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LEEDS — The Leeds Historical Society is inviting the public to take a trip back in time as attendees become archivists of the early 1900s “shopping mall” of downtown Leeds Center.
The program is at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at the Leeds Town Office, 8 Community Drive.
For hundreds of years in America, the rural country store was the area’s hub of activity — part Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter all rolled into one. At the corner of Route 106 and Church Hill Road in Leeds Center stood W. Scott Lane’s Store, offering sundries, supplies and social activity to generations of folk from near and far. “You’ve got mail!” had its own meaning when shouted from Lane’s U.S. post office window.
Local historian and antiques dealer Lew Alessio was one of the last people to view and explore Lane’s store with his Maine adoptive parents, Alden and Louise Grant. “Alden was the last proprietor of the store,” said Alessio, recalling that Alden had his business, The Better Mousetrap, in the old shop.
“Together the Grants and I emptied the many rooms and shelves of old store stock and papers,” recalled Alessio, an avid collector of country store antiques. “I inherited some of it, along with boxes of receipts recording customer purchases over many generations. These receipts are a time capsule of rural living, and surviving, in Maine.”
Attendees will be examining these receipts hands-on, as the day-to-day life of local villagers is revealed by what they purchased “up at Lane’s.”
“These are all hand-written histories of what was bought, how much it cost, and how people managed in this farming community,” notes Alessio. Local names, and likely, ancestors of some of those attending are sure to surprise and delight. Very possibly, some who “go back aways” may find their very own names on those receipts, but sorry, no refunds will be issued!
Those attending are invited to bring along photos, memorabilia and memories of their experiences or stories of the store from their parents or grandparents. Some of the Leeds Historical Society’s photographs will be on view, and Alessio will also have some of the store stock from the shop, as well as other ephemera from his collection of country store ephemera.
The meeting is free and open to the public, though donations are appreciated.
Contact Laura Juraska, 207-524-2324, for more information about the program.
