tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83769520732762588562023-11-16T07:56:08.572-08:00Cool Historic Sites In MaineDavid W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-47727567428112621282011-12-11T19:58:00.000-08:002011-12-11T19:58:30.265-08:00Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjyKgNxmVxt5q6CQjMsgyGZzig_sdveOxJBEi-_DQcb-PzZjpJfQRiuK0JDdJzvrtpppNeAZIiQAjTsRHom7fuYy8Hi70qXDG2Bc5F8WQhs_z80SaVdq6Lor3BBHlkVMJ4g8tdRROuDDd/s1600/S4022245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjyKgNxmVxt5q6CQjMsgyGZzig_sdveOxJBEi-_DQcb-PzZjpJfQRiuK0JDdJzvrtpppNeAZIiQAjTsRHom7fuYy8Hi70qXDG2Bc5F8WQhs_z80SaVdq6Lor3BBHlkVMJ4g8tdRROuDDd/s320/S4022245.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> David Wallace in front of Bowdoin College Museum of Art</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 200%;">Bowdoin</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;">College</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Museum</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> of Art, </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Brunswick</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10-5, Sunday 2-5 Closed Mondays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Free admission</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">On October 16<sup>th</sup>, I visited the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The featured exhibit was a sizable collection of works by Edward Hopper, called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hopper’s Maine</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The exhibit featured works that Hopper painted or drew during his numerous visits to Maine between 1914- and 1929.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Included in his locations are places like Ogunquit, Monhegan, Rockland, Cape Elizabeth, and Portland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Known for his rich use of color, light and shadow, Hopper’s art conveys a feelings of beauty and profound isolation at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did a great job of capturing the stark beauty of Maine along with the theme of isolation which frequently recurs in writings and other representations of Maine’s history, that we have studied in this course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the pieces where done while Hopper stayed on Monhegan Island and some were done in various places like Portland Head Light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entrance to the museum is an ultra-modern, spacious glass cube-shaped structure which offers a choice of stairs or elevator to the downstairs galleries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admission is free, with a suggested donation box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After reaching the downstairs lobby with gift shop to the left and restrooms to the right, you proceed through double doors to the first gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Hopper exhibit occupied most of the downstairs galleries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you reach the end of the downstairs galleries, a long gently-sloping staircase or elevator takes you to the second floor where you are immediately greeted by an impressive wall of Assyrian reliefs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a smaller gallery off to the left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main floor of the museum has a central rotunda with ancient Greek exhibits, two large side exhibit halls and a basement level suite of several exhibit halls. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">The Bowdoin College Museum of Art, also known as the Walker Art Building, was completed in 1894.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was given to Bowdoin by Harriet and Sophia Walker, collectors and supporters of art education, in memory of their uncle Theophilus Walker, a Boston entrepreneur and businessman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum was designed by architect Charles Follen McKim of the firm McKim, Meade and White. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The exterior features a wide stone stairway guarded by statues of two large lions, statues of Sophocles and Demosthenes, (Greek philosophers) in niches in the walls, and a beautiful copper dome on the roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Originally built to house a collection given to Bowdoin by James Bowdoin III and his family in 1811, the museum soon began to expand its collection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently there are some 15,000 objects. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1974, the lower-level galleries were renovated and expanded, and in 2007, a major renovation re-designed the galleries, added the impressive ultra-modern glass cube entrance, a media room showing art-related videos, and modern climate control including special window shades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum is a unique asset to Bowdoin College, the town of Brunswick, and the state of Maine. </div>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-45592223361743703002011-12-11T15:46:00.000-08:002011-12-11T17:00:17.261-08:00Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center, Gardiner<span style="font-size: large;">Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">280 Water Street, Gardiner </div><div class="MsoNormal">Tours are free. General hours of operation: </div><div class="MsoNormal">Monday-Friday 10am – 6pm</div><div class="MsoNormal">582-7144 </div><div class="MsoNormal">Performance schedule online at <a href="http://www.johnsonhall.org/">www.johnsonhall.org</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExNS7tUlvRJeD9VRal14iZwYFyhxJzrjLCdYnbkOGkX8OutQx4XEWFmb2-ISGWpCHTfHbBt0oJw3mU-L_WV6-UxNkGyjyIyI7as4xx294LBngTudwoRjbSt7UXXGPkXlFKGlB08qjWZeo/s1600/JohnsonHall+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExNS7tUlvRJeD9VRal14iZwYFyhxJzrjLCdYnbkOGkX8OutQx4XEWFmb2-ISGWpCHTfHbBt0oJw3mU-L_WV6-UxNkGyjyIyI7as4xx294LBngTudwoRjbSt7UXXGPkXlFKGlB08qjWZeo/s320/JohnsonHall+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Johnson Hall, present day</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">On November 19, I attended a one-man play called “Jimmy Higgins: A Life in the Labor Movement” at Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center in Gardiner. The performance was held in a 100-seat theater on the first floor of Johnson Hall. Johnson Hall is a four-story Italianate style brick building which was built as a theater in1864. It remains the oldest operating theater in Maine. The current performance space was once the livery stable in 1864. The original performance space on the third floor is currently un-renovated and unheated. However, the first-floor performance space has regular arts programming all year round.