The Margaret Chase Smith Library will be hosting the 2026 Maine Town Meeting on Friday, May 15th. Come join in a conversation with panelists - Kerrie Lattari, Cathleen Miller, and Nicole Rancourt - about recent attempts to ban books in school and public libraries in Maine and nationwide. What are the consequences of book bans and what responsibilities do we have to shield vulnerable populations from disquieting information? How do we decide what is right?

Agenda

9:30-10:00 Pastries and Coffee

10:00-10:15 Welcome and Introductions

10:15-11:30 Panel and audience discussion

12:00-1:00 Box Lunches available ($10 + handling fee)

RSVP HERE

Speaker Bios

Kerrie Lattari is a Library Media Specialist for York School Department in York, ME. She is an ALA Law for Librarians Trainer and sits on the Maine Association of School Libraries Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Cathleen Miller works at the University of New England as the Education and Outreach Archivist and liaison to the School of Arts and Humanities. She holds an MLS from Drexel University and an MA in Poetry from Temple University. Cathleen is currently the Chair of the Maine Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, serves as a Law for Librarians trainer, and is on the steering committee of the New England Intellectual Freedom Helpline. Outside of library-land, Cathleen spends as much time as possible with her hands in the earth, whether it be in her gardens or making vessels out of clay.

Nicole Rancourt a recovering public educator, is the Program Manager at the Maine Humanities Council and the organization’s primary liaison to Maine’s library and school networks. She served as a library trustee for over a decade and is currently a member of the I’m Your Neighbor Books board. Nicole believes books, when at a conversation’s center, provide a common ground that invites people to reflect on their own experiences and insights in new and unexpected ways. Along with literacy, they are critical to the creation and maintenance of a democratic society. Nicole lives on unceded Wabanaki land now called Minot with her husband and pup.

The Maine Town Meeting is made possible in part through support provided by the Colonel Paul D. LaFond, USMC (Ret.), Fund. Colonel LaFond was a frequent participant at Maine Town Meetings. The Margaret Chase Smith Foundation is grateful to his family for the generous donation in his honor, which enables this forum for civic reflection and civil discussion to continue.

The Margaret Chase Smith Library is located at 56 Norridgewock Avenue, Skowhegan, Maine 04976.

Date: April 11, 2026, 1:00-2:30 pm
Location: Canton Historical Society, 25 Turner St, Canton, Maine

CANTON, Maine—The public will have a chance to learn local history by listening to entertaining stories at the Canton Historical Society’s “Our Ancestors in the Attic” event, to be held on Saturday, April 11, 1:00-2:30 p.m., at the Historical Society's Hayford Hall (25 Turner St.).

Members of the Society’s Board of Directors, whose roots reach deep into the history of Canton, will share stories of their ancestors. Whose great-grandfather moved to Canton in the early 1900s to become Postmaster of the Canton Point Post Office? Whose more distant ancestor, a revolutionary war soldier, was buried on his own land in 1804—land that later become the Ludden Cemetery?

The event is free, although donations are always welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. The building is handicap accessible, with ramps and a stairlift chair.

The Canton Historical Society is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization devoted to the preservation and celebration of Canton's heritage, history, and community. The Society maintains a museum that exhibits original artwork, artifacts, photographs, furniture, and documents related to Canton’s history. During the winter, the museum is open on the first Saturday of each month, from 10-2. 

Questions?
Email: cantonmehistorical@gmail.com  Or visit: www.cantonmehistory.org

Event Details

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

University Events Room

7th floor, Glickman Library

USM Portland Campus

Please join us for a talk by Deborah Cummings Khadraoui, Founder of the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian Meeting House. The Committee to Restore the Abyssinian Meeting House has raised more than $2.5 million to restore the historic structure. The nonprofit has worked for more than 27 years to raise federal state and private funds to restore the Abyssinian Meeting House. The talk will describe the progress of the final phase of the restoration effort and programming plans for the future. The talk is followed by Q&A and refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to all but parking is paid by attendees. No registration required.

