Maine Memory Network

Music in Maine - Community Music

"… Oliver Otis Howard in the Union Army during the Civil War. Kemp, a former enslaved person, escaped to Union lines early in the War."

George F. Shepley: Lawyer, Soldier, Administrator

George F. Shepley of Portland had achieved renown as a lawyer and as U.S. Attorney for Maine when, at age 42 he formed the 12th Maine Infantry and went off to war. Shepley became military governor of Louisiana early in 1862 and remained in the military for the duration of the war.

Music in Maine - MAKE

"MAKE Music makers include musicians, artists, and craftspeople who make instruments, write songs, and make music in the home and community settings."

Music in Maine - Music in Maine

"Music in Maine Click to enter a 3-D tour of Music in Maine, installed at Maine Historical Society in 2024."

Music in Maine - Longfellow Family Music

"Longfellow Family Music “Music is the universal language of humankind.” --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Outre Mer, 1835 Henry Wadsworth…"

Music in Maine - Country Music

"Country Music Don Doane Katahdin Mountaineers, 1925 Courtesy of Bob Greene X Don Doane Sr.’s Katahdin Mountaineers, regarded as the first…"

Music in Maine - Rock and Roll, Punk, and Elvis

"Rock and Roll, Punk, and Elvis Dave Glovsky and Louis Armstrong, Old Orchard Beach, ca. 1955Maine Historical Society Rock and Roll Concerts in…"

Music in Maine - HEAR

"HEAR The invention of recording machines opened up a world of choices for listening to music without leaving the home."

Music in Maine - Music Makers

"Music Makers Music Makers instruments Click to see more Music Makers Music makers in Maine make instruments, create music in their…"

Music in Maine - Music and Television

"Music and Television The Dave Astor Show Click to see more Dave Astor Show photos Dave Astor (1919-2011) produced a variety show in Portland…"

Music in Maine - Sacred Music

"Sacred Music People play and sing sacred music during religious services and events. Singing allows worshipers to participate in the liturgy, with…"

Music in Maine - Music Education

"Music Education Children's Music Click to see more Children's Music Child development educators agree music ignites the skills children need…"

Music in Maine - Radio Cowboys and Country Music

"Radio Cowboys and Country Music Tony and Juanita, ca. 1940Maine Historical Society Country and bluegrass music emerged in the American South…"

Music in Maine - Opera, Orchestras and Stages

"Opera, Orchestras and Stages Click to learn more about Maine's Opera Houses Many Maine towns in the 19th and early 20th centuries had an…"

Music in Maine - PLAY

"PLAY Watching musicians sing and play music in public is an important communal experience for the performer and the audience."

Music in Maine - Bluegrass Music

"Bluegrass Music BLUEGRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF MAINE Click to learn more about BMAM Bluegrass music—acoustic music played on banjo, mandolin…"

Music in Maine - Music stores

"Music stores Mary Curran Leighton and musicians, Portland, ca. 1930Maine Historical Society Hiram Chase & Son, Belfast, ca. 1895, ca."

Music in Maine - Community and School Marching Bands

"Community and School Marching Bands Click to explore community bands in Maine Community bands, historically comprised of male musicians…"

Music in Maine - Kimball Drum, ca. 1860

"Kimball Drum, ca. 1860 Contributed by Maine Historical Society Description Written on the top of the head of this drum is, "Frank C."

The 17th Maine Infantry

From Fredericksburg to Appomattox, from August 1862 to June 1865, the 17th Maine Infantry Regiment's raw, untrained and undisciplined recruits soon learned to be soldiers. The 17th Maine was known as the Red Diamond Regiment.

Northern Threads: Two centuries of dress at Maine Historical

Organized by themed vignettes, Northern Threads shares stories about Maine people, while exploring how the clothing they wore reveals social, economic, and environmental histories. This re-examination of Maine Historical Society's permanent collection is an opportunity to consider the relevance of historic clothing in museums, the ebb and flow of fashion styles, and the complexities of diverse representation spanning 200 years of collecting.

Dressing Up, Standing Out, Fitting In

Adorning oneself to look one's "best" has varied over time, gender, economic class, and by event. Adornments suggest one's sense of identity and one's intent to stand out or fit in.

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.

A Day for Remembering

Most societies have had rituals or times set aside to honor ancestors, those who have died and have paved the way for the living. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, is the day Americans have set aside for such remembrances.