Maine Memory Network

Central Theater, Biddeford, 1955

Contributed by: McArthur Public Library Date: 1955 Location: Biddeford Media: Photographic print

Jefferson Theater, Portland, ca. 1900

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1900 Location: Portland Media: Photographic print

414-424 Congress Street, Portland, 1924

Owner in 1924: Estate of Michael Lunch Ellen J. O'Neil et als Trustees Use: Seven stores & Theater

205-207 Middle Street, Portland, 1924

Owner in 1924: Joseph S. Bernstein Use: Print Shop & Store

Actor's bungalow for Lakewood Inc., ca. 1935

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1935 Location: Madison Client: Lakewood Inc. Architect: John P. Thomas

Columbia Theater reconstruction, S.R.E.A. Theater, Bath, 1937-1943

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: 1937–1943 Location: Bath Client: Sagadahoc Real Estate Association Architect: John Calvin Stevens John Howard Stevens Architects

Le Théâtre

Lewiston, Maine's second largest city, was long looked upon by many as a mill town with grimy smoke stacks, crowded tenements, low-paying jobs, sleazy clubs and little by way of refinement, except for Bates College. Yet, a noted Québec historian, Robert Rumilly, described it as "the French Athens of New England."

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.

Lincoln, Maine - Lincoln Theater

"1995Lincoln Historical Society The movie theater would connect to my life today, because we don’t have a movie theater anymore and everyone has to…"

Skowhegan Community History - Lakewood Theater

"Lakewood Theater by Jenna Jones and Jaime Bacon Lakewood Theater X In 1895, the Somerset Traction Company of Skowhegan created a small…"

Memories of working at the Criterion Theatre
by Vernon L. Cox

Working as a teenager with projectionest Roy Blake at the Criterion Theater

Movie Theaters in Portland Maine in the 1940s
by Ralph Bolduc

Ralph Bolduc shared his memories growing up in the movie theaters of Portland Maine in the 1940s.

Building Community/Community Buildings

Grade Level: 6-8 Content Area: Social Studies
Where do people gather? What defines a community? What buildings allow people to congregate to celebrate, learn, debate, vote, and take part in all manner of community activities? Students will evaluate images and primary documents from throughout Maine’s history, and look at some of Maine’s earliest gathering spaces and organizations, and how many communities established themselves around certain types of buildings. Students will make connections between the community buildings of the past and the ways we express identity and create communities today.