Newsletter: Spring 2026
From the Executive Director, Raney Bench
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This revolutionary document set a new course, away from the divine right of kings, placing power in the hands of the people to govern themselves. Commonly known as the “American experiment,” the strength of American democracy has expanded and contracted over the centuries. Democratic principles guide large-scale, national politics as well as small community processes.
Throughout the year, the MDI Historical Society will explore how our island communities find trusted information, debate and discuss, and ultimately make decisions. We will reflect on the ways democracy has failed people, and question whether we are failing the promise of democracy.
There are many ways you can get involved: attend some of the dozens of programs offered in all our towns and online, use our mobile app to take a tour of local history, or come to a community supper to hear the next generation of voters talk about what the Declaration means to them.
You can find all of this information on our website, Facebook page, or through our email announcements. If you’re not already, become a member to make sure not to miss anything!
2027 Chebacco News
Next year’s edition of Chebacco will explore the rich musical history of Mount Desert Island. Music has long shaped the island’s identity, forged connections among its people, and left its mark on the decisions and events of the past, and this issue sets out to capture that story. From historic harmony to dissonant conflict, from celebrated artists to everyday listeners, Chebacco 2027 will examine how music has woven itself into the fabric of island life and ask what the sounds of our past can tell us about who we are today.
Our artist-in-residence, Jennifer Steen Booher, will visually interpret articles exploring Wabanaki music and drumming, the Seal Harbor music scene during WW2, histories of the Criterion Theater, the Jonathan Fisher Singing Club, the Mount Desert Festival of Chamber Music, the Arcady Music Festival, and MDI town bands. We’ll also explore the Tremont Historical Society’s music historiography, Wabanaki bird bone flute music and archaeology, contra dances, and island choirs.
A Peek Into the Box-by Jennifer Heindel, Collections Assistant
When we think of pincushions, the iconic red tomato with a dangling strawberry usually comes to mind. This design evolved from the Victorian tradition of placing a fresh tomato on a new home’s mantle to ward off evil and bring prosperity. Paper or cloth tomatoes were made and presented to new homeowners when fresh ones were not in season. Over time, ladies realized they were a convenient place to store sewing needles. In the Victorian era, pincushions became status symbols. Women often displayed large, varied collections in their parlors to showcase their needlework skills and social standing.
Hidden in our collection, we have two beautiful examples of pincushions. One is a simple cloth apple with felt-like leaves whose age and previous owner are a mystery.
Our second pincushion is an elaborate pincushion doll originating from the Daniel Somes house. Popular between 1870 and 1930, pincushion dolls featured an upper torso made of plaster, porcelain, or bisque, attached to large, stuffed fabric skirts. While most dolls of this era were manufactured in Germany and later in Japan, Italy, France, and England, the maker of this specific doll is unknown, as any identifying marks are hidden beneath her shawl and dress. You can still see several needles tucked into her purse and straight pins decorating her skirt.
Save the Date: Voyagers Reception
The Voyagers Circle Gratitude Reception will be held on Wednesday, August 12 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in Southwest Harbor. Our featured speaker will be Catherine Schmitt, author of Trees of Acadia: The Past, Present & Future of Park Forests. Invitation to follow.
The Voyagers Circle honors members who donate $1,000 or more annually. This dedicated giving community keeps the collection safe and our public programs free for everyone.
Programming Review- by Lisa Taplin Murray, Assistant Director
The MDI Historical Society’s public programs are designed to engage the island’s year-round and seasonal residents, offering both educational and entertaining experiences. Our events also foster and strengthen collaborations with a diverse array of organizations and individuals dedicated to meaningful work across the island, regionally, and nationally.
Since January 2026, we have offered nearly 20 talks, lectures, and activities across all four island communities. including:
History Happy Hour trivia nights at island restaurants, featuring guest quizmasters from the Seal Cove Auto Museum, Acadia Senior College, Wendell Gilley Museum, and Acadia National Park;
Public programs, both in-person at island libraries and online, including collaborations with University of Maine Presque Isle, Sullivan/Sorrento Historical Society, and Woodlawn Museum;
Chebacco Author Talks, offering a deeper discussion of the issues and research explored in Chebacco’s articles;
Our annual Community Baked Bean Supper at MDI High School;
A week in May dedicated to Vintage Classroom, our free experiential history program for area 3rd graders and educators.
