Odds and Ends From The MUSEUM!
Busy…that describes the activity at the museum the last few weeks and it is expected to continue that way throughout the summer! In recent weeks there was the Bill Geller book signing, a successful plant sale, visits from Stearns HS freshmen and a group of Camp Natarswi Girl Scout councilors. Add to that list the visitors on July 4th who watched the parade from the museum porch or stopped in for a visit. Coming up, a group of 30+ summer school students from Granite Street School, teachers and chaperones is on the calendar. This is all made possible because of the efforts of our growing list of new members/volunteers along with those “more seasoned” members/volunteers!
New to the museum store is the “hot off the press” 2025 calendar titled Early Community & Business Leaders. It took some digging to unearth photos and information on twelve men who came to Millinocket at its beginning and in the following 2-3 decades. We scoured the museum’s collection, checked the timelines and scrapbooks and reached out to family members for assistance. The resulting calendar features one gentlemen representing each month along with a photo and a brief account of his contribution to Millinocket. One or two other photos is included on each page (their business, an ad or some other link to their Millinocket story). Gentlemen featured include: Frank Speed, Dr. Charles Bryant, Francois LePage, A.C. Smart, 5 Rush brothers (Frank, Charles, Harry, James, Eugene all on one page), Harry Carroll, Harry E. Reed, Thomas Corrigan, George W. Stearns, Fred Gates, Ferdinando Peluso and Santi Manzo. Each story is different and unique!
Many names arose in the planning discussions for this unique calendar. However, information and/or supplemental photos were not available for some. As a result, a collage of ten more of Millinocket’s early gentlemen appear on the calendar’s cover. If you have photos and or information on these men’s contribution to Millinocket’s early history, let us know! They include: E.D. Chapman, Frank C. Chase, George Ferland, John Simon and Guiseppa DiNardo (business owners). Also included in the cover collage: Onisime Cormier (dairyman), Olaf Sandstrom boarding house owner), Hardy Ferguson (GNP engineer), Almond Reed (lunchroom owner) and Frank Bowler (GNP engineer).
In other news, during the fall and winter, we plan to start arranging new exhibits on the 2nd floor. The new staircase allows staff access to start working there and we have many interesting and historic items and hundreds of photos to choose from with more items being donated almost daily. Already housed in the GNP corner is the huge model of the MGO plant. There are 2 small models of paper machines and a mill model all made by local individuals. The collection includes lunch pails, the warning light from atop the MGO plant and an antique wage scale. A couple of appropriately dressed mannequins will also find a spot in the display!
We hope construction will begin this summer on the addition to back of the building to house another staircase (secondary fire exit from 2nd floor) and the addition of a wheelchair lift and upgrades to the handicapped entrance to the museum. It continues to be a work in progress!
Other projects in the works include another on-line auction, a Millinocket History Treasure Hunt and a walking tour guide of downtown. Also in the beginning stages is a book (untitled as yet and content still in talking stages) to include short one-page stories to be contributed by anyone near and far who has a Millinocket story or remembrance to share. When we get more formalized plan, we will get the word out!
Come on in…become a member and/or volunteer!
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