Bath Historical Society

Bath Historical (and Sagadahoc Preservation Inc. !) in the wild… at Bath’s Community Involvement Day and presenting a session at last week’s Maine Archives and Museum’s conference. We hope to see YOU this Saturday for our fall program Patten Free Library. Doors open at 10am, program begins at 10:30.

Hope to see you this Saturday, 10/12 at 1030 at the Patten Free Library for our fall program - Earle Shettleworth on the Ship carvers of Bath (rescheduled from earlier this year). Note: seating is limited - the program will *not* be on zoom.

We are happy to announce that Earle Shettleworth's talk on "19th Century Bath Ship Carvers" has been rescheduled for October 12th, 2024, at 10:30 am in the Community Room at the Patten Free Library. We hope to see you there for our fall program!

Did you catch the "Heritage Days Trivia Q & A" at the Waterfront Park stage last week? BHS Trustees were happy to contribute to the slides assembled by Main Street Bath and shown to hundreds of festival goers throughout the weekend. Missed it? Not to worry - check out the first of two blog posts on our website recapping the fun! Go ahead and test your knowledge! https://www.bathhistorical.org/blog/heritage-days-trivia-part-1

A chance to mix and mingle and dig into Bath history, tomorrow at 4pm. See link to RSVP.

NEXT WEEK - Join Union + Co for an Art Opening featuring historic photos of Downtown Bath. Hear from John Morse and Sean Ireland about the City of Ships' illustrious past. Light refreshments will be served. Thanks to Bath Savings Institution, First Federal Savings, and Sean Ireland for their loans to this exhibit. RSVP at the Link here: https://bit.ly/artopeningbathbldgs

Thank you to departing Board Members Elena Vandervoort and Mary Small! Learn more about these women's connection with Bath history, some favorite memories with BHS, the momentum they've bequeathed the organization, and a teaser about a hamburger casserole recipe (to come, we hope!) https://www.bathhistorical.org/blog/thank-you-elena-and-mary

Members and those who attended our annual meeting know one of the exciting new initiatives for BHS this year is a brand new website. While at bathhistorical.org, you can join or renew your membership, make a donation, send us a research inquiry, learn about events past and present, and peruse the blog. We are thrilled to have a platform to post more regular stories and updates about Bath history. Check out our newest post - the first in a planned series about "Bath-built Vessels We Should All Know" (love that title!) by our Board President, Nathan R. LIpfert. First up - the Rappahannock. (Image courtesy of Maine Maritime Museum.) While there, be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter to stay up to date on news and events from BHS! https://www.bathhistorical.org/blog/bath-built-vessels-we-should-all-know-the-rappahannock-i

Thank you to all who came out for our Annual Meeting and program yesterday! We’d like to sincerely and heartily thank outgoing board secretary Mary Small, and outgoing board members Marty Lakeman and Elena Vandervoort for their valuable service to BHS and our community. We welcome new board members Ellen Endter, Suzy Pundt, and Rebecca Roche! Stay tuned for more updates and programs. This promises to be an exciting year for BHS!

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the program at tomorrow’s BHS Annual Meeting has changed. Join us for "From Seneca Falls to Suffrage in Sagadahoc: How 8 Bath Women in a 4 Block Radius Made Their Mark" presented by BHS Trustee, Meg Steele Barker. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at 10:30am in the Community Room at the Patten Free Library !

Hope to see all the Bath history lovers this Saturday!

BHS Members and the public are cordially invited to our 2024 Annual Meeting & Program. We are thrilled to have Maine State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. to present his research on Bath, Maine's very own 19th century ship carvers, including Freeman Morse, Charles A.L. Sampson (also well known as the husband of Sarah Sampson), and William Southworth.

Mark your calendar and plan to join us on Saturday, April 27th at 10:30am at the Patten Free Library Community Room!

(Photos below show the Western Belle and the Belle of Oregon, by Sampson.)

Members - check your mailbox! And we hope to see *everyone* on the 27th!

Three cheers for our board president! A true champion of Bath history. 🎂🎉🙌

One week ago today we gathered to kick off the Patten Free Library's 2024 Town History Series and hear Ellen Endter's wonderful talk on Bath's own "Woman of the Century" - Alice May Douglas (1865-1943). This remarkable writer, composer, editor, activist and leader had a national impact on many issues of the day, all from her home on York Street, the same home where Ellen resides today. (Must be something in the water! 🤣) You can watch (or re-watch) the talk now on the YouTube channel of Patten Free Library : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qETeo9kpDec

Thank you The Forecaster for writing a bit about this Saturday's program. Thank you Patten Free Library for hosting this incredible series (celebrating a special anniversary this year, maybe there will be cake???) and Ellen Endter for being inspired by the history in your literal backyard. Hope to see you at the Library or on Zoom! (Registration link in the comments.)

Historian shines light on Bath’s ‘fierce’ Alice May Douglas Ellen Endter will discuss her research of the life of the anti-war advocate, poet and journalist Saturday at the Patten Free Library.

