Maine Memory Network

Redact: Obscuring the Maine Constitution

In 2015, Maliseet Representative Henry Bear drew the Maine legislature’s attention to a historic redaction of the Maine Constitution. Through legislation drafted in February 1875, approved by voters in September 1875, and enacted on January 1, 1876, the Sections 1, 2, and 5 of Article X (ten) of the Maine Constitution ceased to be printed. Since 1876, these sections are redacted from the document. Although they are obscured, they retain their validity.

Father John Bapst: Catholicism's Defender and Promoter

Father John Bapst, a Jesuit, knew little of America or Maine when he arrived in Old Town in 1853 from Switzerland. He built churches and defended Roman Catholics against Know-Nothing activists, who tarred and feathered the priest in Ellsworth in 1854.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Quenching the Thirst

"… satirizes many people's approach to Maine's dry laws. X Elihu Vedder (1836-1923) Courtesy of William David Barry Vedder was a bold…"

Hunting Season

Maine's ample woods historically provided numerous game animals and birds for hunters seeking food, fur, or hides. The promotion of hunting as tourism and concerns about conservation toward the end of the nineteenth century changed the nature of hunting in Maine.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Neal Dow

"1865 Published by John Russell Hand-colored lithograph Collections of Maine Historical Society; purchased with funds from the Edward Foley Memorial…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Why Study the History of Drinking?

"This tension, in fact, between approval and disapproval is a continuing part of its politics. Maine led the nation in the temperance fight; a look at…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Business as Usual

"From the late 1880s, long after the Maine Law prohibited alcohol in Maine, the state was a key market."

World War I and the Maine Experience

With a long history of patriotism and service, Maine experienced the war in a truly distinct way. Its individual experiences tell the story of not only what it means to be an American, but what it means to be from Maine during the war to end all wars.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - The Continuing Debate

"… the state's well-publicized tough drunk-driving laws also keep the issue open for examination. Yet many Americans enjoy moderate drinking as a very…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Politics and Enforcement

"… first serious attempt to give teeth to the Dry laws. The Liquor Enforcement Commission, an arm of state government, hired deputies (known as…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Bootleggers vs. Police

"… those already operating in violation of state laws X Maine License Plate, 1921 Courtesy of Drew Masterson, originally from Mr. and Mrs."

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Overview & Introduction

"… wise guy, drinking his fill under the nose of the law. Stereotypes like these point to truths, of course, but they also mask a history that is more…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - A Call to Temperance

"… Mayor of Portland and author of the Maine Liquor Law, New York, NY 1852 Collections of Maine Historical Society B D752m X The Sedley Family…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Influential & Interesting Documents

"X Abstract of the Laws Respecting Licensed Houses, Lincoln County, May 1803 Collections of Maine Historical Society Broadside 281 This remarkable…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Temperance Membership

"… Back to: 1820 to 1865: Temperance and the Maine Law "The results of our agitation will be the expulsion from all the states of the traffic in…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Drinking: Elegance and Debauchery

"1840Maine Historical Society Portland Watch or Cracking Notes, ca. 1836 Joseph T. Harris (active 1828-1852) pen on parchment Collections of Maine…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - 1865 to 1919: The Drys Gain New Adherents and Leaders

"… on the Horizon X In Maine, liquor laws were gradually strengthened, and brewing, drinking, and selling were outlawed in the State Constitution…"

Art of the People: Folk Art in Maine

For many different reasons people saved and carefully preserved the objects in this exhibit. Eventually, along with the memories they hold, the objects were passed to the Maine Historical Society. Object and memory, serve as a powerful way to explore history and to connect to the lives of people in the past.

Student Exhibit: A Civil War Soldier from Skowhegan

Alexander Crawford a soldier from Skowhegan, was born in 1839 on a farm on the Dudley Corner Road in Skowhegan. He served in the Civil War and returned to Skowhegan to run the family farm.

Of Note: Maine Sheet Music

Of Note: Maine Sheet Music features captivating covers of original sheet music along with stories about Maine connections to the songs. Before people had easy access to popular music from records, radios, and the internet, they played songs of the day on instruments at home, using sheet music purchased at music stores. Iconic Maine subjects like lobsters, pine trees, and winter were perfect for lyrics sung by luminaries like Rudy Vallée of Westbrook, and intricate artwork of Maine’s landscape graced the sheet music covers.

Summer's Favorite Game

Baseball often is called the National Pastime. For many people, baseball is encountered in the backyard and down the street, a game played by a few or the full contingent of a team.

Maine Eats: the food revolution starts here

From Maine's iconic lobsters, blueberries, potatoes, apples, and maple syrup, to local favorites like poutine, baked beans, red hot dogs, Italian sandwiches, and Whoopie Pies, Maine's identity and economy are inextricably linked to food. Sourcing food, preparing food, and eating food are all part of the heartbeat of Maine's culture and economy. Now, a food revolution is taking us back to our roots in Maine: to the traditional sources, preparation, and pleasures of eating food that have sustained Mainers for millennia.

Gifts From Gluskabe: Maine Indian Artforms

According to legend, the Great Spirit created Gluskabe, who shaped the world of the Native People of Maine, and taught them how to use and respect the land and the resources around them. This exhibit celebrates the gifts of Gluskabe with Maine Indian art works from the early nineteenth to mid twentieth centuries.

Land Claims, Economic Opportunities?

The landmark 1980 Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act provided $81.6 million to Maine Indians for economic development, land purchase and other purposes. The money and increased land holdings, however, have not solved economic and employment issues for Maine Indians.