earned her MS degree from the URI Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design. Ms. Jerome works as a textile conservator and consultant for private clients, museums and historical societies. An avid textilian, she is happiest when writing, talking and doing all things textile.

Participants will:

1. Learn about textile history and how the development of cheap cotton fabrics influenced sampler making in 19th century America.

2. Explore the different meanings of the word “sampler” and why sampler making today is considered to be a “leisure time” activity.

3. Learn how to properly store textile heirlooms for future generations.

4. Learn something about family samplers.

5. Be able to ask questions relevant to textile and sampler history.

Interested? Of course you are! Please RSVP to Shannon Gilmore here!

Tour: Madam Wood's Wiscasset
2022-07-10 16:00 - 17:30 | LCHA Museum at the Old Jail, 133 Federal St., Wiscasset, Maine
Alice Smith Duncan will help you picture the Wiscasset of the early 1800s through writer Madam Sally Wood’s eyes.
Register Below
4:00 pm. Meet at the Old Jail at 133 Federal Street in Wiscasset, where you will have an opportunity to view the Women Writers of Lincoln County exhibition briefly before carpooling to several different sites in Wiscasset. It is possible to walk between some of the sites, if desired. The tour will last about 90 minutes, please plan accordingly. Tour is limited to the first 12 registrants.
Sunday, July 10th 4pm

Rediscovering Madam Sally Wood, Maine's First Woman Novelist
2022-07-06 18:00 | Online
Alice Smith Duncan will speak about Madam Sally Wood via Zoom on Wednesday, July 6th at 6pm. Registration is free/by donation.
REGISTRATION BELOW
Alice Smith Duncan

Sarah “Sally” Sayward Barrell Keating Wood published her first novel in 1800 under the pseudonym “A Lady of Massachusetts.” After Maine became a state in 1820, she changed her pen name to “A Lady of Maine.” The prolific writer became a leading and popular social figure in Wiscasset, actively engaged in local society and benevolent activities.
Copies of her books are exceedingly rare. After she discovered the novels of Sir Walter Scott and modestly finding them superior to her own, she decided to retract all undistributed copies from her publishers and libraries. Since the 1960s, she has been the subject of feminist scholars, and rediscovered by literary historians and critics to international acclaim.
Alice Smith Duncan, an independent researcher, writer, lecturer, and longtime Lincoln County Historical Association volunteer, has curated three prior exhibitions for LCHA: “First Efforts of an Infant Hand: Early Samplers from Lincoln County” (2001), “On Eagles’ Wings: 19th century Symbols of Patriotism” (2002), and “Dungeons and Dragons, Sailors and Jailors: The Language of 19th century Sailors’ Tattoos” (2017), as well as art and history exhibitions for Arkell Museum (arkellmuseum.org) and many history sites and associations in New York’s Mohawk Valley. The former Executive Director of Hyde Hall, she wrote “Sir Francis Drake and the Struggle for an Ocean Empire,” and is currently at work on a memoir of her mother’s life in 1940s Maine and Greenwich Village, and a biography of 19th century artist/historian Rufus Grider. Duncan has been awarded grants, fellowships and residencies from the New York State Council on the Arts, Columbia University, the Moravian Archives, Salem Art Works/Salem2Salem (New York and Germany), the Snow Foundation, the New York History Association, and the Decorative Arts Trust.
REGISTER FOR ZOOM TALK HERE:

The Ride of Her Life: Bestselling Author Elizabeth Letts shares the story of Annie Wilkins
2022-06-16 18:00 | ME
Zoom presentation. #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Elizabeth Letts shares the story of Annie Wilkins, who embarked on an incredible adventure, wrote about it, and retired in Lincoln County – becoming one of Lincoln County’s most intriguing Woman Writers. Registration is free, donations gratefully accepted to support LCHA programs and events!
About the book:
It was 1954, and 63-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins’s odds were looking bleak. She had no money, no family, and had just lost her farm. When it seemed like things couldn’t get much worse, they did—according to her doctor, she had only two years left to live. For most, this would‘ve marked the beginning of the end. But most weren’t Annie Wilkins.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Letts comes the remarkable true story of a woman, her horse, and their last-chance journey across America called THE RIDE OF HER LIFE (On sale 6/7; Ballantine Trade Paperback), now available in paperback!
Determined to see the Pacific Ocean before she died, Annie ignored her doctor’s advice to “take it easy,” choosing instead to purchase a cast-off horse named Tarzan, dress in men’s dungarees, and with her faithful mutt, Depeche Toi (French for “hurry up”) in tow, head south in mid-November, hoping to beat the snow.
Personifying the very best of the American spirit—determination, grit, bravery, adventure, good humor—Annie and her four-legged companions captured the hearts (and media attention!) of people everywhere. In a decade when car ownership nearly tripled, television’s influence was quickly expanding, rotary phones became widely embraced by the masses, and when homeowners began locking their doors, , this motley crew of loveable misfits inspired an outpouring of kindness and hospitality in a rapidly changing world.