Parking location: 88 Bedford St, with the entrance located on Surrenden Street How to pay for parking. This event is hosted by the African-American Collection, USM Special Collections.

50th Albert Reed & Thelma Walker Maritime Symposium

Re|Sounding

November 21, 2025 9:00 - 3:30

In conjunction with our latest exhibit, Re|Sounding, the symposium is dedicated to re-measuring understandings of maritime history by centering Black and Indigenous perspectives and is reflective of an institutional commitment to responsibly and inclusively share Maine’s maritime stories. Featuring a dynamic exploration of maritime stories past and present, the symposium navigates the local and global impact of regional waterways and communities.

Read more about our speakers and topics  by clicking below and register for FREE by Thursday, November 20.

https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/event/symposium-2025

Tate House Museum Presents

The Maritime Marauder: Captain Henry Mowat

A Lecture by Author Harry Gratwick

Portland--- Join us for a talk by author Harry Gratwick about one of Portland’s most infamous characters, Captain Henry Mowat, a British sea captain who sailed into Portland’s harbor and bombarded the town by cannonball for much of the day on October 18, 1775. This act resulted in the destruction of more than two-thirds of the town and was a punitive measure against patriot activities during the Revolution.

Harry Gratwick’s talk is titled The American Revolution Comes to Maine: The Henry Mowat Controversy--was he truly the scoundrel of Revolutionary Maine?

Gratwick, a lifelong summer resident of Vinalhaven, is a retired secondary school history teacher who taught for 45 years mainly at the Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. He has written extensively for the Working Waterfront and the Island Journal is the author of seven books on a variety of topics related to Maine's history. He is a graduate of Williams College and holds a Master’s degree from Columbia. 

The lecture will take place in the beautiful backyard and garden at Tate House from 6:45- 8:15 pm. The first 30 min will include a book signing by Mr. Gratwick. Copies of his book will be available for sale and the lecture begins at sundown, 7:15 pm.

Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the ambiance of Tate House overlooking the Stroudwater River. In the event of rain, the lecture will be moved indoors. Visit our website for details if the weather is questionable.

Tickets are available in advance at tatehouse.org and at the door. In advance prices are $12 general, $10 for THM members. At the door prices are $15 and $12 respectively.

October 18, 1775 marks the 250^th anniversary of this momentous event for Portland, and this lecture is the first of three commemorative programs to remember the occasion. Mark your calendars for a reenactment of the bombardment on Sept 20 and city-wide historical programs on Oct 18 including a special program at Tate House. Details forthcoming at tatehouse.org.

 

FMI: Holly Hurd

hkhurd@tatehouse.org

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland ME 04102

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1617841991949?aff=oddtdtcreator

A POP Studies program from Penobscot Marine Museum

Instructors, Matt Wheeler, Digital Collections Curator and Kevin Johnson, Photo Archivist

Digitizing cultural heritage photographs creates exciting opportunities for accessing and sharing collections. It may also be a smart preservation strategy for materials at risk from age and deterioration. However, it entails unique challenges, dovetails with other considerations, costs money, and may seem daunting to the novice. Penobscot Marine Museum has been digitizing photo collections since 2005. Through making mistakes, seeking out professional development, consulting colleagues, trying new approaches, and fundraising, we’ve built capacity and established a set of practices that align with our goals, current level of expertise, and budget. If you work for a museum, historical society, or other cultural heritage organization that’s planning a digital project for the first time, or you’re looking to improve your current program, this hands-on course will help you lay the groundwork to get started. Please note that we’ll demonstrate workflows with our existing hardware and software to provide sample use cases. The quality and performance of both is very good, and the costs are reasonable. Of course, there are other options which participants can explore on their own.

