Maine Memory Network

Fallen Heroes: Maine's Jewish Sailors and Soldiers

Thirty-four young Jewish men from Maine died in the service of their country in the two World Wars. This project, including a Maine Memory Network exhibit, is meant to say a little something about some of them. More than just names on a public memorial marker or grave stone, these men were getting started in adult life. They had newly acquired high school and college diplomas, they had friends, families and communities who loved and valued them, and felt the losses of their deaths.

Women, War, and the Homefront

When America entered the Great War in 1917, the government sent out pleas for help from American women, many of whom responded at the battle front and on the home front.

Laboring in Maine

Workers in Maine have labored in factories, on farms, in the woods, on the water, among other locales. Many of Maine's occupations have been determined by the state's climate and geographical features.

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

"… of drunkenness—to individuals, families, and the social order—was recognized from the earliest period, the use of alcoholic beverages has, at the…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Overview & Introduction

"… the role that drink played in Maine's social, economic and political history, and profiling the events and leaders in Maine that catalyzed other…"

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

"… Maine's early European settlers, alcohol was a social institution, a medicine, and an actively traded commodity."

Music in Maine - MAKE

"… traditions happen seasonally for harvesting, social, and ceremonial events. Other songs honor and welcome visitors or prepare loved ones for their…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Influential & Interesting Documents

"… to run taverns, but as populations grew this social control weakened. Drawings from Ammi Quint account book, Parsonsfield, 1803Maine…"

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

"These tough-minded women engaged in other social causes including suffrage and aid to Armenian refugees and were part of an emerging generation of…"

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.

Indians, Furs, and Economics

When Europeans arrived in North America and disrupted traditional Native American patterns of life, they also offered other opportunities: trade goods for furs. The fur trade had mixed results for the Wabanaki.

Irish Immigrants in Nineteenth Century Maine

With the popularity of all things Irish in modern America, many people have forgotten the difficulties faced by nineteenth century Irish immigrants.

Skiing Pleasant Mountain

By the second half of the 20th century, skiing began to enjoy unprecedented popularity. Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton (later Shawnee Peak) was Maine's foremost place to join the fun in the 1950s and 1960s.

Summer Camps

Maine is home to dozens of summer-long youth camps and untold numbers of day camps that take advantage of water, woods, and fresh air. While the children, counselors, and other staff come to Maine in the summer, the camps live on throughout the year and throughout the lives of many of the campers.

How Sweet It Is

Desserts have always been a special treat. For centuries, Mainers have enjoyed something sweet as a nice conclusion to a meal or celebrate a special occasion. But many things have changed over the years: how cooks learn to make desserts, what foods and tools were available, what was important to people.

The Life and Legacy of the George Tate Family

Captain George Tate, mast agent for the King of England from 1751 to the Revolutionary War, and his descendants helped shape the development of Portland (first known as Falmouth) through activities such as commerce, shipping, and real estate.

Chinese in Maine

In 1857, when Daniel Cough left Amoy Island, China, as a stowaway on a sailing ship from Mt. Desert Island he was on his way into history as the first Chinese person to make his home in Maine. He was soon followed by a cigar maker and a tea merchant who settled in Portland and then by many more Chinese men who spread all over Maine working mostly as laundrymen.

Belfast During the Civil War: The Home Front

Belfast residents responded to the Civil War by enlisting in large numbers, providing relief from the home front to soldiers, defending Maine's shoreline, and closely following the news from soldiers and from various battles.

Northern Threads: Silhouettes in Sequence, ca. 1780-1889

A themed exhibit vignette within "Northern Threads Part I," featuring a timeline of silhouettes from about 1775 through 1889.

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

"… 1848, strove to set a moral example and achieve social control through the moderation of drinking."

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Society Copes

"… serving alcohol was by no means limited to one social, economic, religious, or ethnic part of the population."

Music in Maine - Music Education

"… for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and literacy. Music helps the body and the mind work together, and…"

La Basilique Lewiston

Like many cities in France, Lewiston and Auburn's skylines are dominated by a cathedral-like structure, St. Peter and Paul Church. Now designated a basilica by the Vatican, it stands as a symbol of French Catholic contributions to the State of Maine.

A Brief History of Colby College

Colby originated in 1813 as Maine Literary and Theological Institution and is now a small private liberal arts college of about 1,800 students. A timeline of the history and development of Colby College from 1813 until the present.