Meeting Dates
May 25 '06
Minutes for May 25, 2006
President Sue Carlson opened the meeting. The minutes of April 27 were accepted with a correction. The Treasurer reported the Town Meeting gained us a new member, Amy Winston, $5.00 dues and $255.00 for maps! Also, $1.67 of interest. Total as of 5/25/06: $2,949.50.
The success of the map sales was discussed, with one map sold at this meeting and another one ordered. More mailing tubes will shortly be needed.
Sue continued the idea of a "From the Water Tour" of Edgecomb: Bob Brown has volunteered to take the Edgecomb Comprehensive Plan Task Force around in his lobster boat. He might be willing to take EHS in the future! David Cole said his own boat holds 6, but there are residents whose boats hold as many as 16. Jo Cameron mentioned the matter of insurance for such a venture. It was asked whether this event would be best as a summer activity, or in September? The Small Boat Flotilla for the Fort Edgecomb Bicentennial was mentioned, with this tour as a kind of "dry run."
Rosemarie Ballard Boak reported that the Edgecomb historic architecture survey is pretty much finished, save for a few houses she was unable to get to during her November activity. Photographs have still to be glued onto the survey forms. Could this be done as an EHS group activity?
Sue explained that in addition to EHS' obvious interest, the survey will be valuable for identifying buildings in need of protection, and any which might qualify for the National Historic Building Register. She said that the state has mandated the revaluation of towns' comprehensive plans. The work of this Task Force splits in two focus groups, one on the strictly practical business: zoning and infrastructure matters, for instance; while the other will include not only historical and archaeological resources, but scenic vistas and open space policies as well.
She and Rosemarie agreed that for Edgecomb the burning issue is Keep Edgecomb Rural! Rosemarie instanced the matter of roads which have disappeared. "The rural character is to be respected," she said. Kitty Norton of the Task Force has wondered why artists have not been consulted. Duncan Slade and Ramone Hanley-Warren were mentioned as possible Task Force recruits.
Baptist Cemetery: Jo Cameron met with Emily Quint, president of MOCA, last month, to view the cemetery. Noted were shrubs, saplings, and several large trees which are interfering with some graves. There are many gravestones buried or semi-buried under encroaching sod and vines. Most need careful cleaning, many are broken so will need repairs. Jo showed Ms. Quint the volumes of cemetery and other lists, a most valuable resource for Town and historical research. The ownership and/or responsibility for this cemetery has not yet been agreed upon, but the students of the Deck House School have been clearing the grounds, and one student has been researching the several veterans. The School will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at the cemetery on Monday, May 29, at 10:00 a.m.
Fort Edgecomb Bicentennial Report: Ruth reported that Becky Townsend joined FOFE on Town Meeting day, and turned over to Jo Cameron a $5.00 donation from Roger Bintliff. Jo said that the family of Mellie Giles, who died May 19, has asked that donations be sent to the "Fort Edgecomb Preservation Society" in her memory, as at one time, she served as a park ranger and docent.
The Society welcomed Ms. Barnes and Ms. Siegel who told us about their founding, at present a sub- committee of Westport Island's Conservation Committee. They told us of their small triangular room in the old WI Town Hall, wherein they found ancient town record books gathering dust and mold! They succeeded in getting shelving installed and reliable heating. This room has become their headquarters pro tem. Further treasure hunting resulted in a cache of Westport Grange material from the 19th century to 1926, in a big blue box under the Town Hall's stage. The trove includes regalia and flags as well as archives, correspondence, etc.
They are also inventorying the Erskine Tarbox papers, an original Westport Island family. However, the core of their collection are the town and public records. They are seeking a grant to preserve and make use of some glass plate negatives, and took the Maine State Archives' Basic Archival Workshop last March.
We discussed ways in which Edgecomb Historical Society could be of assistance, events and projects to share. It would be interesting to learn of Westport's separation from Edgecomb in 1828, and of course, any information about Fort McDonough, the sister fort to our fort, guarding what was once known as Decker's Strait to protect the port of Wiscasset.
Ms. Barnes suggested that it might be fruitful for the Town of Edgecomb to formally invite the Town of Westport Island, through their respective Boards of Selectmen, to participate in the Fort Edgecomb Bicentennial.
Mesdames Siegel and Barnes shared with us an album of historic photographs and two books: Beatrice Harriman's original publication, Westport, Maine: 1828-1978, published in 1977 for the town's sesquicentennial by the Westport Community Association. A second edition was published in 1993, revised by John and Louise Swanton, with the title Westport Island, Maine: Once Jeremysquam.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m. This meeting was the last of the EHS Spring Session. We will reconvene September 28, 2006. Have a happy summer, everyone!
Respectfully submitted,
Joanna M. Cameron
Secretary