Topics Covered:

• Assessing the project
• Shopping for Gear
• Software Options
• Show Me the Money
• The Digital Darkroom
• On Targets
• Best Capture, Best Practice
• Software and Hardware Settings
• Image File Considerations
• Overview of Next Steps: Describing, Sharing, Storing

Program Benefits:

• Learn how to plan a successful photo digitization project using methodical steps
• Helpful technology recommendations from experienced professionals
• Tips on fundraising
• Practical intro to using hardware and software
• Overview of what to do with digital collections
• Links to additional resources

Target Audience:

• Museum professionals
• Historical society staff or volunteers

Experience Level: Appropriate for both Novice and Intermediate

Program Fee: $60 (MAM Members receive 20% discount with code MAM20)

Contact Hours: 2

Delivery: Lecture/Interactive

Dates & Locations:

Friday, February 26, 2027 via Zoom
10:00am – 12:00pm

Contact: For more information, please contact Shelly Patten, Office Manager at 207-548-2529 or spatten@pmm-maine.org.

This is a POP Studies program from the Penobscot Marine Museum.

Register: https://form.jotform.com/250435068978064

About the Instructors:

Matt Wheeler, Digital Curator

mwheeler@pmm-maine.org

Matt Wheeler serves as the Digital Curator at PMM and has been working in the Museum's Photo Archives since 2011. His educational experience includes coursework in digital curation from University of Maine, Orono, as well as ongoing professional development in evolving standards and best practices in the industry. He guides PMM in building sound digital collections with an eye to accessibility and sustainability. Matt grew up in Camden and Lincolnville, living on and appreciating Penobscot Bay, and enjoys engaging audiences in the digital age with stories of Penobscot Bay's cultural heritage. His personal photography explores the rich natural settings of the region.

A POP Studies program from Penobscot Marine Museum

Instructors, Kevin Johnson, Photo Archivist and Matt Wheeler, Digital Collections Curator

In this day and age, everyone has their own photography archive—typically made up of photos they have taken or acquired throughout their lives. These may include family albums, boxes of prints, negatives and slides, and digital photographs taken with cameras or phones. Managing a mass of images can be a daunting task. This course will offer tips and suggestions on how to organize your archive, find what you are looking for in it, and be prepared to pass it on to the next generation.

Topics Covered:

• Organizing and archivally storing your physical photographs, negatives & albums
• Organizing your digital photos on your computer and setting up a digital archive
• Naming and/or numbering your files, understanding metadata and creating a basic finding aid

Program Benefits:

• Learn how and where to store your physical photographic materials
• Set up a digital archive on your computer where all your digital photos can be stored AND found later
• Leave an archive for your heirs that will be useful, helpful and organized.

Target Audience:

• Museum professionals
• Historical society staff or volunteers
• Schools
• Libraries
• Community Members

Experience Level: Appropriate for both Novice and Intermediate

• Novice - Has minimal or textbook knowledge without connecting it to the practice
• Intermediate - Has basic knowledge of key aspects of the practice

Program Fee: $60 (MAM members receive 20% discount with code MAM20)

Contact Hours: 2

Delivery: Lecture/Interactive

Date and Location:

Friday, February 5, 2027 via Zoom
10:00am – 12:00pm

Contact: For more information, please contact Shelly Patten, Office Manager at 207-548-2529 or spatten@pmm-maine.org

This is a POP Studies program from the Penobscot Marine Museum.

Register: https://form.jotform.com/250435068978064

About the Instructor:

Kevin Johnson, Photo Archivist

kjohnson@pmm-maine.org

Kevin Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s University and a Professional Certificate in Photography from the Maine Photographic Workshops. Kevin has served as the Photo Archivist at PMM since 2007 and has grown the Museum’s collection to more than 500,000 photographs. Since joining PMM, he has curated or co-curated more than 30 photography exhibits. He is the co-author of Maine on Glass: The Early Twentieth Century in Glass Plate Photography, author of the forthcoming Boothbay Now and Then, and is a regular contributor to several area publications. Kevin was a co-founder and co-owner of Aarhus Gallery in Belfast. He occasionally finds time to pursue his personal photography.

