It's Baked Bean Supper time! Connect with community over a traditional Maine bean supper on Monday, January 19, 2025 from 6-8 pm at the MDI High School. Feast on all-you-can-eat beans, hot dogs, and brown bread, complete with all the fixings, followed by homemade pies and baked goods. After supper, join us for a conversation about the first time MDI came together across all towns to form a unified high school. How did islanders overcome obstacles, engage in discussions, and ultimately decide to take the risk and open a new high school? Raney Bench will share a little of this history, and Superintendent Mike Zboray will give a summary of where conversations about an island middle school stand today. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets can be purchased online at mdihistory.org/shop or at the door on the day of the event.

A Town Hall With a Twist: Beer & Politics This week, the Pour Farm Brewery in Union, Maine, made headlines by inviting U.S. Senate candidates to, by modern standards, a very unconventional town hall. Sen. Susan Collins, Gov. Janet Mills, and Sullivan Harbormaster Graham Platner were invited to a gathering where each candidate would chug a beer and then immediately answer a question from voters, with a 3-question (and beer) limit. Journalist Alex Seitz-Wald, writing in the November 17th Midcoast Villager, described the event “as much about democracy as drinking.” The idea harks back to Revolutionary War-era taverns, which weren’t just places to grab a drink—they were vital spaces for civic engagement, where people of all social classes could mingle, debate, and engage with their communities. Patrick Callaway, Collections Coordinator at the MDI Historical Society, notes that this type of campaigning was relatively commonplace in the 18th and 19th centuries. Taverns were the original third spaces- spots for entertainment, refreshment, and community gatherings. Politicians would meet people there, discuss issues, and try to show themselves as 'men of the people.' This tradition began to fade in the later 19th century as temperance movements and cultural shifts toward the nuclear family and home life changed the social landscape. While the Pour Farm’s event might strike some as audacious today, it’s rooted in a long history of political engagement in New England, bringing a centuries-old tradition into the modern era. Read the full story in the Midcoast Villager: midcoastvillager.com or learn more about the event at www.thepourfarm.com This photograph from the Library of Congress shows William Henry Harrison and his running mate, John Tyler, in 1840, the first candidates to campaign actively for office, adopting the “log cabin” (or everyman) persona.

Are you ready to rev up your knowledge of historical vehicles, transportation tales, and cultural car history? Shift a dark December evening into high gear by joining us at History Happy Hour. We’re teaming up with the Seal Cove Auto Museum to bring you an evening of trivia that’s sure to be a joyride. Gather over good eats and good times while putting your knowledge to the test with 4 rounds of transportation trivia and automobiles past and present. All ages are welcome, and admission is free! Food and drink will be available for purchase.

Chebacco 2025 is here and arriving in our member’s mailboxes! Become a member to receive your copy or order a copy at the link in bio.

The Schoolhouse Receives a Facelift Thanks to Generous Donor - The 1892 Sound Schoolhouse practically glows after a beautiful new paint job completed by Andrew Beitler and his team of painters. This historic building was showing wear and tear from winter storms and exposure. That inspired Chris Toomey to surprise the MDI Historical Society with a gift to have the building painted.  The schoolhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We encourage you to stop in and visit the schoolhouse Monday through Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm where visitors will find a small exhibit about the village of Sound and education in a one-room schoolhouse. We also use the space to catalog archival collections. Behind the schoolhouse are staff offices, the Ralph Stanley Research Library, and archive storage. For contact information visit the link in bio.

Affordable and available housing has reached a crisis on MDI and difficult conversations are taking place in every community about possible solutions. How did we get here? Join us on September 19th at 5:30pm at the Northeast Harbor Library for “A History on Housing with Thoughts for the Future” with speakers Raney Bench from the Mount Desert Island Historical Society, and Susanne Paul and Noel Musson with the Housing Solutions Initiative. Our history sheds light on how housing has kept pace with population growth and what changes brought about the current crises. Knowing the facts from our past adds context to the debates taking place today and provides models for community decision-making. Learn more about development and community growth over the past two centuries and explore how island residents and visitors resolved challenges in the past, followed by a conversation about our community values and how we can come together to solve problems. This talk is inspired by Eliza Bryant Worrick’s 2024 Chebacco article, ‘The Influence of the Seasonal Economy on Mount Desert Island’s Year-Round Housing Patterns.’ Register at the link in bio.

Presenting our 2024 Annual Report. View at the link in bio. Reminder: Join us tomorrow, August 22 at 5:00pm for our 94th Annual Meeting at the Northeast Harbor Neighborhood House. The Society has been doing a lot — free monthly programs about local history, a new vision for our future, adding to the collections, and documenting current events for future generations. Come to the annual meeting to celebrate our successes in 2024, and to hear more about our exciting plans for the future. Election of officers and the board slate will follow. Light refreshments will be served.

