Events at Member Institutions

Poetry Reading and Conversation: An Evening With Richard Blanco at Colby College

Join us on Tuesday, February 27 at Colby College!

5:00pm, Public Reception, Colby College Museum of Art, Williams D. Adams Gallery

6:00pm, Poetry Reading, Bixler Art Building, Given Auditorium 

The Colby College Museum of Art's Lunder Institute of American Art welcomes Richard Blanco, artist-in-residence and presidential inaugural poet. Blanco will read and discuss selections of his work centered on the meaning of home, including poems from his latest book, Boundaries, a collaboration with landscape photographer Jacob Bond Hessler. The poems and photographs investigate the boundaries of race, gender, class, and ethnicity and challenge the dividing lines - both historic and current - that shadow America.

For more information please visit   https://www.facebook.com/events/1810109582386797/ or contact Jordia Benjamin, Mirken Coordinator of Academic and Public Programs, jordia.benjamin@colby.edu, 207.859.5613

Born in Sangerville, Maine in 1879, Harry Oakes's life experiences took him to six continents, earned him a knighthood as well as a personal fortune rivaling all others, but also tragically ended in a brutal 1943 murder that remains unsolved.  Portrayed by Gene Hackman in one of the actor's least memorable endeavors, Sir Harry's actual career, fortune and death garnered world-wide attention, even though he never forgot his Maine roots.  He is buried in the bucolic beauty of the East Dover Cemetery.

KHS Speaker David Leigh's career in Maine education spanned 31 years as a teacher, high school principal and community college instructor.  In retirement, Leigh has continued to direct the TIME/NEWSWEEK Cover Project.  Begun with his students in 1972, the collection now includes over 1,100 autographed news magazine covers, some dating as far back as 1938.  In addition, he has presented enrichment lectures on cruise ships to the Canadian Maritimes, the Caribbean and to Great Britain.  He and his wife Ann own and manage a 62-acre tree farm in Belgrade.

The Kennebec Historical Society’s February Presentation is free to the public (donations gladly accepted) and will take place on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Episcopal Church located at 209 Eastern Avenue in Augusta. ​  

Spring Open House
Thursday, February 15, 4:30- 6:30 p.m.

Join us for a celebration of our spring exhibitions with a reception, guided tours, and hands-on activities for families!
Opening Exhibitions:
Hernan Bas: The Paper Crown Prince and Other Works (February 13 to May 3)
City of Ambition: Photography from the Collection (February 15 to August 26)
Yoshua Okón: Oracle (February 15 to May 1)

https://www.facebook.com/events/1818974874840245/

Followed by...

Palentine's Day at the Museum

Thursday, February 15, 6:30-8:30p.m.

Bring a pal and enjoy drinks and snacks while participating in partner-oriented crafts and activities around the Museum. Open to the student body as well as members of the Maine community. Cosponsored by the Museum's Student Advisory Board.

https://www.facebook.com/events/163622497736645/

For more information visit the Facebook links above or contact Jordia Benjamin, Mirken Coordinator of Academic and Public Programs, jordia.benjamin@colby.edu or 207.859.5613

Come for a ride through 150 years of history in Waldo County.  Chartered in 1867, the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad has survived two world wars, the construction of highways, the collapse of the poultry industry in Waldo County and survives today as a tourist railroad and historic relic of days gone by.  This presentation by author and railroad historian Joey Kelley outlines the history of this unique railroad and gives you a summary of his book on the subject - the very first book ever written on the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad.

Our speaker, Joseph T. “Joey” Kelley, is a railroad historian, photographer and volunteer with the Brooks Preservation Society.  He has been involved with the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad on and off since 2004 and was once a paid employee of the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad Preservation Society.  His other passions include photography, motorcycles and restoring antique equipment.

The Kennebec Historical Society January Presentation is co-sponsored by the Maine State Library and free to the public (donations gladly accepted) and will take place on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. at the Maine State Library located at 230 State Street in Augusta. ​  

It’s Christmas at the historic Tate House Museum and we’d like to invite you to join us for the sights, sounds, and tastes as we celebrate the season, Colonial style. Captain George Tate, his wife Mary, and their friends celebrated with much food and drink, music, and games. It was a joyous, bright spot in what could turn out to be a long, cold winter, and the Tate family and their friends made the most of it! Come and see how an affluent mast agent’s family may have celebrated the holidays in the 18^th century.Our docents donned in period attire will introduce you to the prevailing traditions and customs of the time as you make your way through the Tate’s 1755 home. Why did the Tates celebrate Christmas while many of their neighbors did not? How did decorations differ from those of today? What types of food and drink would be served? What kind of games and gifts might the children have enjoyed? What is Boxing Day all about? Please join us for this special house tour of the only pre-Revolutionary home in Greater Portland open to the public on Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10 beginning at noon. The last tour will leave at 3:30 PM. Once you’ve completed your tour, you are invited to take some refreshment in the parlor of the Means House across the street. Admission is $15 for Adults and Seniors and $10 for children under 12. Tickets can also be purchased through

Eventbrite at  https://www.eventbrite.com/o/tate-house-museum-8364593136

For more information contact:

