A Murder in Porter?

 You are invited to attend the next meeting and free program of the

Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society 

at

History House

92 Main Street, Porter

SATURDAY, SEPT. 17, 2022 

Meeting is at 2:00 pm

 The Program will follow at about 2:30 pm.

Peter Pettingill will present:

“THE MURDER OF DAVID VARNEY

& THE TRIAL OF WESLEY CHICK”

There actually was a murder in the quiet, peaceful Town of Porter 

on 12/6/1906. Come hear the story.

NOTE:

The History House Research Room will be

open Monday 9/26 from 10am – 12pm.

FMI: Call 207-329-1349

The next event to be held at History House is coming up soon.

  Don’t miss it.

Open House

Sunday, September 11, 2022

1:00 - 4:00 pm

Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society

Last open house of the year. 

Come see the exhibit, 

“ANTIQUE & VINTAGE TOYS”

Featuring Toys from Our Own Collection

Come tour the house, view all the exhibits

and browse our scrapbook collection.

at 

History House 

92 Main Street in 

Kezar Falls Village (Rt. 160)

Please Note

We will continue having the research room at History House open through Sept. 

The dates are Sept. 12 and 26 – 10:00 am to Noon.

 COMING UP LABOR DAY SUNDAY

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 - 1 – 3 pm

The Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society 

will hold the

ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE

at the

OLD PORTER MEETING HOUSE

Rain or Shine!

Have you ever visited the Old Porter Meeting House?

Don’t miss this opportunity.

Visitors are welcome to tour the building.

Historical Society members will present the history of this unique old building starting at 1:30 pm so that visitors can learn about its past and the role the Meeting House played in the history of the Town of Porter.

An exhibit and pictures will also be on display.

This building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the very few meeting houses of its kind still standing.

This view from the balcony shows the box pews.

The raised pulpit that was original to the building was restored in 1969.

  -------------------

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 or 625-3020

 (Sorry, no “facilities” available)

                    The Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society and the Parsonsfield Union Church Society

will co-sponsor the annual event at Middle Road Village, Parsonsfield again this year.  The public is welcome. Come visit what was once the thriving heart of Parsonsfield, Maine.

DOUBLE OPEN HOUSE!

THE HISTORIC PARSONSFIELD 

TOWN HOUSE & 

THE PARSONSFIELD UNION CHURCH

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

1 – 3pm

Exhibits, self-guided cemetery walk, and a short talk about a few of Parsonsfield’s many cemeteries at 2pm.

Located at the bottom of Merrill Hill Road near Middle Road.

 Directions:

From Route 160 (North Road) in Parsonsfield turn onto Merrill Hill Road just east of North Parsonsfield. Both buildings are on Merrill Hill Road near the intersection with Middle Road.

FMI: 329-1349

 “REMEMBERING THE ELM ROW MILK FARM”

Presented by Rhonda Sanborn and Sylvia Pease.

The Elm Row Milk farm has had a long history in the town of Parsonsfield. Albion Peleg Benton came to Kezar Falls in 1865 to build and operate a sawmill located on the site of the future Kezar Falls Woolen Mill.  He became prosperous and in 1868 he purchased the Thomas Edgecomb farm located on Elm Street just beyond the Village of Kezar Falls and erected this large set of buildings that still stand on the Stacy property.  He lived here until his death in 1886.  His son, Peleg W. Benton ran a dairy farm here until 1923.

In 1923 the Benton farm was purchased by Lawrence and Belle Stacey.  It became known as the Elm Row Milk Farm for the large elms that stood along the driveway.  Come to the program to hear the rest of the story of the farm and the Stacey family, many of whom still live on this property.  

July 23, 2022, at Porter Town Hall

Meeting begins at 2:00 pm

Followed by the

Program about 2:30 pm

Elm Row Milk Farm – Clarence Stacey on the wagon & Manuel Stacey on the ground.

                                                 IT IS TIME FOR OUR ANNUAL

YARD SALE

AT HISTORY HOUSE

Have you been gathering items for a yard sale? Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society could take them off your hands.  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 15th.

Someone will be checking every day and move what is there inside.  If you need someone to pick up your items call 625-7019 or 625-8712 and leave a message.  We also look forward to you coming to buy items, too.

The Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society will hold their annual

YARD AND BAKED GOOD SALE – 

SAT. JULY 16th, 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 or 625-8712

Notice:

Don’t forget – the Research Room at History House will be open 10am – noon on July 11.  If you are interested in local history or genealogy, check it out.  Park and enter in the rear of 92 Main St. Porter.

**********

Early Schools of Porter and Kezar Falls Village

 At one time there were 14 district schools in the town of Porter, 18 in the Town of Parsonsfield and 1 in South Hiram (three of which were located in the village of Kezar Falls).  Gradually the outlying one-room school buildings were closed, and students were bussed to the village schools.  When consolidated district schools were established in the 1980s and the elementary, middle and high school buildings were built in South Hiram, all the other schools were eventually closed.  Today, there are no active schools in Porter or Parsonsfield.  Most of the old school buildings that still exist have been repurposed in various ways.

Porter Elementary and High School - 1919.  Now a dentist's office.

On Saturday June 25th Becky Carpenter will present a program about the early schools of Porter and Kezar Falls at 2:30pm following a meeting at 2:00pm at History House, 92 Main Street, Kezar Falls Village. Masks are optional.

NOTICE – NEW THIS SEASON

The History House Reseach Room will be open 

on Mondays from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

on the following dates:

6/27, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8, & 8/22.

You are welcome to come see what we have to help you in your research of genealogy or local history. 

Park in the rear and come in the back entrance.