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">Circa 1864, Gardiner was a vital industrial hub. As the northernmost deepwater port on the Kennebec River, there was a steady flow of ships and commerce from the tall ships through the steamboat area. It was a city bristling with factories, sawmills, manufacturing operations, and of course was a key player in the commercial ice industry. Gardiner native Benjamin K. Johnson, after returning from California in 1858, bought the Cobbossee Hotel and renamed it The Johnson House. In March of 1864 Johnson announced his plan to build a building for large gatherings next to his hotel. In December of 1864 a gala with banquet was held to celebrate the completion of Johnson Hall. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gardiner Home Journal </i>noted that there were 500 people in attendance and that the turnout was small due to bad weather. According to the newspaper of the time the third floor theater with balcony could seat as many as 1,200 people, making it the largest gathering-hall in the state. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> Johnson and his wife Henrietta brought in music, vaudeville, plays, choruses, lectures and all the live entertainment of the time. They had the first traveling Broadway show “The Black Crook” (tickets cost 35 cents at the time). The poster (a copy is still on display at Johnson Hall) notes that it had a “carload of scenery” and was “Suitable for Ladies.” In 1888, the theater was renovated, increasing the size of the stage and decorating the hall elegantly. At this time it was called the Johnson Opera House. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eQ8bEl-oqxObLk_obVCAFV0zukzvtoPnHtXnVq-EPeRLON3PsozBuXaP5w4QDq9d8n8bx_jAaSd3FJabMRA0V1855AS7v5r2wy-cbr9_dBIy5jZyQYoiGEeFMdXUw-Qyw1626KUVJAg3/s1600/Johnson+Hall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eQ8bEl-oqxObLk_obVCAFV0zukzvtoPnHtXnVq-EPeRLON3PsozBuXaP5w4QDq9d8n8bx_jAaSd3FJabMRA0V1855AS7v5r2wy-cbr9_dBIy5jZyQYoiGEeFMdXUw-Qyw1626KUVJAg3/s320/Johnson+Hall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Circa 1911 postcard with Johnson House at left and Johnson Hall (red brick) at center</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">Benjamin Johnson died in 1902, leaving Johnson Hall to his wife Henrietta.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">In 1909 the building was leased to Dreamland Theater for showing silent movies in addition to live entertainment. With the introduction of the “talkies” in 1929, Henrietta Johnson approved a major renovation to the theater which added a projection booth, a sloped floor, red leather seats, and stepped-up seating in the back. The second floor housed the concession stand and rest-rooms. It then became a full-time movie venue, which it remained until it closed in 1959. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">A succession of retails shops occupied the first floor of the building starting in the late 1800s. After the theater closed, the second and third floors became storage for the retail shops on the first floor. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpuWgOXyXzFFjrbHrGZUVl3uDaMCHV89dbGz272o0C1HDY-ecxsyY5GPOm4uMYJurH3vp-6Ehx-mPAvFzFfL_5mQ30CnqyMRUttHTprnY3J3SQjNtmluVoguhSrTqf9-yqFeTDMMHhUSA/s1600/Johnson+Hall+int..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpuWgOXyXzFFjrbHrGZUVl3uDaMCHV89dbGz272o0C1HDY-ecxsyY5GPOm4uMYJurH3vp-6Ehx-mPAvFzFfL_5mQ30CnqyMRUttHTprnY3J3SQjNtmluVoguhSrTqf9-yqFeTDMMHhUSA/s320/Johnson+Hall+int..jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;">View from above the stage of Johnson Hall's 3rd Floor Theater</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">The building was saved from urban-renewal-style destruction in the 1980s by a group of people (one of whom was a direct descendant of city namesake Sylvester Gardiner). The groups formed a nonprofit with the purpose of bringing performances and arts education to Gardiner and the central Maine region. They raised $250,000 and renovated the first floor into the current performance space. The long-term vision is to return the building to its former glory, as a 360-seat theater and conference center. </div>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-66668160649725581472011-12-09T21:23:00.000-08:002011-12-09T21:23:56.020-08:00The Portland Observatory<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">The </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Portland</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"> Observatory</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">138 Congress Street, Portland </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Open for tours Memorial Day Weekend – Columbus Day Weekend </div><div class="MsoNormal">Admission is $8.00 for adults, $5.00 for children 6-16, </div><div class="MsoNormal">$5.00 for Portland resident adults and $2.00 for Portland resident children</div><div class="MsoNormal">The observatory has a limit of 48 people at one time and an 8 person maximum on observation deck </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWK6NiMJ1iUOVRwS7aXY5GSk6-LwW6pfXDnDTPcdWkIGUxTWXjwNEaKexRNXmr6RE4R3Afrwb_v2cjyFQK7u7iXHWjw3Rbco1T5cCoBMUE9wcevz_ggCv-rKm4DyQCuk0v7DKcMH__ITAJ/s1600/Portland+Observatory.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWK6NiMJ1iUOVRwS7aXY5GSk6-LwW6pfXDnDTPcdWkIGUxTWXjwNEaKexRNXmr6RE4R3Afrwb_v2cjyFQK7u7iXHWjw3Rbco1T5cCoBMUE9wcevz_ggCv-rKm4DyQCuk0v7DKcMH__ITAJ/s320/Portland+Observatory.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> On September 8<sup>th</sup>, our class went on a field trip to the Portland Observatory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 86-foot high (220 feet above sea level), octagon-shaped red building with light green window trim, tapers to a light green, dome-topped observation deck which commands an awe-inspiring panoramic view of Portland harbor, greater Portland and beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon entering the building, the first thing that I noticed was the unmistakable aroma of aged pine boards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This olfactory sensation served to help propel us back to the time of the building’s 1807 inception. With the exception of two significant renovations to address structural concerns, moisture and powder post beetle damage, the Observatory is original. