A short while ago the UMH reported that it wanted to restore its late 19th century organ. At that time there was one wedding booked for the spring and the Board wanted the bride and her groom to walk down the aisle to the sound of organ music. Now, there is a second reservation for another wedding in the fall, so that adds to the desire to have the organ in playable condition.

Built by the Chicago Cottage Organ Co. about 1890, this organ is original to the UMH. The restorer said it is of very high quality, has a greater range than most parlor organs and deserves to be preserved. "The case is especially fine", he says.

   Some welcome donations have come in from various friends and the Board felt secure enough that the remainder of the $1,500 restoration estimate would be forthcoming by spring that it contacted the restorer and he came and took the "guts" of the organ (the keyboard, reeds and wind chamber) off to his workshop in Port Clyde. He promises to bring everything back and to reassemble the organ in its black walnut case before the spring wedding.
   There is need, however, for more donations so that the full $1,500 will be on hand when the work is completed. You may send your donation to the "UMH Organ Fund" at 158 Thorp Shores, Readfield, Maine 04355.
   Membership renewals are coming in nicely as a result of the mailing that went out a few months ago. The Board thanks to all who have generously "re-upped", and thanks to a few new members. Apparently, the offer of a complimentary print of the UMH to those who signed on as a LIFE MEMBER ($250) was attractive to some individuals -- we have mailed out the print to several persons who have so responded. All gifts are welcome and will add to the amount the UMH can spend this year on the floor rebuilding. From an examination of the membership renewals it appears that many of you are increasing the amount of your membership gift. The UMH is most appreciative.  
   At its last meeting the Board talked of different possibilities for summer programs. If you have suggestions please contact us. Are their concerts lectures, exhibits or other activities you would like to see at the Meeting House this summer? Drop us a postcard or e-mail us at: mpeladeau@roadrunner.com. If you are a local group looking for a venue for your talents to shine we'd appreciate your dropping us a line.

MARCH 2014 Update

At the end of 2013 the Union Meeting House sent out a mailing to all its members reminding them that the 2013-14 membership year was half done and urging all to renew for the current year. At the same time -- thanks to the kindness of Flo Drake and the Board of the Readfield Historical Society -- a mailing was sent to all members of the Society. It was undertaken since both the UMH and RHS have a shared interest of preserving Readfield's history. The response was encouraging and a number of new members were added to the UMH's rolls. Thank you all. Naturally, the UMH will make its membership list available to the RHS.

 A copy of the UMH newsletter that was mailed in November is available to all who request it. Write or call at the address below.

 The UMH has seventeen windows and during the past years the Board has been moving along in having them restored since they had not received much attention for several decades. In February the restorer, Joseph Caputo of East Pittston, who has done the restoration of all the windows to date, took out the two in the apse. They were in rough condition, with broken glass and severely eroded and weathered sashes. He will work on them this winter and have them back in place this spring.

This restoration is made possible by a most generous gift from Mrs. Nancy Durgin of Readfield. The Board of the Meeting House thanks Nancy for stepping forward to fund the complete rebuilding of these two windows. A memorial plaque will be placed on them this spring.

 Otherwise, the Meeting is buttoned up tight for the winter. At its February meeting next week the Board will review what income has been generated and discuss what projects it can afford to undertake this year. A report on what is decided will be forthcoming in the next Messenger column. In the meantime, think spring!

Contact the UMH at 685-4537 or 158 Thorp Shores, Readfield.

Readfield History Walkers visit UMH

Twenty-three Readfield History Walkers visited Readfield Union House and
also the adjacent UMH Vestry on November 22nd.

Union Meeting House directors were pleased to host the Readfield History Walkers on November 22nd. The group learned about the historical significance of the UMH building and of Charles Schumacher's trompe l'oiel artwork. They also enjoyed seeing other features inside UMH such as the stained glass and stenciled windows. Dale Potter Clark read an address given by Rev. Costello Weston on the 100th anniversary of UMH in 1928. The address included background information  about the first 100 years of UMH and its 43 founders. Many of the building's structural and restorative challenges have been addressed - reported UMH secretary director Milton Wright. He was also pleased to announce that all but one stained glass window has been restored. A $1,000 donation is needed for that project. Wright also shared what other restorations and repairs have been identified  and need to be addressed in the future as contributions and grants become available. History Walkers were given a tour of both the Union Meeting House and the adjacent vestry (aka John Smith Mansion house). There were 23 present - many had never seen the interior of UMH and / or the vestry and were pleased to do so.

Individuals or groups who wish to arrange for a tour of UMH should contact:

Marius Peladeau at (207) 685-4537.

November 2013 Update

With approaching cold weather the Meeting House is nearly all buttoned up for the winter. A couple of chores need to be completed, hopefully in November. The good news is that the window restorer, Joe Caputo of East Pittston, has finished his work on three more windows. The Asa and Ursula Gile , and the Rev. Carpenter Smith stained glass windows were  scraped, re-glazed, primed and painted inside and out.



Ernest "Tink" Rolfe was Readfield Fire Chief for 34 years.
He and his wife lived on the Winthrop Road across
from the old fire station.



The stenciled glass window that was restored years ago in memory of Mr. and Mrs, Tink Rofle was showing signs of aging and so it was repainted.
Everyone in Maine knows that anything made of wood is never totally restored; it is an ongoing chore. New interior stops were made to properly re-install it, something that had not been done at the time the work was first undertaken.  

