Maine Memory Network

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Overview & Introduction

"… of alcohol reform in America, especially in the 19th century. Its legislation and its leaders help set the national agenda; its love of drink and…"

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

"… alcohol abuse and other social ills in the later 19th and early 20th centuries led to a growing political, and professional stature."

Trolley Travel

Trolleys were the cleanest and most efficient means of mass transit Maine has ever known.

Home: The Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Portland - The Privy

"… privy provided interesting insights about the mid 19th century neighborhood surrounding the Longfellow house."

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Business as Usual

"… of Munjoy Hill, the last active, legal brewery in 19th-century Maine. After Maine went dry in 1851, it was illegal to drink, possess, or sell…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - A Call to Temperance

"License Early 19th century Collections of Maine Historical Society; gift of Marian Bucholtz, 1965 Broadside 282 This verse summarizes the hope of…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Quenching the Thirst

"S-5665 By the late 19th century, tonics and patent medicines such as these were popular cure-alls, especially with women."

Great Cranberry Island's Preble House

The Preble House, built in 1827 on a hilltop over Preble Cove on Great Cranberry Island, was the home to several generations of Hadlock, Preble, and Spurling family members -- and featured in several books.

The Irish on the Docks of Portland

Many of the dockworkers -- longshoremen -- in Portland were Irish or of Irish descent. The Irish language was spoken on the docks and Irish traditions followed, including that of giving nicknames to the workers, many of whose given names were similar.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Politics and Enforcement

"… Few images so clearly suggest the hypocrisy of 19th-century politicians pretending to serve the Prohibition cause while furthering their own aims."

The Jews of Maine

Like other immigrant groups, Jews came to Maine to make a living and enjoy the natural and cultural environment. Their experiences have been shaped by their occupational choices, Jewish values and, until recently, experiences of anti-Semitism.

Maine's Untold Vegetarian History

Vegetarianism has deep roots in Maine and this first-of-its-kind exhibition explores this untold story.

A Riot of Words: Ballads, Posters, Proclamations and Broadsides

Imagine a day 150 years ago. Looking down a side street, you see the buildings are covered with posters and signs.

Eternal Images: Photographing Childhood

From the earliest days of photography doting parents from across Maine sought to capture images of their young children. The studio photographs often reflect the families' images of themselves and their status or desired status.

Valentines

Valentines Day cards have long been a way to express feelings of romance or love for family or friends. These early Valentines Day cards suggest the ways in which the expression of those sentiments has changed over time.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - 1620 to 1820: New England's Great Secret

"For this reason, at least one 19th-century critic accused New England of keeping a great secret-intemperance."

Rum, Riot, and Reform - 1820 to 1865: Temperance and the Maine Law

"By the second decade of the 19th Century, New England's great secret was increasingly seen as America's growing problem with alcohol."

Music in Maine - MAKE

"… Sipayik, 2018Maine Historical Society In the 19th and 20th centuries, Wabanaki musicians traveled worldwide showcasing their talents and…"

Maine Sweets: Confections and Confectioners

From chocolate to taffy, Mainers are inventive with our sweet treats. In addition to feeding our sweet tooth, it's also an economic driver for the state.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Taverns, People, and Scenes

"… Historical Society Tavern Sign, Maine, mid 19th century Painted wood Collections of Maine Historical Society; gift of Dorothy Plummer, 1985…"

The Mainspring of Fashion

The mainspring of fashion is the process whereby members of one class imitate the styles of another, who in turn are driven to ever new expedients of fashionable change.

History in Motion: The Era of the Electric Railways

Street railways, whether horse-drawn or electric, required the building of trestles and tracks. The new form of transportation aided industry, workers, vacationers, and other travelers.

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

"… 1834-1839Maine State Museum Proof Set, early 19th century Charles Gerletti, Glagow, Etched glass in wooden box Collections of Maine State Museum…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Temperance Membership

"X Youth's Temperance Ribbon Silk Late 19th century Collections of Maine Historical Society X Banner of the Andover Cataract Division No."