It’s 1892 at the Sound Schoolhouse this week! Vintage Classroom is a beloved free program offered annually to every local third grade student. Yesterday Vintage Classroom made WABI Local news. Visit the link in bio to see the recorded news segment.

Are you a master of historical trivia, a fan of fantastic island stories, or a novice know-it-all? Join us at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 30 at Atlantic Brewing Midtown for the MDI Historical Society’s History Happy Hour. Flex your human ecological muscles with special guests from College of the Atlantic's Thorndike Library as you are challenged to five rounds of ten questions. Prizes will be awarded to the winners! Gather over good eats and good times while putting your knowledge to the test at this free event. All welcome! Food and drink will be available for purchase.

Chebacco Volume XXV: MDI Inspired is on its way to our members! Become a member to receive a copy or purchase the 2024 edition at the link in bio. Love Chebacco? Consider donating to our Annual Fund to help support the production of your favorite journal.

STORIES FOR CHANGE: Fresh Perspectives on the Future of MDI Join us on Wednesday, April 10 at 6:30pm at the Northeast Harbor Library (or Zoom!) for a discussion asking five new leaders on MDI to share their vision for the future and thoughts on how we can come together as an island in the face of growing challenges. For more information about the panelists and to register - visit the link in bio and scroll down to programs. In collaboration with @northeastharborlibrary @swhplibrary @jesuplibrary

Are you reliant on the sea for your livelihood or recreation? Whether you've been fishing or working along the harbors of Tremont and Southwest Harbor for a few months, or your family has been here for generations, this free community supper is a chance to connect with friends and neighbors to share your memories, favorite fish stories, and talk about the future of our working waterfront. Historic storms, economic pressures, shifting regulations, and changes to the marine ecosystem are bringing new realities to our fishing community, and we invite you to share those experiences together. Free dinner and drinks will be provided at the Legion Hall, 22 Village Green Way in Southwest Harbor, on March 19 at 5:30pm. To reserve your spot, please email raney@mdihistory.org or call 207-276-9323

The Baked Bean Supper is BACK! Join us for this beloved community event on Monday, January 15 6-8pm at MDI High School. Featuring music by the Bagaduce Northern New England Ensemble. Enjoy all you can eat beans, pies, and fixings prepared by local volunteer bakers. $10 adults/ $5 children. Tickets available at the door or online @ link in bio. Thanks to Lynam Real Estate, Hannaford, and MDI High School!

There's still time to join or renew in 2023. Find your Island Story with the MDI Historical Society! Click the link in bio to donate. Photograph: "Filming about Friendship Sloops" LaRue Spiker, LaRue Spiker Collection, Mount Desert Island Historical Society Ralph Stanley far left and two men working on film about Friendship sloops.

Join us for History Happy Hour “Regatta in Paradise” with local artist, writer, and boat designer, Art Paine. Art will share the sixty-four year history of the Out Islands Regatta of the Bahamas. Thursday, December 21st at 5:30 PM @petertrouts ⛵️Food and beverage available for purchase. For more info and to register, visit the link in bio.

Find Your Island Story at the MDI Historical Society. In 2023, the MDI Historical Society offered more programs and opportunities to engage with local history than ever before. In 2023 avid islanders took advantage of our free public programs and exhibits, free access to our collections, and free school programs. We actively build meaningful partnerships and collaborations to excite new audiences and serve all communities as the Island's historical society. This amazing work is brought to you by a small team of dedicated staff and volunteers, and we are so grateful to YOU for making all of this, and more, possible. The MDI Historical Society raises about 85% of our annual operating budget each year from private donations and memberships, so your gift, at any level, is incredibly impactful to the Society and all avid islanders. Thank you for your continued support and your interest in local history! To join or renew, go to the link in bio, or www.mdihistory.org

Chebacco Chats online program, November 16, 2023 at 4:30pm “Plaister & Herring: The Lives of Cpt. William Heath and Capt. David King” with Jessie Burchett While spending the summer in Southwest Harbor, Historical Archaeologist Jessie Burchett volunteered with the Southwest Harbor Historical Society. While processing some archival papers she came across the records of two local families involved in the coasting trade. Using these records, she pieced together a picture of their lives, which she will share during this program. Presented online via Zoom. Link in bio to register, or go to www.mdihistory.org/events

Coming up online on November 2 at 4:30pm- Chebacco Chats: The Somesville Museum’s Heirloom Gardens, with Joy Lyons Master Gardener Joy Lyons will talk about her process of creating and maintaining the Somesville Museum’s stunning heirloom gardens, how they have evolved, and how she and her team select and maintain the plants each season. Home to the iconic footbridge over the Mill Pond, the gardens are a beautiful year-round oasis in the heart of Somesville. Link in bio to register, or go to mdihistory.org/events to register.

History Happy Hour-The Halloween Edition will take place on Wednesday, October 18 from 5:30- 7:00 PM at the Rusticator Lounge at the Bayview Hotel, 111 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, Maine. We apologize for the location error in our previous post and hope to see you there!