*This* Saturday the PFL’s Town History Series kicks off featuring Bath and the story of an amazing a Bath woman - a writer, reformer and activist, whose life spanned two centuries - Alice May Douglas. Hope to see you Saturday at 1030 at the Library or follow the link below to join us via Zoom.

The Patten Free Library's annual Town History series is just around the corner and Bath is first up! We are so excited to hear Bath resident, Ellen Endter, present on Alice May Douglas. The event takes place Saturday, January 20th, at 10:30 am at the Patten Free Library or on Zoom. More information about the series can be found on the Library's website: https://www.patten.lib.me.us/ths24/

More about the presentation: Ellen Endter was first introduced to Alice May Douglas while researching the history of her house in Bath. The pandemic provided the impetus to search the web for information about Douglas, a remarkable writer and activist journalist–famous in her time, and now largely forgotten–who lived from the end of the Civil War until WWII on York Street in Bath.

Ellen has pursued several careers, including teaching, journalism, and making things run smoothly in higher education institutions in both Maine and Massachusetts. She is now enjoying a busy retirement in which she shares with Alice May a love of gardening, and tromping through the woods, as well as hopes for peaceful existence

The Patten Free Library's annual Town History series is just around the corner and Bath is first up! We are so excited to hear Bath resident, Ellen Endter, present on Alice May Douglas. The event takes place Saturday, January 20th, at 10:30 am at the Patten Free Library or on Zoom. More information about the series can be found on the Library's website: https://www.patten.lib.me.us/ths24/

More about the presentation: Ellen Endter was first introduced to Alice May Douglas while researching the history of her house in Bath. The pandemic provided the impetus to search the web for information about Douglas, a remarkable writer and activist journalist–famous in her time, and now largely forgotten–who lived from the end of the Civil War until WWII on York Street in Bath.

Ellen has pursued several careers, including teaching, journalism, and making things run smoothly in higher education institutions in both Maine and Massachusetts. She is now enjoying a busy retirement in which she shares with Alice May a love of gardening, and tromping through the woods, as well as hopes for peaceful existence

Seeking space! Bath Historical Society is seeking a business space in Bath for about one year or so that we can use to spread out a bit to do do some collections processing. Some of what we are looking for: 500 or so square feet; has shelving and a big table or ok to bring in our own; equipped for internet, electric, heat etc such that one or two people at a time can come in to work scanning and cataloging items (e.g. photos, scrapbooks, maps, etc.) at times outside the normal business day (eg evenings and weekends as well as the business day). 1st floor ideal, but 2nd floor ok. Climate control does not have to be museum quality but we are looking to avoid basements and attics. Please feel free to post any questions below but send any leads with details to [email protected] Thank you!

It’s heeeeere! The 2024 Bath Historical Society calendar. Still only 10 dollars. 😎 Many, many thanks to our sponsors, highlighted on each month, and vendors including our printer Bath Printing Co. 🫶 You can also purchase the calendar at the The library bookstore , Wilson's Drug Store , Patten Free Library , Mockingbird Bookshop , Bath Sweet Shoppe , Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine , The Corner Bookshop and the Cemetery Office. All proceeds go to BHS! You will love this year’s theme: “Archivist Picks”! Oh - and you can also order online at our website. 🗓️🗓️🗓️

Thank you to all who came out for our fall program from Nathan Lipfert on "The Bath Custom House". So nice to gather in person to dig into Bath history! The program was recorded and we will let you know when it is available to view online. Books are still available for purchase - please contact us here or via email.

Today is the Bath Historical Society annual meeting. There is still time to register to view via Zoom if you find yourself unable to attend in person - here is the link:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Bath Historical Society Annual Meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Bath Historical Society Annual Meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

SAVE THE DATE
Annual Meeting: Saturday, April 15th, 2023, 10:30am at the Patten Free Library

All BHS members and the general public are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Bath Historical Society on Saturday, April 15th, 2023 at the Patten Free Library.

After a brief business meeting is conducted, the program will continue with a presentation from Dr. James Wilberg, the author of, “Sumner Sewall: Maine’s First World War Fighter Ace.”

Further details may be found at our website, and as has become the new usual custom; the meeting will be in person and on Zoom as well; registration link at the website.

Home - Bath Historical Society Welcome to the Bath Historical Society BHS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting interest in the history and heritage of Bath, Maine: The City of Ships. Our headquarters are in the Sagadahoc History and Genealogy Room on the second … Continue reading →

Please join us at the Patten Free Library, or online via Zoom; for Bath's edition of the Town History Series: Oak Grove Cemetery, A History with Stories presented by Joe Minott - to register for the zoom option, please go to the Patten Free Library's website and the History Room page.

UPDATE - The calendar is out and in local stores - as noted below in the comments - and available at the Patten Free Library circulation desk, as well as online via our webpage www.bathhistorical.com

There are some who may be wondering about the historical society calendar - Worry not for despite some challenges it will be available soon and will feature the Oak Grove Cemetery - here is a teaser: