EVERYONE IS INVITED TO THE  ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE

at the

OLD PORTER MEETING HOUSE

September 1, 2019    1 – 3 pm

Come tour this historic building and hear Katherine Rhoda play “Music of the Suffragettes” to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of Maine ratifying the 19^th Amendment giving women the right to vote.

Katherine is well known for playing her antique instruments and singing folk songs and other music from our past history.  

This unique building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the very few meeting houses left.

It played an important part in the early history of Porter. As you enter the building step back in history to 1824 and imagine attending a Bullockite quarterly service or participating in a Porter Town Meeting here. 

(For more information and pictures about the history of the Old Porter Meeting House, see our previous BLOG post dated Nov. 4, 2016.)

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Rain or Shine!

Located on Old Meeting House Road, Porter, ME

Directions: from Kezar Falls Village: take Rt. 25 West to Colcord Pond Rd., then right on Old Meeting House Rd. From Porter Village: take First County Rd., bear left at Colcord Pond Rd. then right on Old Meeting House Rd.

FMI call– 625 7019

Sponsored by

Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society

(Sorry, no “facilities” available)

Coming Soon, Don't Miss It!

Follow the link below to order your copy of this fascinating book.  A must read for history lovers everywhere!

Brownfield, Maine An Illustrated History by Bradford Fuller

Save the Date!

DOUBLE OPEN HOUSE!

 

Saturday, August 17, 1-3 pm
at Merrill Hill Road just off Middle Road in Parsonsfield.
Come visit what was once the thriving heart of Parsonsfield, Maine.  Both the Parsonsfield Old Town House & the Union Church will be open to the public.

Exhibits, information & photos from past times in the village will be on display in the Town House.


At 2:00 pm Sylvia Wilson will talk about the Moulton family,
former residents of Middle Road Village, based on letters to Hattie, 

the youngest daughter.

Take the Self-guided Cemetery Walk

Learn about some of the illustrious inhabitants who were former residents of Middle Road Village. (Be prepared for rough terrain.)

Sponsored by the Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society & the Parsonsfield Union Church Society.

 

FMI: 625-8189

Note: no restroom facilities available.

Maine's First Strike

Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society

Meeting and free program - Public Invited.

In keeping with our theme of commemorating the 100^th anniversary of Maine ratifying the 19^th Amendment, we are presenting a program entitled:

The Great Turn-Out: Factory Girls and Maine’s 1st Strike

An illustrated talk by History Professor and award-winning author Elizabeth DeWolfe

In 1841, nearly 500 female factory workers walked out of Saco’s York Manufacturing Company and paraded up Main Street, chanting and singing.  They gathered at a local church, formed a committee and sent the factory owner a document articulating their complaints about wages, housing, and paternalistic rules.  In this illustrated talk, we’ll explore the life of New England “factory girls,” the opportunities mill work brought, and the challenges of this difficult labor. We’ll see how a strike in one Maine town connected to national agitation for women’s rights, including suffrage. Don’t miss it!

Saturday, July 27, 2019 @ 2:00

(after a brief business meeting.)

At History House

92 Main Street in Kezar Falls Village (Rt. 160)

FMI phone 625-7019

IT IS YARD SALE TIME AGAIN AT HISTORY HOUSE!

To make this major fundraiser a success again this year, we need donations of sale items. Gently used items that you no longer need but think others may find a use for would be appreciated. (Please no clothes or computers.) They can be left on the porch at History House anytime through Friday, July 5th. Someone will be checking every day and move what is there inside. If you need someone to pick up your items call 625-7019.

           

The Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society will hold their annual

YARD AND BAKED GOOD SALE –

SAT. JULY 6^th , 9am – 1pm

at History House,  92 Main Street, Porter (Kezar Falls Village).

Rain or Shine.

Something for everyone.  Come find your treasure!

FMI  625-7019

June 29th Meeting at the Kezar Falls Theater

Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society

invites the public to a free program.

at the

KEZAR FALLS THEATER

Saturday, June 29, 2019

Meeting - 2 p.m.       Program - 2:30 p.m.

21 Main Street,

Kezar Falls Village (Rt. 160)

Owner/filmmaker Silas Hagerty has transformed the former Playhouse Movie Theater into a new theater and sound studio where he features various films and entertainment projects.

He will once again present a program to interest and entertain us.

PARKING AVAILABLE AT THE DENTAL OFFICE

ACROSS THE STREET.

HER STORY: Erma Giles (1913- 1976)

 Erma Giles was born in Porter, March 4, 1913 to Edgar and Alice (Brooks) Giles.  She was the youngest of 3 children. She attended local schools, graduated from Porter High School in 1930 and attended Nasson Institute in Springvale.

At age 24 Erma opened a clothing shop on the ground floor of the Malvern Hotel on River St. (owned by her father) and was there for 10 years.  When he sold the hotel in 1947 she moved her shop across the river to the Stanley Block building.  “Erma’s Apparel Shop” served the local community from that location until her father died.  In 1958 she bought the building next to the Kezar Falls Market on Bridge St.   She and her mother lived above the store.   There she continued her shop until her death February 16, 1976,

Erma sold clothing of fine quality, was a respected business woman and was active in the community.  She lived at home to care for her elderly parents and never married.