"Young Lives and the Civil War "Young Maine Boys Who Find Themselves, Directly & Indirectly, Involved in the Civil War

Skowhegan, Maine - The Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center has an upcoming event on April 24th, 2013 at the Skowhegan Free Public Library entitled "Young Lives and the Civil War "Young Maine Boys Who Find Themselves, Directly & Indirectly, Involved in the Civil War.

April 24th    "Young Lives and the Civil War "Young Maine Boys Who Find Themselves, Directly & Indirectly, Involved in the Civil War 7:00 PM at the Skowhegan Free Public Library- Jane Radcliffe, Speaker. Sponsored by the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center.  This is a free event open to the public.

75th Anniversary Celebration Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center

Skowhegan, Maine - The seventy-fifth anniversary of the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center will be celebrated on September 8, 2012 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.  Members of the public are welcome to join the celebration and are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, sit on the Riverside Lawns and enjoy the music of Peter Foxwell and Company.  Local artisans will be on hand demonstrating their craft including wool spinning, blacksmith techniques, chair caning, quilting, and knitting with an early machine. Tours of the Museum & Research Center will be available along with refreshments and door prizes.  Everyone is welcome and admission is free.

75th Anniversary Celebration Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center

Skowhegan, Maine - The seventy-fifth anniversary of the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center, 66 Elm Street, Skowhegan, will be celebrated on September 8, 2012 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.  Members of the public are welcome to join the celebration and are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, sit on the Riverside Lawns and enjoy the music of Peter Foxwell and Company.  Local artisans will be on hand demonstrating their craft- wool spinning, blacksmith techniques, chair caning, and knitting with an early machine. Tours of the Museum & Research Center will be available along with refreshments and door prizes.  Everyone is welcome and admission is free.

Skowhegan History House, a private historic house and museum, was founded in 1937 by Louise Helen Coburn, who was then eighty-one years old niece of former Governor Abner Coburn. Its purpose was to accumulate, preserve, and display documents and artifacts related to Skowhegan’s history.  The 1839 Greek revival cottage serves as a repository for many of Skowhegan’s unique historic records and archives. It is filled with antiques, furnishings, and other items of everyday life during the mid 1800’s. Everything in the house was used within the community of Skowhegan.

            After the first settlers arrived in the late 1700’s, the Philbrick brothers built a potter’s shed on the site of the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center.  They used clay from the riverbank to make glazed earthenware for use throughout the growing community.  Later a blacksmith James H. K. Lord, more commonly known as “Deacon Lord,” bought the property where he and his wife raised ten children in this little home beside the Kennebec River.  In 1863, a retiring farmer, Abraham Tilton, purchased the property which he and his two daughters occupied until their passing. The home was used as a warehouse for a number of years until 1936 when Louise Helen Coburn purchased the property, had the home refurbished to resemble a home of the 1850’s, and added a museum.

            Although born into a position of financial independence, Louise Helen Coburn grew up as a hard worker and a gifted student.  She became the second woman to graduate from Colby College, having helped found the first women’s sorority there.  She later became a Colby College Trustee, was an important philanthropist, and actively promoted higher education for women.  Miss Coburn trained as a botanist and became a writer on that subject.  She later published a number of works of her poetry and information pieces.  In 1941, she published a comprehensive history of Skowhegan, Skowhegan on the Kennebec.

            Over the years, numerous Museum & Research Center Trustees, curators, and volunteers have worked diligently to continue the original purpose set forth by the founder, one of accumulating, preserving, and displaying documents and artifacts representing Skowhegan’s heritage.  As a result, Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center is one of the best museums of local history in Maine.

Black Powder Exploded at the Skowhegan History House

Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center serves as the repository of one of Maine’s largest collections of Civil War Memorabilia belonging to a native son.  The personal effects of Lt. Alexander Crawford, Jr. including the personal articles that he used while he served in the 21^st and 31^st Maine, his uniform, love letters, pin-ups, and weaponry make up a featured exhibit entitled “Our Connections with the Civil War.”  Two Civil War era rifled musket cartridges on display in the exhibit caught the eye of Mr. Ronald Harvey, an expert in the field of museum conservation, during a recent Conservation Assessment Program site visit.