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the entry level floor we were shown a trap door which reveals the innovative stone ballast foundation below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After ascending the first set of stairs, our tour guide gave a mini lecture about the history of the building and its uses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next set of stairs brought us to another floor with additional displays (one of the displays features an early painting of the observatory when it was one of the very few structures in the middle of a large cow pasture).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are four sets of stairs (somewhat uneven) and 4 floors each with interesting facts and displays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one of the floors was a scale model (based on recent detective work of modern building engineers) showing how the eight massive vertical pine timbers were most likely erected (no original records detailing the tower’s construction have survived).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fifth set of stairs leads to the outside observation deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Visitors are not allowed access to dome-topped observation enclosure, where the powerful telescope was once mounted. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, a 360-degree deck with railing affords a perfectly unobstructed view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two interesting design features of the observatory are the octagonal walls and the stone ballast grounding system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By utilizing the octagonal shape the wind resistance, especially of taller structures, is dramatically reduced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of having the wind hit broad sides with greater force, the wind is largely deflected off the smaller octagonal segments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no section of wall that is more than 10 feet in width.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As someone very familiar with sailing ships, Moody was well aware of the functions of ballast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The structure is anchored to the ground with a massive collection of field stone slabs. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> The Portland Observatory was the brainchild of Capt. Lemuel Moody (1768-1846).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The former sea captain commissioned its construction in 1807.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a man of the sea and entrepreneur, Moody knew the value of having a clear view of the open ocean beyond the islands of Portland Harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By erecting the 86-foot observatory on Munjoy Hill, the highest point in Portland, he was able (with the aid of a state-of-the-art telescope) to see and identify ships up to 30 miles out to sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the use of a sophisticated flagging system, he was able to signal local merchants by raising the appropriate flag that would designate the ship that they were awaiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In these days before steam power, having this kind of advance identification, gave hours and sometimes days of advance warning, depending on the winds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of Maine’s vital maritime business this kind of information was invaluable in helping in the planning and coordinating of deliveries and shipments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to his signaling system, Moody provided a local weather report based on his observations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interested parties would subscribe to his weather publication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The observatory carried on its signaling operations from the time of its construction in 1807 to 1926.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the War of 1812, Civil War, and WWI it was used as an observation post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Observatory has been owned by the City of Portland since 1936.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1939, the tower was restored as part of a WPA project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between 1998 and 2000 a $1.28 million restoration project addressed damage caused by moisture and powder post beetle infestation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Portland Observatory is an amazingly well-maintained and preserved connection to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Maine</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">’s proud and prosperous maritime past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a must-see for anyone from away or from just down the street.</span>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-11074732958046234132011-12-07T17:22:00.000-08:002011-12-07T19:53:36.169-08:00John Ford Statue, Gorhams Corner<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The John Ford Statue</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Gorham’s Corner, Portland</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">On September 9<sup>th</sup>, I visited the John Ford statue which is situated in Portland at the intersection of Ford, Bank, York, Pleasant, and Danforth Streets (Also known as Gorham’s Corner). The statue is an impressive ten foot tall bronze creation depicting film director John Ford seated with his right leg crossed over his left leg in his director’s chair, sporting his wide brimmed fedora and holding his famous pipe in his left hand. The base of the statue appears to be sculpted to look like an outcropping of rock that might be found in the background of the many westerns that Ford directed. Forming a semi circle around his statue are 6 plaques, each of which details one of his six Oscar winning films: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjR4-PqJUXE5s5EYvOmFQy8SBJ6rU8V5mst0BXrIShvnZyZMszkvHARJtlH2d5FXqhfEs2tOkmav3h5fInWcEbJmnhXBFfzLhCC_W8ByXv8PMlp5yeZBLhwpIyMFQ_wMPCkHDvN9vsf_7/s1600/John+Ford+Statue%252C+Portland%252C+ME.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjR4-PqJUXE5s5EYvOmFQy8SBJ6rU8V5mst0BXrIShvnZyZMszkvHARJtlH2d5FXqhfEs2tOkmav3h5fInWcEbJmnhXBFfzLhCC_W8ByXv8PMlp5yeZBLhwpIyMFQ_wMPCkHDvN9vsf_7/s320/John+Ford+Statue%252C+Portland%252C+ME.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-size: small;"> David Wallace posing with Gorham's Corner plaque.