Reenactor Encampment
2022-06-11 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Colonial reenactors will be demonstrating what life was like in the 1750s New England.

Community Appreciation Day
2022-06-04 | ME
Each museum will offer a community appreciation day that offers free tours to Lincoln County Residents

Exhibit Opening: Women Writers of Lincoln County
2022-06-02 16:00 - 18:00 | LCHA Museum at the Old Jail, 133 Federal St., Wiscasset, Maine

Memorial Day Commemoration
2022-05-30 10:00 - 13:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Procession from the flagpole to the Old Court House cemetery to honor and place bouquets on the graves of 9 veterans from Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War.

Writers’ Curiosity, History, and a Sense of Place: Kate Flora discusses crime writing, her friend Lea Wait, and some tales of Lincoln County
2022-05-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
Kate Flora will discuss the heritage of mystery writing in Maine and her friend and Lincoln County writer Lea Wait. This is a virtual event that will take place over Zoom.
Maine native Kate Flora’s fascination with people’s criminal tendencies began in the Maine attorney general’s office. Deadbeat dads, people who hurt their kids, and employers’ discrimination aroused her curiosity about human behavior. The author of twenty-four books and many short stories, Flora’s been a finalist for the Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, and Derringer awards. She won the Public Safety Writers Association award for nonfiction and twice won the Maine Literary Award for crime fiction. Her most recent Thea Kozak mystery is Death Sends a Message; her most recent Joe Burgess is A World of Deceit. Her crime story collection is Careful What You Wish For: Stories of revenge, retribution, and the world made right.

Flora is a founding member of the New England Crime Bake and the Maine Crime Wave and runs the blog Maine Crime Writers https://mainecrimewriters.com. Flora’s nonfiction focuses on aspects of the public safety officers’ experience and includes the Maine Literary Award finalist A Good Man with a Dog, a Maine game warden’s memoir. She divides her time between Massachusetts and Maine, where she gardens and cooks and watches the clouds when she’s not imagining her character’s dark deeds. She occasionally swims in the shark-filled sea. She’s been married for decades to an excellent man. Her sons edit films and hang out in research labs.
Registration donations offset program costs and support LCHA’s continued efforts to collect, preserve, and interpret this history of Lincoln County.
REGISTER BELOW

Kate Flora Registration

Calling All Book Clubs - a special look at our Women Writers of Lincoln County Exhibition
2022-05-24 08:00 - 17:00 | ME
Calling all Book Clubs, Members of any book groups are invited to view the Women Writers of Lincoln County Exhibit displayed at the Old Jail Museum with exhibit coordinator Alice Smith Duncan.

Admission $5 per person.
Time TBD

Onsite Shredding at Chapman-Hall House
2022-05-20 08:30 - 12:00 | ME

Dressing for Tea with Mrs. Chapman
2022-05-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
Serving Tea in the Chapman-Hall House
Dressing for Tea with Mrs. Chapman brings to you a look at the changes in fashion styles for women and men from 1750 to the late 1820s. Interwoven with the clothing details will be historical insights to taking tea.
In 1754, Miriam Chapman, with her husband Nathaniel, braved the wilds of unsettled midcoast Maine to establish a new home. Miriam was 47, the Damariscotta settlement was very young. One can imagine the pleasures and comforts Miriam left behind in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Despite the lack of a bustling town in her new surroundings, chances are Miriam found a friend to take tea with and discuss the fashion of the day.
This fun, special program will be presented over ZOOM on May 5th at 6:30 PM. With your registration you will receive recipes for traditional tea fare, a list of tea varieties popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and a list of foods suitable for any early American tea for your next tea – all delivered by e-mail. Dressing for Tea with Mrs. Chapman is a benefit for the Chapman-Hall House Historic Site in Damariscotta. Registration is $15.

