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READFIELD — The Readfield Historical Society will host its annual opening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28.
Bob Harris, the new RHS president, as well as Dale Potter-Clark and Jeanne Harris, from the executive committee and Readfield historian Evelyn Potter, will be on hand to welcome visitors to the opening. New note cards and a 2017-2018 calendar with the theme Readfield organizations past and present will become available at the opening.
More than four dozen photos are incorporated into the 13-month calendar, as well as brief histories of each organization, including the Little Town Club, Readfield Lions, Scouts, Ladies Limited Rifle and Pistol Club, Grange 217, Masonic Lodge 48, Golden Guys & Gals and the Readfield Recreation Association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2018.
The new historical note cards depict six structures and mills that used to be on old Factory Square. On the back of each card are brief histories of the buildings.
Calendars are $10 each; note cards are six for $5. All proceeds will benefit RHS. A special offering for opening weekend only, while supplies last, is that anyone who buys two or more 2017-2018 calendars can receive a Readfield Farms Heritage Calendar at no additional cost. The note cards and 2017-2018 calendars can also be bought online at readfieldmaine.blogspot.com.
The RHS museum will be open for browsing during the summer, and the archives will be available to researchers, but this year visitors can expect a bonus. Efforts are underway to recruit some volunteer docents and greeters who are Readfield natives now living out of town, and others who have lived in Readfield for their entire lives or for decades. This will be an excellent opportunity for visitors to come by to reconnect with some of them and to hear or share some stories from long ago. So far, volunteers include George Allen and his son, Bill; June Wagner; Ralph and Marjorie (Coburn) Black; Donna (McCormick) Page; Nancy Durgin; Bob and Dot Bryant; and Natalie Gilese.
Open hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, as well as some Sundays, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and by appointment. For more information, call 377-2299, visit readfieldhistorical@gmail.com or follow RHS on Facebook for news, event updates and historical posts of interest.
PHOTO CAPTION: One of the many photos included on a newly released Readfield Historical Society calendar is this one, taken about 1960 at a Junior Rifle Safety Class inspired by the Readfield Ladies Limited Rifle and Pistol Club. Front, from left, Lynn Parker, Alan Coburn, Kirk Damborg, Wally Henderson; back, from left, Pete Allen, Peter Smith, Benny Harriman, Sonny Moore, Patrick Cushing, David Wood, Mike Turner and Maurice Moore, instructor. Men standing in rear are Paul Lothrop and Raeburn McDonald. The calendar includes historical photos from local organizations and will be available beginning May 27. (Submitted photo courtesy of Kirk Damborg)
