Upcoming Events 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 7 PM: “Genetic Genealogy ~ How, When, Where, and Why"
...with Nancy Milliken Mason, a genetic genealogist who has been doing genealogy research for more than thirty years
Explore genetic DNA testing to learn which test(s) would be more helpful with your research. Tests can prove or disprove a particular genealogical question. This specialized knowledge may uncover missing family lines and previously unknown relatives with whom you share a common ancestor. Genealogy is like a maze and often the search leads to dead ends and brick walls. Information from your newly discovered relatives can get you on to the right track as you share stories and photographs with one another. This is a rapidly growing field to assist with traditional genealogical research. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8*
Tuesday, May 12, 7 PM: “It’ll be Over by Christmas: Remembering World War I”
Join area citizens in remembering Maine veterans in WWI with Lee Humiston, Director & Curator of the Maine Military Museum & Learning Center in South Portland. Uniforms, helmets, Yankee Division flag, documents and more. Come in your uniform, bring photos and memorabilia to share. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8*
Saturday, June 6, 9 AM to Noon: Bar Mills Exhibit OPENING (that's our goal, anyway--you may want to check in with us ahead of time, just to be sure!)
Refreshments served.
Tuesday, June 16, 7 PM: “Brides Through History”
...with Carla Turner, President of the Dorcas Society of Hollis and Buxton
June is the month of brides and weddings. Enjoy this special informative talk on the history of weddings and wedding gowns. See excerpts from a unique wedding gown fashion show held 1997 in the Brewster Barn to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Dorcas Society. Several period wedding gowns also on display. You are invited to bring wedding photos of grandparents and others to display. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8*
Saturday, July 18, 9-3 PM:
Join us at our sales/information table at the Dorcas Fair on the Tory Hill Church Common (First Congregational Church of Buxton). Also, check out our BHHS float in the parade. If you would like to help with the float or at the sales table, let us know. Leave a message on our office phone (929-1684) and someone will get back to you. Research Library and Museum closed for this event.
Saturday, July 25, 5 PM: Box Lunch Social Auction
We thought we would mix things up a bit and try a change of time for this year's successful capital fundraiser! Come together again with old and new friends for this unique and fun packed evening. Pack your light supper in a decorated box or container. Be sure to attach a description of the meal you provide to be auctioned to the highest bidder. Once again auctioneer extraordinaire, Bruce A. Buxton, is back by popular demand. Period costumes fun, but optional. The venue is the same--the barn of the Royal Brewster Mansion at the corner of Rt. 202 and 112. It's a wonderful event--don't miss it! For more information and to reserve your seat, call Bev at 929-6495 or email [email protected]
Saturday, August 15, 8:30 AM to Noon: “Cruising Down the River!”
Bring your kayak or canoe, a life jacket and your picnic lunch for a floating excursion down the glorious Saco River. We will be following the route of the stern-wheeler paddleboat named the Minnie Hah-Ha that carried passengers and lumber up and down the river from West Buxton to the Bar Mills Railroad Depot. The river journey will end with a picnic lunch. Stay tuned for more details!
Sunday, September 6: Join us at our BHHS "Hollis Fest" table (place and time to be announced)
Saturday, September 12, 3:30 PM: "Dedications at Buxton Center"
Please join us in Buxton Center for the dedication of the newly completed landscape and memorial plantings at one of Buxton's most important historic National Register public buildings. Originally built to house Elden's Store and later the S.D. Hanson Coat Shop, this building was central to what was once Buxton's “industrial hub.” It now serves as the home of Buxton's Emergency Management Agency (EMA). This project has been made possible by a grant from the Narragansett Number One Foundation and was led by the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society, with the assistance from the Town of Buxton. (Corner of Rt. 22 & Haines Meadow Rd). Following the Elden Landscape dedication, we hope you will walk a short distance across Rt. 22 to join us in dedicating the beautiful new sign at the N.C. Watson One-Room School Museum (and check out the spruced up landscaping there as well!). Designed by neighbor Anthony Taylor with direction from the N. C. Watson Committee, this new sign was planned with longevity in mind. It was made possible by private and public donations. Following these short ceremonies, we suggest you consider rounding off your Buxton Center history experience by dropping in to the adjacent historic Buxton Center Baptist Church for their regularly scheduled bean supper held from 4:30 until 6! (** Note: If you would like to purchase a memorial planting for the Elden landscape project, please call 929-1684 to leave a message or contact Jan Hill at 929-8895.)
