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For Immediate Release June 26, 2008 Contact – Anne Miller @ 627-4989 Written in part by: Jeanine Lauber
WE WANT YOUR OLD STUFF! Help Historical Society Fill New MuseumDo you know someone who has a great old piece of local history stashed away in their barn or basement? Or perhaps that person is you. If so, members of the Raymond-Casco Historical Society (RCHS) would like to talk with you about donating and preserving pieces of our collective past. Their goal is to gather a wide variety of items of local historic interest so they can fill their new Route 302 museum. A Grand Opening is scheduled for Sunday, July 27, 2008 with a Dedication Ceremony starting at 10 am. In addition to the Grand Opening there will two other events leading up to the big day. Starting on Saturday, July 19 from 2pm until 4pm there will be a reception for members and friends. On Wednesday, July 23 from 6pm until 8pm. Is RCHS Appraisal Night. Harry Hepburn from Heritage Antiques, Harrison, will appraise your antique items and will tell you what your treasure is worth. In addition you will receive a written document stating value which is good to have for insurance purposes. A suggested donation of five dollars for each item appraised will go into the RCHS endowment fund. “It will be a fun evening, our very own Antique Roadshow," said Anne Miller, RCHS volunteer. "Now is a good time to go through the attic and sort out your collectibles, who knows you may be storing a masterpiece”. Mark your calendar and note dates and times of the two events leading up to the Grand Opening and Dedication of the newly built Raymond-Casco Museum. “Word is spreading, and people are starting to call us about donating some of the most wonderful antique and vintage items,” said Wayne Holmquist of Raymond, President of the RCHS. “Just yesterday I helped 90-year-old Phil Cole of Casco load the old soda fountain from the Casco Inn out of his barn and into the back of my truck, and off it went to the new museum. “ “That soda fountain was manufactured in the late 1890’s. Its first home was the old Boody’s store in North Windham,” said Cole. He purchased it from Boody’s in 1952 for $700 and put it in the Casco Inn, which he owned. The Casco Inn is now the Country Village Assisted Living Center. Mr. Cole later sold the Casco Inn to Gary Simmons, and when Mr. Simmons sold the inn he put the soda fountain out on the curb with a “For Sale” sign on it. That’s when Mr. Cole saw it, approached Mr. Simmons and asked him to donate it to the RCHS, and Simmons agreed. Since there was no place to store the soda fountain, Mr. Cole agreed to keep it in his barn – until now – thanks to the new museum. The newly built museum was donated by Henry and Zeena Watkins, and is located next to Watkins Farm on Route 302 in Casco. “Most people will recognize the building as the one with the beautiful mural painted on the side,” said Pam Grant of South Casco. She is the secretary for the RCHS and a long-time supporter of efforts to raise awareness about local history. “We’re interested in anything that has a connection to Raymond or Casco,” she said, adding that the museum’s mission is to collect, preserve and interpret materials that document the history of the two towns. Museum members are especially interested in written word items such as genealogies, newspapers and records related to the two towns, the schools, churches and businesses. “These kinds of materials are very important for our Research Department,” said RCHS President Holmquist. The documents, he said, will be used to help identify and date other items, and help record an accurate history of the two towns. Photographs and paintings of the local landscape are needed, as are vintage and antique home furnishings and even clothing. “We’d like to put together an entire room setting to show people what family life looked like in Raymond or Casco in the early to mid 1800’s,” said RCHS member Ann Miller of Casco. The RCHS is also interested in developing museum displays that would feature local turn-of-the-century hunting, fishing and camp life. They encourage residents to think twice before throwing anything away when cleaning out the attic this summer. “Don’t hesitate to call us just because your treasures aren’t antiques, “ said Pam Grant. “We need recent history items, too,” she said. “We would like any photographs or memorabilia from the former Casco High School. The last class graduated from CHS on June 11, 1969”. So think twice before tossing anything away this summer that might be of value to the RCHS. Odds are that just about everybody has something stashed away that could be put on display for others to enjoy. All donations to the RCHS are tax deductible. For information about donations, membership, volunteer opportunities and more:
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