</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrENO0esk-neuQsyD46hV3eFo_hj3ygHITc7v0REthvF1UBE3-qKrS-62XkNEqwtgRX6GSOhW2YqaCtc4D-L-stFoKhobxoKNRiVw3FiiFKA_4R1V9S_63u4I8v1CT5vruBU7XZT4oQxl/s1600/S4022264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrENO0esk-neuQsyD46hV3eFo_hj3ygHITc7v0REthvF1UBE3-qKrS-62XkNEqwtgRX6GSOhW2YqaCtc4D-L-stFoKhobxoKNRiVw3FiiFKA_4R1V9S_63u4I8v1CT5vruBU7XZT4oQxl/s320/S4022264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQBNf7k3fwfVU7gOdvJbqRmOCe7JKajU7L7hT34yv2cgTsSANIYU5fcFeoHvE2A8RTTLIXBJ2NlH8JngW94vhowqn8uOzitXVRabtT1xOPqO2rzaGApxrI-7GzJObaPA1UVUsV_VjN1ib/s1600/S4022262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQBNf7k3fwfVU7gOdvJbqRmOCe7JKajU7L7hT34yv2cgTsSANIYU5fcFeoHvE2A8RTTLIXBJ2NlH8JngW94vhowqn8uOzitXVRabtT1xOPqO2rzaGApxrI-7GzJObaPA1UVUsV_VjN1ib/s320/S4022262.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-size: small;">David Wallace next to the John Ford statue.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF17NS9CH0P9lJP9iZG8wbW6YxyEtdzHhJ2Htm0YnNG0euf_Qwy1q2YtsWrQ0m9eXm2twxO6jm69fSyRMySAkFHWNFnUSuLfBYP6ADLqDw5wqNajggFoAb0FprLJ_CA2CZUuR6E93sX6oH/s1600/S4022262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Informer</i> 1935, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Grapes of Wrath</i> 1940, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How Green Was My Valley</i> 1941, the wartime documentaries <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Battle of Midway</i> 1942, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">December 7<sup>th </sup></i>1943, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Quiet Man</i> 1952. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> A son of Irish immigrants (John Augustine Feeney and Barbara “Abbey” Curran), John Ford was born John Martin “Jack” Feeney on February 1<sup>st</sup> 1894. He was one of eleven children. Though the future six time Oscar winning Hollywood Director and Navy Rear Admiral was actually born in Cape Elizabeth, his statue is located in Portland proper. As perhaps Portland's most famous son of Irish immigrants, it's seems fitting that his statue would be located in what was once the heart of the Irish immigrant population. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> After attending Portland High School Ford moved to California to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Francis who had started a career as a film actor. John landed his first acting role in 1914 in the silent film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mysterious Rose. </i>In addition to acting, Ford worked as a production assistant and cameraman. By 1917 Ford had made his transition from actor to Director. Between 1917 and 1928, he directed more than 60 silent films. Ford was one of the first directors to incorporate sound into his films. During his 50 year career, he would increase that total to more than 140 films. He had a reputation for shooting only as much footage as he needed and for shooting films in sequence, which meant much less editing. His last completed film was <i>7 Women</i> 1966. After several years of declining health, John Ford died on August 31, 1973. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"></div>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-53792858989409130492011-11-16T20:18:00.000-08:002011-11-16T20:18:07.352-08:00The Wadsworth-Longfellow House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> The Wadsworth-Longfellow House </span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6GvIog9yqZmYu7Im16sJ82ilEhmOc2XPPZfAu7xMY_PRTKRRJRc0gE4hMBSJnQbxKUonq9cqD_15tGZQRu592vNSKtBdaJyCWCcnisi2x7iCQGqn6O7LaedQwFg4rU6MWwBKhrB8wMaj/s1600/S4022248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">s<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6GvIog9yqZmYu7Im16sJ82ilEhmOc2XPPZfAu7xMY_PRTKRRJRc0gE4hMBSJnQbxKUonq9cqD_15tGZQRu592vNSKtBdaJyCWCcnisi2x7iCQGqn6O7LaedQwFg4rU6MWwBKhrB8wMaj/s320/S4022248.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> David Wallace in front of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTb5w0_8hJcnfx-r2AM_AUisLjqt4MFS0Vr_8I01VPFsljXt2kOxwABQSo4pOr3dBzIueO-hkgpe_4ccQ3V-4Cs9CnArej7Uclh4v9srM9m3TZs5tadGXgJ1aPf3tXtFNOiM3dkg-uUYfL/s1600/S4022247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTb5w0_8hJcnfx-r2AM_AUisLjqt4MFS0Vr_8I01VPFsljXt2kOxwABQSo4pOr3dBzIueO-hkgpe_4ccQ3V-4Cs9CnArej7Uclh4v9srM9m3TZs5tadGXgJ1aPf3tXtFNOiM3dkg-uUYfL/s320/S4022247.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> David Wallace in the garden behind the Wadsworth-Longfellow House</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeVZccSM1D5VMrpt1LpjBML2Wja8wwMcBxBUyzCNRnyBiZ8Q3AoHAklJEUGbuSWFIArrUVjLIIEpKSoDGVPtooQTS5g-ahxqnFVtNdimtBsEMC3eboG1xGiHr2kdxUBrzaGy30MOExJVg/s1600/Wadsworth-Longfellow+House+and+Store.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeVZccSM1D5VMrpt1LpjBML2Wja8wwMcBxBUyzCNRnyBiZ8Q3AoHAklJEUGbuSWFIArrUVjLIIEpKSoDGVPtooQTS5g-ahxqnFVtNdimtBsEMC3eboG1xGiHr2kdxUBrzaGy30MOExJVg/s1600/Wadsworth-Longfellow+House+and+Store.JPG" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: small;">Wadsworth House and store as they appeared circa 1786</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> (Notice the absence of a full third floor).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> <div style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div><div style="line-height: 150%;"> On Sunday October 1st, I went on a tour of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. The cost of the tour was $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for senior citizens and students, $3.00 for children and free for anyone age 3 or under. Our tour guide was a very knowledgeable man named Howard. While our tour was assembled at the main entrance to the house, Howard presented a brief history of the house as he took us back in time to get a mental image of what Portland would have looked like circa 1786, when it was built. As the name implies, the Wadsworth-Longfellow house was home to both the Wadsworth and the Longfellow families. The handsome three story brick house, (originally two stories) with an attached barn and store, was built by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s maternal grandfather General Peleg Wadsworth, a veteran of the American Revolution. After surviving a combat wound and being taken prisoner by British forces, Peleg and his wife Elizabeth chose to build the house in Falmouth (as Portland was formerly known until 1786). Though today it stands as an anachronism in the heart of downtown Portland, the house originally was surrounded by farmland away from the more thickly settled part of Falmouth in the Munjoy Hill area. Peleg Wadsworth chose the current location thinking that its proximity to the busy harbor and the main roads was perfect for conducting business. (He turned out to be right). Construction of the brick house (very unusual at the time) began in 1785 and was completed the following year. In 1786, the house on pastoral farmland would have commanded an unobstructed ocean view, since the shore