Pejepscot Historical Society facts for kids
The Pejepscot History Center is a special group that helps keep history alive in Maine. It was started in 1888. This makes it the fourth oldest historical society in the state! Its main goal is to save and share the history of the Pejepscot area. This area includes the towns of Brunswick, Harpswell, and Topsham.
Contents
History of the Pejepscot History Center
How the Society Started
Sixteen local people founded the society. They had their first meeting on January 10, 1888. This meeting took place in Brunswick. At that time, Brunswick was a large and wealthy town. It was also almost 150 years old. People wanted to remember the old ways of life. They worried these traditions might be lost as the town grew.
At this first meeting, the group made some rules. They chose leaders and planned regular meetings. Members also paid $1 to join. Their first big task was to plan Brunswick's 150th birthday party. This celebration was set for June 13, 1889. At first, they called themselves the "Local Historical Society." By December 1891, they chose the name "Pejepscot Historical Society." This name showed they cared about the history of the whole region.
By 1889, the society had collected about 500 historical items. In 1891, a founding member named John Furbish bought a church building for them. It cost $1,000. The society then worked to raise money to buy the building from him. They also needed $500 for repairs. By the end of 1892, the society had its first home. On May 3, 1893, they moved their first items into the building.
A New Start for the Society
From 1908 to 1922, the society held only one meeting. Many of its first members had passed away. After this quiet time, a meeting was held in May 1923. The goal was to restart the historical society. They held 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 church building needed many repairs. So, in 1955, the society started looking for a new, bigger place. In 1974, they bought a large brick building. It was at 11 Lincoln Street. This building was called the McManus-Richardson House. They began moving their collection there. By then, they had over 1,500 historical items!
Opening New Museums
In March 1982, Alice Skolfield Whittier gave a big gift to the society. She offered her half of a large house and everything inside it. This house is known as the Skolfield-Whittier House. It is like a time capsule showing life in the Victorian era. Soon after, the owners of the other half of the house sold it to the society. This allowed the society to have its main office near its first museum. To pay for this, the society sold their building on Lincoln Street. They then moved their main office to the Park Row house.
Later that same year, the home of Civil War hero Joshua L. Chamberlain was sold. Local people asked the society to buy it. The society bought the building and started a lot of repair work. In July 1984, the house opened to the public. It is now known as the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum.