Betty Janus

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland, ME 04012

774-6177

info@tatehouse.org

www.tatehouse.org

It’s Christmas at the historic Tate House Museum and we’d like to invite you to join us for the sights, sounds, and tastes as we celebrate the season, Colonial style. Captain George Tate, his wife Mary, and their friends celebrated with much food and drink, music, and games. It was a joyous, bright spot in what could turn out to be a long, cold winter, and the Tate family and their friends made the most of it! Come and see how an affluent mast agent’s family may have celebrated the holidays in the 18^th century.Docents donned in period attire will introduce you to the prevailing traditions and customs of the time as you make your way through the Tate’s 1755 home. Why did the Tates celebrate Christmas while many of their neighbors did not? How did decorations differ from those of today? What types of food and drink would be served? What kind of games and gifts might the children have enjoyed? What is Boxing Day all about? Please join us for this special house tour of the only pre-Revolutionary home in Greater Portland open to the public on Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10 beginning at noon. The last tour will leave at 3:30 PM. Once you’ve completed your tour, you are invited to take some refreshment in the parlor of the Means House across the street. Admission is $15 for Adults and Seniors and $10 for children under 12. Tickets can also be purchased through

Eventbrite at  https://www.eventbrite.com/o/tate-house-museum-8364593136

For more information contact:

Betty Janus

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland, ME 04012

774-6177

info@tatehouse.org

www.tatehouse.org

Please join us Wednesday, November 15th as Chuck Rand, professional archivist and Old Bristol Historical Society Co-President, discusses the proper care and handling of personal family documents and photos. His talk will focus on the factors that cause deterioration and will offer specific suggestions and materials to help you prolong the life of your family treasures.

Chuck Rand began his professional life as an historical archaeologist in the summer of 1972 following his first year as an undergraduate studying anthropology/archaeology at the University of Maine.  After acquiring an M.A. in history, he moved to the Washington, DC area and became affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and its National Museum of American History where his duties included collections management and photography.

Mr. Rand obtained an M.L.S. from the University of Maryland and moved to Oklahoma where he held a number of positions related to information services including Curator of the Political Commercial Archive at the University of Oklahoma.  His tenure as Director of the Dickinson Research Center at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was rewarding and enabled him to employ all the skills and abilities he had developed to that point and some, such as oral history interviewing, videography and video-editing, that he learned and developed on the job.

The Kennebec Historical Society November Presentation is free to the public (donations gladly accepted) and will take place on Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the South Parish Congregational Church located at 9 Church Street in Augusta. ​  

On November 7th at 6:30PM the Tate House Museum will be presenting a lecture and workshop with Beth Maitland on the art of English Paper Piecing. For those interested in quilting or fabric artistry this is a time-honored technique dating back to the first quarter of the 18^th century. It’s a wonderfully simple method for constructing intricate quilts with lots of perfectly matched points. It’s completely done by hand and can be assembled in modular units so you can take it with you.

Beth is a member of the Pine Tree Quilters Guild and an award winning teacher of quilting. Her series of workshops, lectures, and demonstrations are designed to focus on creativity and individual design. Her light-hearted and engaging approach allows quilters of all levels to actively utilize their innate creativity.

This lecture is part of the Tate House Museum Summer Lecture Series. Reservations are suggested by calling 774-6177 or emailing info@tatehouse.org. Tickets are $12 ($10 for members).

Contact:

Betty Janus

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland ME 04102

The Tate House Museum is hosting cemetery tours of the 18^th Century Stroudwater Burial Ground on Saturday October 21^nd from 12-4 PM. Hear from the ghostly apparitions themselves as they talk about the joys and hardships of colonial life as they knew it. These are the people who shared life in Stroudwater with George and Mary Tate. Gather up your friends and family and get ready for a tour that is a little bit spooky and a little bit educational. An afternoon of ghostly fun and entertainment awaits visitors.

Ticket prices are $12.00 for adults and $6.00 for children 12 and under. Tickets and a “Home Made Pie Sale” will be available at the Tate House gift shop, 1267 Westbrook Street, Portland, ME.

For More Information Contact:

Betty Janus

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland, Maine

207-774-6177

www.tatehouse.org

On October 10^th at 6:30 PM the Tate House Museum will be hosting Susan McLellan Plaisted as she presents a lecture and demonstration entitled “An 18^th Century Bill of Fare”. Seasonality was the key word in what was placed on the 18^th century table much as it is today.

This program will take the audience through bread baking, cheese making, beer making processes and symmetrically appointed dining experiences. Susan will be sharing these processes and tying them in to the Tate House kitchen. This is a lecture which will be of interest to students of 18^th century foodways and history.

Susan McLellan Plaisted is the proprietress of Heart to Hearth Cookery, a food history business based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and has conducted hands-on-workshops and classes for both children and adults at many historic sites and museums in the Delaware Valley and beyond. She is also the director of foodways at Pennsbury Manor, the recreated 1680 home of Pennsylvania’s founder, William Penn.

This lecture is part of the Tate House’s Summer Lecture Series and is being held at the Mean’s House at 1267 Westbrook Street Portland. The fee for admission is $12 or $10 for members and docents. Please call 774-6177 or email info@tatehouse.org for reservations as space is limited.

FMI: Betty Janus

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland ME 04102

207-774-6177

info@tatehouse.org