Register now online:

To register by check:
Please mail your check for $15, a note indicating that you are registering for “Dressing for Tea with Mrs. Chapman” and your email address (so we can send you the Zoom link and additional materials) to us at:
Lincoln County Historical Association, PO Box 61, Wiscasset, ME 04578

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Uncovering the Life of Quash, a Black Man in Eighteenth-Century Lincoln County
2022-02-24 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Pre-registration required to receive Zoom Link
In the spring of 2020, while working on a genealogy project in the history of a local white family in Lincoln County, Maine, independent researcher James Tanzer came across a digital copy of the will of a formerly enslaved Black man named Quash, who lived in Topsham, Maine during the eighteenth century.
Eager to learn more about Quash, but unable to find any mention of him in local history books, James decided to research Quash’s life himself. Thus began a months-long project in local history to uncover the life of Quash, and bring his memory to the fore once again in the communities in which he lived.
By searching for evidence in Quash’s surroundings, including town records and social connections, not only was James able to find direct evidence of Quash’s life, but build a vibrant picture of a well-connected, motivated, and successful individual, whose story adds weight to arguments that Black history is there to be found, if only we know where to look.

James Tanzer is originally from the North Shore of Boston, and currently resides in Bath. He has worked in the museum field for almost 30 years, and has spent the last twelve years as the Outreach Coordinator for the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum at Bowdoin College. Since 2020 James has been researching free and enslaved Black residents of Topsham and Brunswick in the 18th- and early 19th centuries, and is committed to uncovering the stories of these hidden Mainers.
Click here to register online

Black History of Maine with Bob Greene
2022-02-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Pre-registration required to receive Zoom Link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-history-of-maine-with-bob-greene-tickets-256856654167
It is frequently said that Maine is the whitest state in America. Yet Black people have a long history in the Pine Tree State. Slaves? Yes. But also builders, farmers, fishermen, ship captains, educators, etc. It’s that hidden history of our state that Bob Greene will reveal.

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 the 2021 recipient of the Maine Historical Society’s Neal Allen Award, which is presented each year for exceptional contributions to Maine History.

Haunted Court House
2021-10-29 16:00 - 19:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Tickets are available now! $10/adults and free for children under 16!

People of all ages who appreciate a creepy Halloween activity can look forward to special haunted tours at the Pownalborough Court House from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm on October 29th and 30th. Participants will experience a tour of the haunted court house and cemetery with hauntings provided by people portraying the ghosts of Pownalborough’s past. An outdoor fire with seating will allow guests to enjoy the grounds before or after their tour. Hot chocolate and cider will be provided.

Tickets are free for children under 16 and $10 per adult and will be available in advance through the organization’s website: www.lincolncountyhistory.org. Tours will be scheduled to begin every 15 minutes and be limited to 4 individuals or a family group of up to 6 people. Per CDC recommendations, masks are required in the courthouse.

“My fingers on the canvas move.”: A History of Textile Samplers with Susan Jerome
2021-09-25 15:00 - 17:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Quickly now, what do you think of when someone begins to speak of a sampler? Words of wisdom, often from the Bible, stitched on to a piece of fabric? The alphabet, in capital and small letters, embroidered in a cross-stitch in both cursive and block letters? And one form of needlework often signed by the maker, unlike so many other kinds of needlecraft made by women before the twentieth century. This program explores the ways in which samplers are a part of American culture and folklore. Using images of antique samplers, Ms. Jerome discusses some of the definitions and ideas surrounding the word “sampler.” What pictures come to mind? How has the term evolved through time? Ms. Jerome explores how textile history and technological changes in fabric production influenced the slow demise of samplers during the 19th century.

Susan J. Jerome is the Collections Manager at the University of Rhode Island Historic Textile and Costume Collection. She earned her MS degree from the URI Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design. Ms. Jerome works as a textile conservator and consultant for private clients, museums and historical societies. An avid textilian, she is happiest when writing, talking and doing all things textile.
Participants will:

Learn about textile history and how the development of cheap cotton fabrics influenced sampler making in 19th century America.
Explore the different meanings of the word “sampler” and why sampler making today is considered to be a “leisure time” activity.
Learn how to properly store textile heirlooms for future generations.
Learn something about family samplers.
Be able to ask questions relevant to textile and sampler history.

The talk will take place on September 25, 2021 at 3:00PM at the Pownalborough Court House. The Court House is located at 23 Courthouse Rd, off Rte. 128 in Dresden.
Interested? Of course you are! This event is free and open to the public, but we encourage those planning to attend to email lcha1954@gmail.com for planning purposes.

Kermess
2021-09-12 16:00 - 17:00 | Pownalborough Court House, 23 Court House Rd, Dresden, ME, United States
Covid-19 Safety Measures
LCHA is planning Kermess with CDC guidelines and Covid-19 safety in mind. The following protocols will be in place to minimize the risk of Covid spread:

Masks are recommended for all and required for unvaccinated individuals.
Masks may be removed when eating.
Seating will be arranged to provide spacing between guests.
Those who are experiencing possible Covid-19 symptoms are asked to stay at home. Please see the CDC website for a list of possible symptoms.

