Annual Report

Leeds Historical Society

2024 Summary

Contributions to the Collection and our Efforts:

Thanks to Jeri and Gary Maurer, Jerry, Valerie and Todd Hartford and Larry Acree for their additional financial support.

Marilyn Burgess donated late 20th/early 21st century local political flyers and newsletters.

We received a memoir about Alex Jolicouer written by Steve Fairbanks, who was his neighbor when they both lived on Fish Street, which will be included in next upcoming anthology.

The history “bricks” made by LCS students as a contribution to the Bicentennial celebration were donted by Terry Castonquay.

Robert Carlee of the Lothrop farm, now the Van Vlack's home brought us two photographs of the building. We've hung one of them showing the longest connected farm buildings in town measuring 1/8th of a mile

David Brackett brought us out of the another old Lothrop place a possible graduation photo but unfortunately there's no identification.

Community Programming:

We continue to have open hours during the summer and invite some local folks for coffee and conversation as an informal way to collect stories and facts. This past year we enjoyed conversations with David and Ann Brown, and Abe Additon. Also home visits with Mildred Harradon and Shirley (Pease) Smith.

We set up and ran a May field trip for 3rd graders from LCS with time at the History Center emphasizing aspects of the one room schoolhouse. Laura later zoomed with some of the same classes to answer their question about historical and geographical assets in our community.

We continue to have a good attendance to all our spring and fall walks including the statewide sponsored Jane's Walk where we went up Monument Hill and told the story of the three Howard brothers.

With tremendous help from Lew Alessio and Barb and Rich Rothe, we presented a program of the fascinating story of the people and the evolving architecture of the Rothe's home in North Leeds.

We organized a cooperative program between the Livermore/Livermore Falls Historical Society and us with a wonderful turnout to hear a speaker talk about Eastern Illustrating Co. highlighting their postcards taken around the Livermore, Leeds and Turner areas during the 1920-40's.

Thanks to Elaine Buckley we were represented at the Androscoggin Historical Society West Auburn schoolhouse sales day this October.

This year's Veterans Day event with good community participation focused on WWII mentioning a number of specific veteran's records. We highlighted a few of women's service records, such as Corene Farris and Rebecca Curtis.

We held our fourth Holiday Open House in early Dec. and shared the space with Shelia Child, Pat McManus, Larry Acree and Jeri Maurer for a festive event. Thanks to Larry and Jeri for their generosity, donating of all their earnings that day.

Highlights of other Activities:

We refreshed both the front signs, Leeds Town House and the Leeds Historical Society, that hang from our porch.

We put in an order for a number of larger pottery items which are now for sale at the Town Office.

A number of us had a personal tour of the Turner Historical buildings by their new president, Linda Poland, and we look forward to some cooperative ventures together.

Our third anthology publication of the series, Out of Our Past, is just about ready for printing.

We do appreciate all the continued support and trust the town shows towards our efforts.

Respectfully submitted, Laura Juraska, President