Maine Historical Society

Today is #WorldOperaDay! Did you know that Maine was home to iconic opera divas like Lillian Nordica and Lillian Blauvelt? ✨🎼 Farmington’s Lillian Nordica (1857-1914) was a renowned soprano who captivated opera audiences worldwide with her powerful voice and charismatic stage presence. She sang before presidents, royalty, and working people alike during the Golden Age of Opera, from the mid-to late 1800s. At 18, Nordica graduated from the New England Conservatory and began performing in America and Europe. In 1879, she made her Milan, Italy debut as Elvira in Don Giovanni. Her performance as Violetta in Traviata in Brescia received an unprecedented thirteen curtain calls. Visit Music in Maine to see dazzling diva portraits, and audience finery like elegant opera coats, gloves, and glasses. Lillian Nordica as Brunnhilde, 1898. Collections of Nordica Memorial Association, MaineMemory.Net #17289. #mainehistory #opera

Our newest exhibit Rearranging History: Waynflete School and Maine Memory Network is now open! Students of Waynflete's Alternative Photographic Processes class used archival images from MaineMemory.Net to create collages that evoke the complexities of history and memory and give new narrative life to historic imagery. Collage 1 by Cecily Niese, Grade 12 Collage 2 by Paige Alexander, Grade 10 Collage 3 by Torben Chaney, Grade 10 #mainehistory

#Onthisday in 1981 Air New England agent Armand Malinoski and a pumpkin on the counter of Air New England in Augusta have sad faces, reflecting the news that the airline would end service October 31, 1981, due to the company's "intolerable losses." Air New England provided commuter connection from Maine and Massachusetts to New York from 1970-1981. Did you fly Air New England? ✈️ This United Press International image is in copyright. Collections of Maine Historical Society, MaineMemory.Net #11170.

The smallest book at the Brown Research Library alongside one of the biggest! 🔍 📕 An arbitrary abecdarium by David Serette. Portland, Maine, The Yellow Kid Press, 1969. History and Antiquities of Dorset, Vol. 1 by John Hutchins. Westminster : J. B. Nichols and sons, 1861-70. #mainehistory #researchlibrary #archives #miniatures

MHS's P.D. Merrill Collections Center is a vast archive of stories. The 18,000 square foot facility houses diaries, military uniforms, maps, wedding dresses, children’s toys, muskets, portraits and family photos, musical instruments—and each one tells a unique Maine story. Take a behind-the-scenes look inside the Center and see why collecting and caring for these items are central to MHS’s mission of preserving and sharing Maine history. Watch the full video on Maine Connection! #mainehistory #americanarchivesmonth https://lnkd.in/gVjvHs8j

Young women with pumpkins, Portland, ca. 1935. 🎃🍂 Collections of Maine Historical Society/MaineToday Media, MaineMemory.Net #103856 #mainehistory

Many Mainers know the story of twelve-year-old Donn Fendler who became lost on Katahdin and wandered in the Maine wilderness for nine days without food or shelter. Now, that story is coming to the big screen! Join MHS and Producer Ryan B. Cook on Saturday October 26th at 1 p.m. for a behind-the-scenes look at Lost on a Mountain in Maine (2024). Learn the story of how Fendler’s harrowing and heroic journey went from the pages of a beloved Maine classic to a feature film before it hits theaters on November 1! Note that this event does not include a screening of the film. Register for this free in-person event at the link below! https://lnkd.in/gNbBEyc8 #mainehistory #lostonamountaininmaine

Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day! Maine Historical Society encourages everyone to learn about the peoples native to the land you call home. MHS acknowledges we are on Wabanaki Homelands within the lands and waters of Ckuwapohnakiyik [Ch-ku-web-un-ah-gig], a place stewarded by Wabanaki peoples for over 13,000 years. We recognize the sovereignty of the Abenaki, Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Nations. Our past exhibit "Holding Up The Sky: Wabanaki people, culture, history & art" is available to explore online: https://lnkd.in/gPgMwRXb Here are additional resources for learning from Wabanaki peoples about their histories and current work: Abbe Museum - https://lnkd.in/dPFXVjZS The Hudson Museum - https://lnkd.in/gbNybwPr Wabanaki Reach - https://lnkd.in/gwnimQKh Bomazeen Land Trust - https://lnkd.in/gJVcsQVh Passamaquoddy People - https://lnkd.in/gZMQ6DXt Wabanaki Alliance - https://lnkd.in/gWV_fd9H #indigenouspeoplesday #wabanakihistory

Join us for an illustrated talk about two of the most popular houses from Portland's late 19th and early 20th-century—the Side-Hall and the I-House. By 1900, both house types had achieved densities of 60 to 80% of all dwellings in most neighborhoods. They also provided flexible accommodation for all classes of the city’s population—upper, middle, and working classes—a rare occurrence for single-house types. Register for this free in-person event at the link below! https://lnkd.in/gmp__T3G #mainehistory

Today the University of Maine celebrates Rudy Vallée Day! Did you know that the famous crooner and UMaine alum launched the school's Stein Song into the national spotlight in the 1930s? Watch our video to learn how the beloved song became a radio sensation: https://lnkd.in/gtvKfeeh