line was much closer circa 1786 (This proximity to the water was described by our tour guide as “about two blocks away.”) When construction of the house was complete in 1786, Peleg and Elizabeth took up residence with their 6 children. They would go on to have another 4 children while living in the new house. One of their original six children was Zilpah, mother of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. </div><div style="line-height: 150%;"> As we progressed through the house tour, our guide pointed out interesting features of the house, along with related anecdotes. In addition to being made a brick, the house's other atypical design feature was the placement of the chimneys. Instead of being centrally located in the house, the chimneys were placed on the outside ends of the house, so that every bedroom could have a fireplace. </div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;">After Peleg and Elizabeth moved to Hiram, where Peleg had considerable real estate holding and investments, their daughter would marry Stephen Longfellow and go to on raise their own family in the same house. It was when William and Zilpah were in possession of the house that a full third floor was added.</div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Stephen began to conduct more of his law practice locally, he set up an office in the parlor. A bookcase with his law books still survives today. It was just off that parlor in a small side room where Henry spent many hours writing in contented solitude. </div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house was occupied continuously by members of Wadsworth and then Longfellow family from its construction in 1786 until the death of Henry’s sister Anne Longfellow Pierce in 1902. Anne lived in the house for 87 of her 90 years. Anne had been married to a Bowdoin classmate of Henry’s (George Washington Pierce) who died from typhus, leaving Anne a heartbroken young widow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her loss would be compounded by the death of her sister also from typhus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of her remaining joys was gardening, and a lovely garden still remains behind the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the years that she lived in the house, Anne refused to embrace modern conveniences of the day such as indoor plumbing, although she did have the house refurbished in 1851. We have her to thank for the well-preserved and un-modernized house, with all of its original contents, that stands today. In accordance with Anne's will, the house was left to the Maine Historical Society, in whose capable hands it has rested ever since. As with the Victoria Mansion, the Wadsworth-Longfellow house is one of the very few historic house with so much of its original contents. For anyone interested into taking a trip back in time, I highly recommend a visit. </div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;">David Wallace </div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> </div>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-49128833160769490902011-11-15T20:15:00.000-08:002011-11-15T20:15:33.590-08:00The Victoria Mansion<!--[if !mso]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">The </span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Victoria</span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Mansion</span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"> – </span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">109 Danforth St</span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">, </span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Portland</span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On October 1<sup>st</sup>, we went to visit the Victoria Mansion on 109 Danforth Street in Portland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tour tickets are $15.00 for adults, $13.50 for Senior Citizens, $7.00 for college students and $5.00 for ages 17 and under.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a very well-placed and visible sign which stands on the front lawn to the left of the mansion. Our tour guide was a very outgoing, informative and personable young man named Adam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As awe-inspiring as the historic Italianate-style brick and brownstone house is from the outside, the interior made the exterior pale by comparison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was immediately struck by the incredible degree of detailed ornamentation and décor of the rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our tour began in the guest parlor, which in keeping with the tradition of the day, was the most exquisitely furnished room in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the days of the telephone and the internet, people would present their card and wait to be received by the homeowners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parlor was specifically designed to impress visitors while they waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ostentation was not frowned on, but highly desirable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An ornately carved marble fireplace has a gilded framed mirror above, the intricate design of the carpet is duplicated in the ceiling design, the faces carved in the chairs were echoed again above the windows. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">On the first floor, the dining room is decorated with many kinds of wood, some made to look like marble and other stones. Outside the dining room is a marble sink where guests could wash their hands before supper. The large living room is elegant, and all the furniture, wall hangings and art are part of a flowing composition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout the house there is tromp l’oeil painting on the walls, done by an Italian immigrant artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main hall, with its soaring ceiling, is dominated by the wide “floating” staircase with a beautiful banister that curves off to the left and right along the upper part of the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the roof level there are decorated windows in an atrium effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you walk up the stairs, ahead of you is an intricate and beautiful stained-glass window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the upper hall are bedrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One has a built-in four-foot-deep bathtub, also very unusual at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the most striking feature is the ornate Turkish smoking room, where the gentlemen would smoke after dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elaborate chandelier could be lowered so they could see to play cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ladies were not allowed to see the men smoking, so pocket doors closed off the room.