            Mr. Harvey informed the Curator and the Director that black powder tends to become more volatile as it ages, and since the cartridges were probably some 150 years old, the museum should remove and dispose of the black powder as a safety precaution.

            Museum Director Melvin Burnham contacted Shawn Howard of the Skowhegan Fire Department and together they created a plan for removing and disposing of the old powder. The plan had to insure the safety of those handling the cartridges during the removal and disposal as well as the conservation of the paper cartridges themselves, for they are very important to the story of the period and the exhibit.  Mr. Howard consulted with the Maine Fire Marshall as well as completing extensive research with black powder experts in helping to formulate a plan.

            After discussing and practicing the steps in the well thought out plan, Curator Mr. Lee Granville volunteered to remove the cartridges to a table outside on the Museum’s grounds.  Under constant observation and with safety equipment at the ready, Mr. Granville used wooden skewers with pointed ends to poke small holes into the paper cartridges just next to the lead mini balls. After a few attempts he successfully pierced the paper and sprinkled the black powder out of the cartridge into a collection container.  When both cartridges passed the inspection of the Fire Department, they were taken back into the museum and replaced in the secure exhibit case.

            Fireman Howard used newspaper to create a trough for the black powder on the tar beside the road.  When the area was secure and safety equipment in place, he ignited the paper and the 150 year old explosive blew up into a puff of smoke.  Those witnessing the event were amazed that the 150 year old powder still had that kind of explosive power.

            The featured exhibit, “Connections with the Civil War” remains on exhibit at the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center, 66 Elm Street, Skowhegan, ME.  The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.  The public is welcome.

Skowhegan Homes Certified as Historic Homes

Submitted by Melvin Burnham

Two prominent Skowhegan homes have been certified as historic homes through the Historic Homes Registry sponsored by the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center.  The importance and significance of historic homes within our community are honored through this program.  Residents who own a home at least one hundred years old have the opportunity to document the home’s age, register it in the Historic Home Registry, and display an approved house marker indicating the original homesteader, the year of construction, the owner’s affiliation with the registry.

Home owners Henry and Mary Lou Holden Mollerus and Norman and Patricia Dickey chose to enlist the help of veteran researcher Ruth Blood in completing the research for their homes.  The Mollerus home on Parkman Hill was originally constructed by Leander Pooler about 1870.  Since then the property has changed hands ten times; owners include Mary Lou’s parents, Harold and Thelma Holden, who purchased in 1933.  Mary Lou was quick to share that the provenance and the old feeling of the home are important to her.  She grew up here with her three brothers, and she and her husband raised their three children in the home as well.  Mary Lou also pointed out the wide pumpkin pine floor boards that appear to be original to the structure.

Norman and Patricia Dickey’s home on North Avenue was constructed by James Young about 1848.  The Dickeys purchased the property in 1962 some fifty years ago and have occupied the home nearly one third of its existence. They definitely cannot see the day that they would ever sell it.  Over the years they have updated the property while retaining the integrity of the historic home and raised their daughter in this old home. Newspapers dated 1853 found on a wall behind a cupboard during renovations were not disturbed, left for the generations to come. Norman grew up in the area and is quick to share his stories and the renovations they have made.  He used to work at the airport across the street from his current home and remembers a Mr. Goodwin with a long white beard sitting on the front lawn, one of the twelve property owners since 1848.

Historic Home Registry markers now proudly adorn these two homes.  Several other home owners are in the process of gaining certification through the program.  Information pertaining to the Historic Home Registry can be obtained by contacting the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center, PO Box 832, 66 Elm Street, Skowhegan, Maine, 474-6632, or on the website - skowheganhistoryhouse.org under Programs & Events.

Historic Guided Tour-Coburn Park‏

Skowhegan, Maine - Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 2:00 PM  Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center is sponsoring a guided walking tour of Coburn Park with reknown area naturalist, Warren Balgooyen.  Those wishing to participant should call the museum at 474-6632 or email melvinburnham@skowheganhistoryhouse.org to reserve a ticket.