Maine Memory Network

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.

Student Exhibit: Benedict Arnold's March Through Skowhegan

Benedict Arnold arrived in Skowhegan on October 4th, 1775, and it was here that Arnold received his first offer of help from the colonists. Joseph Weston and his sons helped Benedict Arnold and his army cross over the Skowhegan Falls, but Joseph later got a severe cold from exposure and died of a fever on Oct.16th. His sons went back to the family home along the Kennebec for they were the first family to settle in Old Canaan or what is now Skowhegan.

Maine's 20th Regiment

The War was not going well for the Union and in the summer of 1862, when President Lincoln called for an additional 300,000 troops, it was not a surprise to see so many men enlist in an attempt to bring proper leadership into the Army.

Horace W. Shaylor: Portland Penman

Horace W. Shaylor, a native of Ohio, settled in Portland and turned his focus to handwriting, developing several unique books of handwriting instruction. He also was a talented artist.

Home Ties: Sebago During the Civil War

Letters to and from Sebago soldiers who served in the Civil War show concern on both sides about farms and other issues at home as well as concern from the home front about soldiers' well-being.

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.

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.

The Sanitary Commission: Meeting Needs of Soldiers, Families

The Sanitary Commission, formed soon after the Civil War began in the spring of 1861, dealt with the health, relief needs, and morale of soldiers and their families. The Maine Agency helped families and soldiers with everything from furloughs to getting new socks.

Photojournalism & the 1936 Flood

Photojournalism & the 1936 Flood examines the monumental destruction caused by the historic flood of 1936 through the comprehensive and innovative photojournalism done by the Guy Gannett Publishing Company in the weeks surrounding the flood.

Student Exhibit: Medicine in Times Past

Inspired by Dr. Greenleaf Wilbur's medical box at the Skowhegan History House, this exhibit highlights some Mainers in the medical field of the past and the stories they had.

Civil Defense: Fear and Safety

In the 1950s and the 1960s, Maine's Civil Defense effort focused on preparedness for hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters and a more global concern, nuclear war. Civil Defense materials urged awareness, along with measures like storing food and other staple items and preparing underground or other shelters.

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.

The Trolley Parks of Maine

At the heyday of trolleys in Maine, many of the trolley companies developed recreational facilities along or at the end of trolley lines as one further way to encourage ridership. The parks often had walking paths, dance pavilions, and various other entertainments. Cutting-edge technology came together with a thirst for adventure and forever changed social dynamics in the process.

Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940 - Poison & Infidelity: The Case of Phebe Sager

"… Joseph Sager Accusation: Murder Location: Augusta, Maine Date: 1835 Victim: Phebe Sager The morning of Phebe Sager’s (1786-1834) death, husband…"

Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940 - Horrid Murder: The Case of the Purrinton Family

"… Family "Horrid Murder!" broadside, Augusta, 1806 Due to the murder’s horrific nature, the Purrinton tragedy appeared in newspapers along the…"

Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940 - Manhunt: The Case of Aida Hayward

"Initially, Kirby told his wife and Augusta investigators he found Aida’s body in a different cabin and brought it to his rental to “protect someone”…"

Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940 - A Maine Pioneer

"… (1854-1948), Guy acquired several Portland, Augusta, and Waterville-based newspapers in the 1920s, pioneering an era of visually compelling news…"

Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940 - Publication Genres

"Pamphlets "Horrid Massacre" pamphlet, Augusta, 1806 On loan from the American Antiquarian Society.Maine Historical Society Pamphlets were a…"

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Drinking Implements

"… Causes and Remedies of Intemperance, preached in Augusta, 1845 X Mug, 1780-1800 English Pearlware with underglaze blue painted decoration…"

Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940 - Vanished! The Case of Dr. Lorenzo Norton

"… in Portland, Maine preparing to board a train for Augusta, but nothing indicated he ever arrived at his destination."

Debates Over Suffrage

While numerous Mainers worked for and against woman suffrage in the state in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, some also worked on the national level, seeking a federal amendment to allow women the right to vote

Surgeon General Alonzo Garcelon

Alonzo Garcelon of Lewiston was a physician, politician, businessman, and civic leader when he became Maine's surgeon general during the Civil War, responsible for ensuring regiments had surgeons, for setting up a regimental hospital in Portland, and generally concerned with the well-being of Maine soldiers.

Maine Politicians, National Leaders

From the early days of Maine statehood to the present, countless Maine politicians have made names for themselves on the national stage.

Rum, Riot, and Reform - Quenching the Thirst

"… eye view of National Soldier's Home, Togus near Augusta, 1878Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education National Soldier Home…"