Maine Memory Network

Colonial Theater, Belfast, ca. 1932

Contributed by: Penobscot Marine Museum Date: circa 1932 Location: Belfast Media: Film Negative

O.V. Libby's, Main Street, Sanford, ca. 1915

Contributed by: Sanford-Springvale Historical Society Date: circa 1915 Location: Sanford Media: Print from Glass Negative

Strike Up the Band

Before the era of recorded music and radio, nearly every community had a band that played at parades and other civic events. Fire departments had bands, military units had bands, theaters had bands. Band music was everywhere.

Selections from the Collections

Maine Historical Society staff come across unique and unforgettable items in our collections every day. While it's difficult to choose favorites from a dynamic collection, this exhibit features memorable highlights as selected by members of the MHS staff.

Maine's Swedish Colony, July 23, 1870 - Architecture

"The building at various times housed a movie theater-hall-basketball court, bowling alley, pool hall, barber shop, variety store, town jail, and town…"

Maine's Swedish Colony, July 23, 1870 - Eureka Hall, Stockholm

"… just a holding cell, bowling alley, a movie theater, and a ice cream parlor. And even a not so nice piece of our past--the KKK meetings were held…"