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">At a time when indoor plumbing was still a rarity, the house had a 1000-gallon cistern on the 3<sup>rd</sup> floor. Gravity fed the water down into the bathrooms and kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JvSiPqomflRgJ2fE5urpxhH4hFHxKWqIM2hkJrVm0QVAdAKC_QU_JeCoMMmv35qFUe7GMn8nxucXkix5_7HTEW6ai5ANVokriAIcePGNjPmKy0SrfdDKYCOLWg9zT1QWHCNhDfEKYQ39/s1600/S4022258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JvSiPqomflRgJ2fE5urpxhH4hFHxKWqIM2hkJrVm0QVAdAKC_QU_JeCoMMmv35qFUe7GMn8nxucXkix5_7HTEW6ai5ANVokriAIcePGNjPmKy0SrfdDKYCOLWg9zT1QWHCNhDfEKYQ39/s320/S4022258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Victoria</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Mansion</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">—David Wallace, rt.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Victoria Mansion, also known as the Morse-Libby House (named after the two families who resided in it until the early part of the 20<sup>th</sup> century) was built between 1858 and 1860 as a summer home for Ruggles Sylvester Morse and his wife Olive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Originally from Maine, Mr. Morse made his fortune as a hotel proprietor in New Orleans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and his wife wanted to have a beautiful showcase home in which to spend their summers, and he wanted features found in his hotels to appear in his house. Morse hired architect Henry Austin to build this Italian villa-style house and interior designer/furniture-maker Gustav Herter to design and furnish the interior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was highly unusual at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the Civil War, although the house was finished, the Morses could not live there because of his Southern sympathies. But they did live there in summers from 1865 to 1893, and Morse even conducted some business in an office/library at the back of the house. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After Ruggles S. Morse passed away in 1893, his widow Olive made a detailed inventory of the mansion’s contents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1894 the house and all of its contents were sold to Portland merchant Joseph Ralph Libby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Members of the Libby family continued living in the house until 1928, and during that time, they sold many of the items or gave them away to other family members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 1928, the house was largely empty and abandoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During one of the winters, snow broke the atrium windows in the roof of the hall, allowing water to leak in over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After narrowly escaping demolition to make way for a gas station in 1940, the house was saved and it has operated as a museum ever since. As with all historic buildings, the process of restoration is ongoing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, about 90% of the original furniture was returned by Libby family members or found through research and purchase, so the house looks almost exactly as it would have in its heyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is one of the few historic homes in America which is furnished almost entirely with original pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-33147428011225102512011-11-08T15:42:00.000-08:002011-11-08T16:35:18.416-08:00Battery Steele on Peaks Island<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Battery Steele, Peaks Island</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> On a perfectly sunny and beautiful September 11th, 2011, we visited Battery Steele on Peaks Island. It's a good 20 minute walk from the Ferry terminal. We took a scenic route starting from the 5th Maine Regimental Museum. Battery Steele can be easily accessed via the Peaks Island landfill. Though it was a nice walk, it would be no problem to drive right up to the battery's entrance. Other than a small metal sign on a pole in front front of the entrance, there wad no evident additional information. A plague about the battery's history and function would definitely be in order. Admission is free and the tour is self-guided. As a person who has visited numerous abandoned fortifications with generally restricted interior access, I found Battery Steele to be extremely accessible and explorable. Speaking of interior access, I would highly recommend a flashlight for exploring the voluminous and very dark inner recesses of the battery. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI1fU1DY21tiQy_2jcvhWDocQnc-ufr2gv94M9Y0lMBSZbiz8nORuqIr7dZw_ct99dbVGxUB7OFynbXQoLnM43UKfckabVf0_vdeMZp2gP8UCoeFczxEOKfjYzbMuTHBfV2A20mE6_UN3/s1600/battery_steele.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI1fU1DY21tiQy_2jcvhWDocQnc-ufr2gv94M9Y0lMBSZbiz8nORuqIr7dZw_ct99dbVGxUB7OFynbXQoLnM43UKfckabVf0_vdeMZp2gP8UCoeFczxEOKfjYzbMuTHBfV2A20mE6_UN3/s320/battery_steele.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9L4xQSCmMAXCZQoRv-W02jhDenLv8vVDokT_QH0Nob8TsbewOOR-BiYhEujmz4Ty04Pn4nwgoPx85K9-UpKKfT97XwTlIMPeAkzdavHgMM8l5stDVtVh48mHoWHHN6Kfuz6y2qKZzHJw/s1600/Entrance+to+Battery+Steel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Entrance to Battery Steele</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> (The beginning of the main corridor is the dark area on the left hand wall). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamz5vA_-Se6bp16i-p-xev-6Wu3_QjaKc2FwihLh_RvgWN5wm-2z8SJaagef-6nJzNDtOGH2pnHvSUOhW5gYT3l9-TCYlUWsFnDrFXC9pwGHq_uB-esijjeXK_a174aMMSt8jyGpo4ISL/s1600/16+Gun+emplacement+Battery+Steele.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamz5vA_-Se6bp16i-p-xev-6Wu3_QjaKc2FwihLh_RvgWN5wm-2z8SJaagef-6nJzNDtOGH2pnHvSUOhW5gYT3l9-TCYlUWsFnDrFXC9pwGHq_uB-esijjeXK_a174aMMSt8jyGpo4ISL/s320/16+Gun+emplacement+Battery+Steele.