Tuesday, October 13, 7 PM: "Architectural Salvage"
...with Alice Dunn, owner of Portland Architectural Salvage
Many of our area's historic buildings are in danger of demolition, even though the tide is turning nationally towards rehabilitating and re-purposing. As with the train station in Portland, it may be too late for some of our National Register eligible rural treasures. Alice will discuss how elements of demolished structures are often re-used. We have asked her to discuss the challenges and advantages of re-purposing and to comment particularly on the old Odd Fellows Hall in West Buxton, which she purchased to save from demolition a few years ago.
Saturday, November 7, 5 PM: Annual Potluck Supper Meeting: "Bar Mills WWI Memorial Bridge"
...presented by history buff and past BHHS president, Brenton Hill
One of only three continuous truss bridges in Maine, it is scheduled for replacement in 2015-16. Important historically and in design, both in Maine and nationally, the Bar Mills Memorial bridge was built to commemorate Buxton and Hollis veterans and their contributions in WWI (2014 to 2018), the greatest war of the first quarter of the twentieth century. Over 5000 people attended its dedication. This program takes us through the three Bar Mills bridges from 1824 to date and will cover the consultants' report to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. It includes many rare photos and maps and was completed with significant contributions by your historical society. You won't want to miss this informative program! To reserve your seat please contact Bertie Ramsdell 929-4529. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8
*Please note that suggested donations are used to support on-going capital improvements to our new history center building.
...with Nancy Milliken Mason, a genetic genealogist who has been doing genealogy research for more than thirty years
Explore genetic DNA testing to learn which test(s) would be more helpful with your research. Tests can prove or disprove a particular genealogical question. This specialized knowledge may uncover missing family lines and previously unknown relatives with whom you share a common ancestor. Genealogy is like a maze and often the search leads to dead ends and brick walls. Information from your newly discovered relatives can get you on to the right track as you share stories and photographs with one another. This is a rapidly growing field to assist with traditional genealogical research. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8*
Tuesday, May 12, 7 PM: “It’ll be Over by Christmas: Remembering World War I”
Join area citizens in remembering Maine veterans in WWI with Lee Humiston, Director & Curator of the Maine Military Museum & Learning Center in South Portland. Uniforms, helmets, Yankee Division flag, documents and more. Come in your uniform, bring photos and memorabilia to share. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8*
Saturday, June 6, 9 AM to Noon: Bar Mills Exhibit OPENING (that's our goal, anyway--you may want to check in with us ahead of time, just to be sure!)
Refreshments served.
Tuesday, June 16, 7 PM: “Brides Through History”
...with Carla Turner, President of the Dorcas Society of Hollis and Buxton
June is the month of brides and weddings. Enjoy this special informative talk on the history of weddings and wedding gowns. See excerpts from a unique wedding gown fashion show held 1997 in the Brewster Barn to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Dorcas Society. Several period wedding gowns also on display. You are invited to bring wedding photos of grandparents and others to display. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8*
Saturday, July 18, 9-3 PM:
Join us at our sales/information table at the Dorcas Fair on the Tory Hill Church Common (First Congregational Church of Buxton). Also, check out our BHHS float in the parade. If you would like to help with the float or at the sales table, let us know. Leave a message on our office phone (929-1684) and someone will get back to you. Research Library and Museum closed for this event.