2026 Spring/Summer Public Programs
We have a full slate of events planned for the upcoming season. Save the date for the following programs. For detailed descriptions go to: mdihistory.org/events
June 3 What Happened Here? with Raney Bench, 5:30pm @ Northeast Harbor Library
June 11 Chebacco Author Talk: Farm to Table on Mount Desert Island with Carl Little , 5:30pm @ Jesup Memorial Library
June 23 Chebacco Author Talk: Inspired by Trees with Catherine Schmitt, 5:30pm @Southwest Harbor Library
June 25 The Strange Career of Thomas Paine with Dr. Patrick Callaway, 5:30pm @Jesup Memorial Library
June 26 Brook Wilensky-Lanford A God-Shaped Nation: Five Hundred Years of Religion in America, 6:00pm @Hidden Barn Books, Bar Harbor
July 1 Say What? MDI Lore and Tall Tales, 5:30pm @Northeast Harbor Library
July 27 Friends of Acadia Author Event-Steve Kemp’s An Exaltation of Parks, 7:00pm @Criterion Theatre, Bar Harbor
August 5 Chebacco Author Talk: Otter Creek’s Lost Waterfront with Durlin Lunt, 5:30pm @Northeast Harbor Library
August 20 96th Annual Meeting, Potluck & Concert with Bagaduce Band, 5:30pm @Neighborhhod House
Learn What Happened Here? with Raney Bench on June 3 at Northeast Harbor Library
Dance to the Bagaduce Band at our annual meeting potluck on August 20 at the Neighborhood House
From the Collections - by Patrick Callaway, Collections Manager
The word “unprecedented” has become part of the everyday vocabulary for Americans in 2026. Whether it is in the context of social issues like politics and economics, or in issues that hit closer to home, like the price of groceries or gas, there is a general sense that we are dealing with a series of world circumstances that never existed before. This is not the case- as the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us “there is nothing new under the sun.”
Documents in the MDI Historical Society’s collection also remind us that questions surrounding the political nature of energy supplies are not new. In our archives, we have a number of sources from the League of Women Voters in the 1970s. The summer 1977 issue of “Voter” is entitled The Politics of Energy. Reading through the accounts of the energy debates of almost 50 years ago strike a familiar chord as many of the issues from 1977 are the debates that we are having in the summer of 2026 as energy prices continue to climb.
The Politics of Energy examined the existing energy framework of the US, and posited some potential choices about what the future of energy production and consumption would look like. Then as now, there was a complicated mix of domestic politics, international politics, environmental and economic concerns, and management choices that precluded easy solutions. As the “Voter” article stated, it was time to “make some less-than-perfect choices about our energy future.” The article presented a chart outlining what was known in 1977.
Parts of the chart proved incorrect- according to this estimate, the US had run out of oil 15 years ago. Oil shale (AKA fracking) proved more productive, coal less so, and political debates continue on the expansion of wind and solar energy. The underlying questions, however, are more persistent. As the article concluded, the fundamental questions remain: what resources should or should not be used? How can demand for energy be managed, by whom, and on what authority? Should the US pursue energy independence, or should international diplomacy influence energy policy? Although we are now almost 50 years down the road, the questions remain.
As the League of Women Voters booth at the 4th of July celebration in 1975 suggests, the intersection between energy and politics is a concern of all of us as citizens.
Grant Announcement
We are thrilled to announce that the MDI Historical Society has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Belvedere Historical Preservation Fund through the Maine Community Foundation. This flexible support grant acts as a strategic catalyst for the Historical Society’s long-term sustainability. It directly bolsters our growing community reach, ensuring we can maintain the integrity and quality of our work.
The gift will help us sustain our core offerings, directly impacting our archives, year-round free public programming, community gatherings, and our history journal, Chebacco. It supports us in offering expanded perspectives, allowing us to actively partner with and feature diverse speakers, scholars, and experts. It strengthens our work preserving island heritage, securing the tools needed to preserve the vital documents and artifacts that educate and inspire people of all ages.
We are deeply grateful to the Maine Community Foundation and the Belvedere Historical Preservation Fund for recognizing the MDI Historical Society as a vital cultural anchor on the island. Most importantly, we are grateful to you, our community, whose engagement makes our work possible.
131 Main Street, Northeast Harbor
The park at 131 Main Street has recently been refreshed with several updates to ensure it remains a welcoming spot for the island community. To maintain the existing space, thinning gravel was augmented, and the landscaping was updated, including the addition of raised flowerboxes by Joy Lyons, who created the Heritage Gardens at the Museum in Somesville. Three new picnic tables donated by Hammond Lumber have been installed to replace worn and broken ones, offering a renewed area for the public to gather.
While these improvements enhance the current park, the land at 131 Main Street, gifted by John and Johanna Neilson Boynton, is slated to become the future home of the Historical Society’s year-round museum and community center. The final design will incorporate a landscaped public garden to ensure the site continues to welcome the community for years to come.
Annual Appeal Reminder
We hope you are enjoying the 2026 edition of Chebacco: Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness on MDI. We couldn’t accomplish what we do without our members! If you have not yet given to our Annual Fund, click here to donate. Thank you for your ongoing support!
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