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> David Wallace and stepson in front of gun Battery Steele 16-inch gun emplacement #1 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHaZ8LwGbZoILm5x3KrSWoZgvuTX3sKwLb01fb65t7-uK_7TnVs1tE6W_VCmxsDRWY9yGvIk9JdqVQV1DZ_4wab_bYd8xuEFWiJMrRd9wNjmOCPZ1khelQ6Ac-73GFLcjxV_Zso7wh8WE/s1600/S4022221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHaZ8LwGbZoILm5x3KrSWoZgvuTX3sKwLb01fb65t7-uK_7TnVs1tE6W_VCmxsDRWY9yGvIk9JdqVQV1DZ_4wab_bYd8xuEFWiJMrRd9wNjmOCPZ1khelQ6Ac-73GFLcjxV_Zso7wh8WE/s320/S4022221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> View of the ocean from the top Battery Steels 16-inch gun emplacement #2 </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">During WWII, Battery Steele was part of the Peaks Island Military Reservation which occupied 198 acres (more than 25% of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Peaks</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Island</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">). </span>Battery Steele is an impressive concrete complex which measures more than 500ft long and perhaps 200ft wide. Two 16-inch guns capable of firing high explosive shells weighing 2,240lbs up to 30 miles, were assisted by a very early computer which was supposed to help triangulate the position of enemy targets. (In one of the upstairs rooms of the 5th Maine Regimental Museum dedicated to WWII, there is an interesting newsreel which showed the 16-inch guns being test fired in a wartime exercise and a surviving panel from one of the computers). <br />
Though gun emplacements like Battery Steele were built to provide a defense against attack by German battleships, submarines (U-Boats) were the only known enemy naval presence in the waters off Maine’s coast during WWII.</div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">The massive gun emplacements of Battery Steele are situated at each end of a extensive connecting concrete bunker complex which would have housed the command, communications and fire control center. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6D4n-SUY87lH81hZe58fNczQwU7eapBgZAWkXXMF2g27QNHsFeFRGdNmJqRWXKEhyVW-0gDFf09fpWKAPVZmE392hpz_9NahgSZmZ8llRvwHWX1fHI-EfFPqlWanV1i1OVXkp2PvtlLkO/s1600/Battery-Steele-002-28DL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6D4n-SUY87lH81hZe58fNczQwU7eapBgZAWkXXMF2g27QNHsFeFRGdNmJqRWXKEhyVW-0gDFf09fpWKAPVZmE392hpz_9NahgSZmZ8llRvwHWX1fHI-EfFPqlWanV1i1OVXkp2PvtlLkO/s320/Battery-Steele-002-28DL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">View of the main corridor which runs between the gun emplacements at each end of the battery (For perspective on how massive this space is, consider that the tiny white spot in the center of the picture is the opposite end of the corridor). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4C1YLeNjUQ6yYFPks-_w2LR1jrDRT14UYbx68V3hWvz-xVdKmVDva2fHGCXnTY0h3M4dE7oHVfG1x9Qhrza7d1J_SXkG5rcIMffY69pFKjDTp6AI7s0DeszOLK64PhKYaKY_m1ACJdaCF/s1600/S4022215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4C1YLeNjUQ6yYFPks-_w2LR1jrDRT14UYbx68V3hWvz-xVdKmVDva2fHGCXnTY0h3M4dE7oHVfG1x9Qhrza7d1J_SXkG5rcIMffY69pFKjDTp6AI7s0DeszOLK64PhKYaKY_m1ACJdaCF/s320/S4022215.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> View to the outside from one of the large side rooms off the main corridor </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">Though the guns themselves are gone, it isn’t hard to imagine how impressive they must have been. If we think about how incredibly loud rifles and shotguns are when fired and they have a barrel opening which is less than an 1 inch, it must have been a positively thunderous explosion whenever the battery fired their guns with a 16- inch barrel opening.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div>For me, Battery Steele is very sobering 3-D testament to the enormity of the U.S. war effort during WWII and Maine's significant contribution to national defense. For anyone interested in keeping vital parts of our state's history alive, it should be reassuring to know that on October 20<sup>th</sup>, 2005 Battery Steele was put on the National Register. <br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt;">David Wallace</span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></b>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-25260076209983089292011-11-06T14:46:00.000-08:002011-11-06T14:46:55.404-08:00Fifth Maine Regimental Museum<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: large;">Fifth Maine Regimental Museum, Peaks Island</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On Sunday September 11, 2011, I took a trip with my wife and stepson to Peaks Island to visit the 5<sup>th</sup> Maine Regimental Museum and Battery Steele.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a pleasant 15 minute ferry ride from the Portland Ferry Terminal we arrived on Peaks Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum is about <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>ten minute walk from the ferry terminal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You start by simply taking a right on Island Road at the first intersection at the top of the ferry ramp and continue along as the road bends gradually to the left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum is architecturally designed in the Queen Ann style structure with a wrap-around porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the back, it commands a beautiful view of the island’s rocky shore and the ocean beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAHpRIODrtyWuOQ4tEn541-svSOA80YSSSkdYedLYq0ShgQgm6VL4QNZa6lchAk-PXhn2GXrEa9L5NzvYZf0-HGHwtsd7hTvnEdxjNXmGQbT4GIDxiPHvgvtavfR6Ks8DufAbX-KBhr0r/s1600/David+at+5th+Maine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAHpRIODrtyWuOQ4tEn541-svSOA80YSSSkdYedLYq0ShgQgm6VL4QNZa6lchAk-PXhn2GXrEa9L5NzvYZf0-HGHwtsd7hTvnEdxjNXmGQbT4GIDxiPHvgvtavfR6Ks8DufAbX-KBhr0r/s320/David+at+5th+Maine.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> David W. in front of the 5th Maine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> 158 Seashore Ave </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">The 5<sup>th</sup> Maine Regimental Museum 45 Seashore Avenue, Peaks Island was built in 1888 largely by veterans who served in Maine’s 5<sup>th</sup> Regiment during the Civil War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was built as both a structure to honor the fallen of the 5<sup>th</sup> Maine and as a place for surviving veterans and their families to have reunions and spend summer vacations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 5<sup>th</sup> Maine consisted of between 1,000 and 1,500 men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three of the ten companies were soldiers from Portland (circa 1860s a company was composed of roughly 100 soldiers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At its peak use by Civil War veterans and their families, the building had 15 sleeping rooms for families on the second floor and several kitchenettes on the ground level. The building's architecture is in the Queen Anne-style with a wrap-around porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After climbing a broad wooden staircase you reach the beautiful deck