Visit With Some Useful Citizens at the North Cemetery in Skowhegan

Take a guided walk with Historian Melvin Burnham

Thursday, July 10, 2025 | 10:00am - 11:30am

New England’s graveyards have changed over time. Those most familiar to us today were based on styles carried to the continent by our early European ancestors. Skowhegan’s North Cemetery, like most burial grounds, serves as an outdoor museum full of history, art, religious representations all telling stories of lives well-lived, times of disease, war, and trying conditions within a community. The stones become permanent records of those interred and act as a form of textbook of community history.

Louise Helen Coburn describes the cemetery in her two-volume history of Skowhegan, Skowhegan on the Kennebec, “The cemetery is retired from the street, and is half circled at the rear by woods and the gorge of a little stream. It has been the resting-place of Hills, Philbricks, Dyers, Neils, and other village families, and holds in its keeping Revolutionary and Civil War graves.”

This history walk explores the lives of some of those “Useful Citizens” who are buried at the North Cemetery, lives that helped shape our community. As participants travel back in time, discussions will also focus on veterans and their experiences in our history, gravestone and monument design, and the various symbols used on the stones, as well as the history of this 1820’s cemetery. Former generations have much to say to us, although with great economy of words because each letter and ornament had to be chiseled in stone with hand tools.

This ninety-minute walk begins and ends at the North Cemetery gate located behind Walton Court Apartments on Walton Court just off Madison Avenue in Skowhegan, Maine.

Participants should be prepared to walk on uneven ground and to stand during periods of discussion. Light folding chairs and cameras are welcome.

This walk is not appropriate for young children.

Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center will open after the cemetery walk. Stop by for a guided tour of the historic house and to see the latest exhibition, "Living Legacy: Remembering Louise Helen Coburn".  History House is located at 66 Elm Street, Skowhegan. 

FMI: www.skowheganhistoryhouse.org

The Canton Historical Society Hosts its 50th Anniversary Celebration! 

Date/time: Saturday, July 26, 2025, 10 am - 7:30 pm

Where:  25 Turner Street, Canton, Maine

About the event:  Join us at the Canton Historical Society to view new exhibits including "Canton's History Through Maps."  Enjoy a quilt show featuring historical quilts.  Hear a talk about portrait artist Mary Neal Richardson and view many of her works on exhibit. Stay for the outdoor 70s party by the Gazebo from 4-7:30 pm. All are welcome!

______________________________________________________________________

Complete Details:

The museum will open 10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. for visitors to explore the collections, including new exhibits featuring maps of Canton through history and the paintings of Mary Neal Richardson—a renowned portrait artist from Canton in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. There will also be a quilt show featuring historical quilts from the collections of both the Canton and Jay Historical Societies.

2 p.m., A Talk by Frederic L. Thompson, author of  Mary Neal Richardson: A Universalist Esthetic & Cosmic Interpreter, 1859-1937

4 - 7:30 pm -  Join us for a party on the lawn.  Cash bar by Boondocks Farm’s Backwoods Affair and food for purchase by Alabama’s BBQ’s Phat Vinnie’s Food Truck.  Both vendors accept cash or credit.  Those wishing to have alcoholic beverages will be asked to provide identification—and please, no outside beverages.

70s Party Theme: Because our society was founded in 1975, we urge everyone to wear their 1970s garb!  Think tie-dye, denim, disco, bell bottoms, miniskirts, maxi dresses, hippy-style, and “flower power.”

Each attendee will receive a 50^th Anniversary souvenir gift (while supplies last), PLUS a slice of cake following the cake cutting!  The Country Store will be open featuring local crafts and Maine themed gifts.

Admission is FREE.  All ages are welcome, and the events are open to the public.  The venue is handicap accessible.  Parking is curbside or at the Public Boat Launch around the corner.  If it rains the party will be moved inside.

The Canton Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization devoted to the preservation and celebration of Canton’s heritage and history.

If you would like more information about this event, please email cantonmehistorical@gmail.com, or go to www.cantonmehistory.org or the “Canton Maine Historical Society” Facebook page.