Pejepscot Historical Society facts for kids
The Pejepscot History Center, also known as the Pejepscot Historical Society, is one of the oldest historical groups in Maine. It was started in 1888. The center's main goal is to save and share the history of the Pejepscot area. This area includes the towns of Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham.
Contents
Exploring the History Center's Journey
How the History Center Began
The Pejepscot History Center was started by 16 local people. They first met on January 10, 1888. This meeting happened in the Brunswick Selectmen's Room. At that time, Brunswick was a big and rich town. It was almost 150 years old. The town was changing fast with new factories. This made many people want to remember the old ways of life.
At their first meeting, the group made rules for how they would work. They chose leaders and decided to meet regularly. Members also agreed to pay $1 to join. Their first big task was to plan Brunswick's 150th birthday party. This celebration was set for June 13, 1889. The group was first called "Local Historical Society." By December 1891, they officially became the "Pejepscot Historical Society." This new name showed they wanted to cover the history of the whole region, not just Brunswick.
By 1889, the society had collected about 500 old items. In 1891, a founding member named John Furbish bought a church building. It was the 1827 First Congregational Church on School Street in Brunswick. He bought it for the society to use. The price was $1,000. The group then worked to raise this money. They also needed $500 more for repairs. By the end of 1892, the society had its first home. On May 3, 1893, the first items were moved into the School Street building.
Challenges and New Beginnings
From 1908 to 1922, the society held only one meeting. Many of its first members and founders had passed away. After this quiet time, a meeting was held in May 1923. The goal was to restart the historical society. They started a series of talks with important speakers. This helped bring the society back to life. In 1939, the group helped with Brunswick's 200th birthday party.
The old building on School Street had problems. It was too small and hard to heat. So, in 1955, the group started looking for a new place. In 1974, the society bought a large brick building. It was at 11 Lincoln Street and was called the McManus-Richardson House. They began moving their collection there. By then, they had over 1,500 historical items.
Creating Museums for Everyone
In March 1982, Alice Skolfield Whittier gave a special gift. She offered her half of a large house on Park Row to the society. This house, called the Skolfield-Whittier House, is like a time capsule. It shows what life was like in the Victorian era. Soon after, the owners of the other half of the house sold it to the society. This meant the society could be right next to its first museum. To pay for this, the society sold their building on 11 Lincoln Street. They then moved their main office to the Park Row house.
Later that same year, the home of a Civil War hero, Joshua L. Chamberlain, was sold. Local people asked the society to buy it. The society bought the house and worked hard to fix it up. In July 1984, the house opened to the public. It is now known as the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum.
See also
- List of historical societies in Maine