which is covered by a wrap-around </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is an entry room with a staircase to the left, assorted literature about the building and a basket for a suggested $5 admission fee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then you proceed into a magnificent great hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most attention- grabbing features for me were the many stained glass window panes in red,orange, yellow, and blue, each engraved in the middle with the last name of one of the soldiers who served in the 5<sup>th</sup> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Maine</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]-->there on a very sunny day and the effect of the sun coming through the colored glass was quite beautiful; giving the great hall a magical feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">There are many interesting civil war relics displayed in glass cases along the outer walls of the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are assorted musket/Minnie balls, a piece of the stockade fence from Andersonville Prison, various cannon balls and explosive shell fragments, some swords and at least one rifled musket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a room off to the side is a regimental flag which was carried by the regiment during the war.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">On the second floor of the building there is a room to the right at the top of the stairs which is furnished in the style of the 1880s when people would have visited there. Also there are rooms with historical memorabilia and photos, including a room devoted to WWII, and a small library.. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOxW-mzOCmpyBKOMLHWF0ZcidpQJnmG-alOpTrpn58pn9jO_dOVDGyY88cJxdt1UrfT7mBPSqMn4EaVfnDRf0ISBPOkwE9PvPnqfT3WqoXypkcoJ-hfXFHpW3htxPRp0Ie7NIuq4NzyhZ/s1600/View+from+rear+porch+of+5th+Maine+Regimental+Museum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOxW-mzOCmpyBKOMLHWF0ZcidpQJnmG-alOpTrpn58pn9jO_dOVDGyY88cJxdt1UrfT7mBPSqMn4EaVfnDRf0ISBPOkwE9PvPnqfT3WqoXypkcoJ-hfXFHpW3htxPRp0Ie7NIuq4NzyhZ/s320/View+from+rear+porch+of+5th+Maine+Regimental+Museum.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> View from the back porch of the 5th Maine Regimental Museum</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"> Another aspect of the 5th Maine which I found appealing was the authentic feel of the place. Our tour guide was a volunteer who was passionate about the museum and Civil War history. I also really appreciate museums like 5th Maine in which you can get closer to objects and artifacts. I found the 5th Maine Regimental Museum to be a charming, informative and very interesting piece of Maine and U.S. history.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">David Wallace </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div>David W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8376952073276258856.post-7603055820582072362011-09-22T18:05:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:52:51.135-07:00Pownalborough Courthouse, 25 Court House Road, DresdenOn Saturday September 10th, I attended the 250th birthday celebration of the Pownalborough Court House on 25 Court House Rd. in Dresden. This is a well-preserved federal style building with a courtroom on the 2nd floor. The construction of the building was completed in 1761 and began functioning as a courthouse in the same year. One of its claims to fame is that John Adams argued one of his early cases there in 1765. Interestingly enough, the future president was so masterful in his legal argument that the interest of the opposing party (Great Proprietors from Boston) later hired Adams to do legal work for them.<br />
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On the first floor are a couple of rooms decorated in 18th century style and a room to the rear with an interesting miniaturized and well detailed display of an ice harvesting operation. In one of the first floor rooms there is a portrait of Thomas Pownall, member of Parliament and man person after whom Pownalborough was named. The second floor contains an 18th century bedroom complete with mannequins adorned in 18th century clothing. A parlor across the hall contains more period furnishings, a fireplace and a sizable collection of period law books. The largest room ins the building is the 2nd floor courtroom. It has been furnished and appointed to look like an authentic 18th century courtroom. One of the interesting documents displayed is a listing of various crimes and what punishments would have been meted out at the time. The cost is $4.00 for a 1 hour tour of the courthouse and the property (I am told that tours can extend beyond the suggested duration). Our guide was very knowledgeable, welcoming and eager to field all questions. As the photo at the top suggests, the Court House is well signed from the road and there was an additional sign about a mile away which made it easier to find.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8I1EgEqt65lKC_q_ln7Vw1hxRkVtu-JGsafO0c-etYMB3J9AYHg2_dhDYa6OhTC3Wp-AmGUQhJs9un5thzXlRR9LwbEYv0FRiUwJN2L8afG-0-71UPzwTfOsVKNofRqakEsaOmWImGX5W/s1600/S4022204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">David W. at the driveway entrance to the Pownalborough Court House</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8I1EgEqt65lKC_q_ln7Vw1hxRkVtu-JGsafO0c-etYMB3J9AYHg2_dhDYa6OhTC3Wp-AmGUQhJs9un5thzXlRR9LwbEYv0FRiUwJN2L8afG-0-71UPzwTfOsVKNofRqakEsaOmWImGX5W/s320/S4022204.JPG" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsri2kG8A3aUPIMuchamotyPcU1HfG7WCMkt_aBCDn5l7RqzZh-ePZckvvXowqI8Xf7_fKN8dEuGQ_k9938GzVN8J1H-wbOF7r06mbPV4eFvq_rDmpYl85b-2vCCX2kA49TnLTnoE9mgT_/s1600/S4022207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsri2kG8A3aUPIMuchamotyPcU1HfG7WCMkt_aBCDn5l7RqzZh-ePZckvvXowqI8Xf7_fKN8dEuGQ_k9938GzVN8J1H-wbOF7r06mbPV4eFvq_rDmpYl85b-2vCCX2kA49TnLTnoE9mgT_/s320/S4022207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> David W. posing in front of a French and Indian War era encampment next to the Court House. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGB8wirMXbjVFy42AGHDM4x_Ybo94g97Zcru0Sqm99_G4IoaXtetYFrPqbZSqTuBv5by6hIW03IaoXN6lAGjXZCWtXKJihfu-CJ7uTnt1fPo4dWtpWeYA2gtpDg-OZTawU_KtI3TvGPBs/s1600/S4022206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGB8wirMXbjVFy42AGHDM4x_Ybo94g97Zcru0Sqm99_G4IoaXtetYFrPqbZSqTuBv5by6hIW03IaoXN6lAGjXZCWtXKJihfu-CJ7uTnt1fPo4dWtpWeYA2gtpDg-OZTawU_KtI3TvGPBs/s320/S4022206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>David W. at the front entrance of the Pownalborough Court HouseDavid W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08022865591110992407noreply@blogger.com0