Saturday, July 25, 5 PM: Box Lunch Social Auction
We thought we would mix things up a bit and try a change of time for this year's successful capital fundraiser! Come together again with old and new friends for this unique and fun packed evening. Pack your light supper in a decorated box or container. Be sure to attach a description of the meal you provide to be auctioned to the highest bidder. Once again auctioneer extraordinaire, Bruce A. Buxton, is back by popular demand. Period costumes fun, but optional. The venue is the same--the barn of the Royal Brewster Mansion at the corner of Rt. 202 and 112. It's a wonderful event--don't miss it! For more information and to reserve your seat, call Bev at 929-6495 or email [email protected]
Saturday, August 15, 8:30 AM to Noon: “Cruising Down the River!”
Bring your kayak or canoe, a life jacket and your picnic lunch for a floating excursion down the glorious Saco River. We will be following the route of the stern-wheeler paddleboat named the Minnie Hah-Ha that carried passengers and lumber up and down the river from West Buxton to the Bar Mills Railroad Depot. The river journey will end with a picnic lunch. Stay tuned for more details!
Sunday, September 6: Join us at our BHHS "Hollis Fest" table (place and time to be announced)
Saturday, September 12, 3:30 PM: "Dedications at Buxton Center"
Please join us in Buxton Center for the dedication of the newly completed landscape and memorial plantings at one of Buxton's most important historic National Register public buildings. Originally built to house Elden's Store and later the S.D. Hanson Coat Shop, this building was central to what was once Buxton's “industrial hub.” It now serves as the home of Buxton's Emergency Management Agency (EMA). This project has been made possible by a grant from the Narragansett Number One Foundation and was led by the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society, with the assistance from the Town of Buxton. (Corner of Rt. 22 & Haines Meadow Rd). Following the Elden Landscape dedication, we hope you will walk a short distance across Rt. 22 to join us in dedicating the beautiful new sign at the N.C. Watson One-Room School Museum (and check out the spruced up landscaping there as well!). Designed by neighbor Anthony Taylor with direction from the N. C. Watson Committee, this new sign was planned with longevity in mind. It was made possible by private and public donations. Following these short ceremonies, we suggest you consider rounding off your Buxton Center history experience by dropping in to the adjacent historic Buxton Center Baptist Church for their regularly scheduled bean supper held from 4:30 until 6! (** Note: If you would like to purchase a memorial planting for the Elden landscape project, please call 929-1684 to leave a message or contact Jan Hill at 929-8895.)
Tuesday, October 13, 7 PM: "Architectural Salvage"
...with Alice Dunn, owner of Portland Architectural Salvage
Many of our area's historic buildings are in danger of demolition, even though the tide is turning nationally towards rehabilitating and re-purposing. As with the train station in Portland, it may be too late for some of our National Register eligible rural treasures. Alice will discuss how elements of demolished structures are often re-used. We have asked her to discuss the challenges and advantages of re-purposing and to comment particularly on the old Odd Fellows Hall in West Buxton, which she purchased to save from demolition a few years ago.
Saturday, November 7, 5 PM: Annual Potluck Supper Meeting: "Bar Mills WWI Memorial Bridge"
...presented by history buff and past BHHS president, Brenton Hill
One of only three continuous truss bridges in Maine, it is scheduled for replacement in 2015-16. Important historically and in design, both in Maine and nationally, the Bar Mills Memorial bridge was built to commemorate Buxton and Hollis veterans and their contributions in WWI (2014 to 2018), the greatest war of the first quarter of the twentieth century. Over 5000 people attended its dedication. This program takes us through the three Bar Mills bridges from 1824 to date and will cover the consultants' report to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. It includes many rare photos and maps and was completed with significant contributions by your historical society. You won't want to miss this informative program! To reserve your seat please contact Bertie Ramsdell 929-4529. Suggested donations: $10, Seniors $8
*Please note that suggested donations are used to support on-going capital improvements to our new history center building.