If you have any questions about Kermess, please don’t hesitate to contact me at lchamaine1954@gmail.com

LCHA’s annual afternoon of fun, food, and fundraising! This auction offers incredible experiences and divine cakes along with the opportunity to support our mission to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Lincoln County, Maine. This year’s Kermess features a Pig Roast – including a vegetarian option – and music by “Married with Chitlins” – please join us for what promises to be a fantastic time!

Thank you to our Kermess Sponsors

Governor’s Circle

Pownalborough Partners

Court House CouncilorsJ. Edward Knight/Larrabee AgencyLincoln Health/Lincoln Medical PartnersRestoration Resources

Lincoln County Pilgrimage
2021-08-15 - 2021-08-22 | ME
The Lincoln County Pilgrimage: August 15-22, 2021
Historical organizations, societies, and groups throughout Lincoln County will commemorate Maine’s Bicentennial Plus One with a week-long series of events titled, “The Lincoln County Pilgrimage: Making a Living in Lincoln County, 1820 and Beyond.” Programming will show what has changed – and what has stayed the same – over the past two hundred and one years. In particular, we aim to show what daily life was like at different periods of time in different parts of Lincoln County.
More than a dozen historic sites will be open throughout the pilgrimage week. See event website for more information about open hours, special programs, and more.

"Wiscasset Maine: The Postcard View" with Kevin Johnson, Photo Archivist, Penobscot Marine Museum
2021-08-12 17:00 - 19:00 | LCHA Museum at the Old Jail, 133 Federal St., Wiscasset, Maine
Courtesy Penobscot Marine Museum
There’s a fascinating story behind the current exhibit of early 20th century photos at Lincoln County Historical Association’s Old Jail in Wiscasset, and Kevin Johnson is a key figure in the tale. Johnson, the photo archivist for the Penobscot Marine Museum (PMM) in Searsport, Maine, will tell all at a reception at the historic Museum & Old Jail on Federal Street on Thursday, August 12 at 5:00 PM

Johnson’s slide show and talk will delve into the story of the The Eastern Illustrating and Publishing Company postcard company and its photos of Wiscasset and its neighboring towns in the early 1900s. The presentation amplifies the photography exhibit, Lincoln County Through the Eastern Eye, that will be on display through the end of September.

Admission to the talk is free, but advance registration is requested.

The exhibit of these images will be open at 5 pm and the program will begin at 6 pm.
Please register in advance: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/162705804441

Trustee Meeting (Virtual)
2021-02-22 17:00 - 18:00, 2020-10-26 17:00 - 18:30 | ME
Monthly meeting of the LCHA Board of Trustees. Meeting will take place via Zoom.

Executive Committee Meeting (Virtual)
2021-02-15 08:00 - 09:00 | ME
Monthly meeting of the LCHA Executive Committee. Meeting will take place via Zoom.

Annual Meeting (Virtual)
2020-11-21 16:00 - 18:00 | ME
LCHA’s 2020 Annual Meeting will take place via Zoom.

The agenda includes the election of officers and trustees. The Board recommends the current slate of officers:President – Michael ChaneyVice President – Ryan LaRochelleTreasurer – Bill BrewerSecretary – Linda Pope

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://maine.zoom.us/j/83640226748

Meeting ID: 836 4022 6748

Or Telephone:

+1 312 626 6799 or+1 646 876 9923 or+1 301 715 8592 or+1 253 215 8782 or+1 346 248 7799 or+1 408 638 0968 or+1 669 900 6833

Executive Committee Meeting (Virtual)
2020-11-16 08:00 - 09:00 | ME
Monthly meeting of the LCHA Executive Committee. Meeting will take place via conference call.

Executive Committee Meeting
2020-10-19 04:00 - 05:30 | ME
Monthly meeting of the LCHA Executive Committee

LCHA Trustee Meeting
2020-05-26 17:30 - 19:30 | ME
Trustee Meeting via Zoom

2019 LCHA Fall Fashion Show
2019-10-05 11:30 - 15:30 | ME

Kermess at Pownalborough Court House
2019-07-21 08:00 - 17:00 | ME
Dine on classic Paella and stroll the grounds to classical Spanish melodies by Jeff Roja. Bid on fabulous cakes and unusual experiences! Win restaurant gift cards in a raffle!