With  this work completed it means that only one large window and the two small windows in the apse remain to be done. Therefore,  since 2010 - thanks to the generosity of donors -  it has been possible to completely restore fourteen windows. This is a significant improvement and would not have been possible without the magnificent outpouring of donor support. Thank you all for your continued interest in the UMH.

The Board did not move forward  as much as was hoped on resolving the dampness problem in the crawlspace and basement due to smaller than expected income from the 2013-14 membership drive. Continuing to work on this problem will be the first order of business in 2014.

 

If you have not renewed your membership, or wish to give an additional donation before the end of the 2013 tax year, the Board would welcome your support.

The UMH wishes everyone a happy Thanksgiving holiday.

August 2013 Update

The Hooked Rug Exhibition on August 10th
was well attended throughout the day.

 The two events during Heritage Days weekend at the Union Meeting house were a great success.  Both the Hooked Rug Exhibition and the evening concert by the Maranacook String Band and the Sandy River Ramblers drew large and appreciative crowds. People came and kept coming all day at the rug show and showed their enthusiasm by stuffing the donation box. Comments were extremely favorable with guests from out-of-state and all over the State of Maine.

Thanks are extended to Board member, Joan Wiebe, who chaired the event, to Mildred Cole Péladeau who curated it, and to Joe Caputo who made all the display easels, helped set up the exhibit and loaned many of his fine rugs for display.

Thanks are due to Board members Marianne and John Perry for making all the arrangement for the concert. Their coordination of all aspects made it possible for everything to come off without a hitch. The audience was full of energy with a lot of foot-stomping going on. A rough count showed over 100 persons were present. The proceeds, like the rug show donations made a good addition to the bank account. Thanks also to advisory Board member Dale Marie Potter Clark for designed the two posters for the weekend and to all those who distributed them. Flo Drake assisted by taking charge of  the bottled water table during the concert.

To the president the weekend showed what can be accomplished with volunteer help. It also made it obvious that the Meeting House needs more volunteers. If anyone is interested in helping to preserve the Brick Church get in touch with us. The membership drive for 2013-14 is still ongoing and the UMH would appreciate your financial support as it prepares to tackle the next big chore – the removal of moisture from the basement and crawl space to prevent further deterioration of the floor substructure. This will be a five-step project spread out over several years so any assistance you can lend now will help the Board take the first step this fall (hopefully).




Our thanks to Donna McCormick and family for
donating funds to restore the Nancy Hunton Atkinson
window. Donna's mother was a Hunton.

The attendance at the recent events show that people care about the Brick Church. All that is needed to make the restoration and upkeep move ahead more expeditiously is additional financial support and more volunteer effort. Also, remember that the UMH is available for public use. If you wish to schedule weddings, concerts or other programs feel free to contact the Board of Directors. The two weddings held in the sanctuary this summer demonstrated that it is a most pleasing venue for such an occasion.



Historically Significant Hooked Rugs to be Shown August 10th

Several historically significant rugs hooked by
19th century artist Lucy Trask Barnard
will be seen publicly at a hooked rug
show at Readfield's Union Meeting House
on Saturday, August 10, 2013 10am-3pm.

Saturday August 10^th 10am-3pm at the Union Meeting House there will be an exhibit of both historical and contemporary hand hooked, shirred, yarn-sewn and punch-needle rugs organized by Mrs. Joan Wiebe, a member of the UMH Board, and Mrs. Mildred Cole Péladeau, author of Rug Hooking in Maine 1838-1940.

 One of the hooked rug highlights will be the first public showing of a striking mid-19th century rug attributed to renowned rug maker, Mrs. Lucy Trask Barnard of Dixfield Common, Maine. This is an exciting new discovery and is the sixth rug attributed to Barnard. Three are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, and two are at the Farnsworth Museum of Art in Rockland. Privately owned, it is being made available for the rug show by a noted Maine collector. In all, close to 50 or more rugs will be available for viewing and will include contemporary rugs which have never been out for public display previously.

Rug hooking is an old art form with evidence suggesting that it likely originated in Maine in the second quarter of the 19th century. Early hooked rugs made in the Waldoboro area have achieved great notoriety for their artistic three-dimensional quality and one such rug, made by Minnie Light, will be included. Admission is free but a donation is suggested. All income will go to the UMH restoration fund. Information about being included in the show can be obtained from Mrs. Wiebe at 685-4725.

Maine Bluegrass Concert to benefit Restoration Efforts ~ August 10, 2013 at 7:00pm

On Saturday, August 10, Readfield Union Meeting House will reverberate with Bluegrass music that boasts a distinct Maine twist. Starting at 7:00pm The Sandy River Ramblers and the Maranacook String Band will showcase their repertoire, which includes many original songs about Maine. The concert will benefit restoration efforts at the unique and historic Readfield Union Meeting House on Church Street.

 

The Maranacook String Band is a youthful group of singers/musicians that started as a gifted and talented project at Maranacook Community School in 2010. “The Sandy River Ramblers is our grown-up band,” says bandleader Stan Keach. He and virtuoso mandolinist Dan Simons play and sing in both bands. The Ramblers are known for their breathtaking instrumentals, their 3-and-4 part harmony singing, and their hilarious comedy numbers.

 

The performers present fourteen original songs about Maine, all penned by Keach. The tunes are included on their new CD, Cry of the Loon and other original songs about Maine, which showcase the members of both groups. Among the titles are: Donn Fendler, Logger’s Son; Up on Little Round Top (about the 20th Maine at the Battle of Gettysburg); Boots from L. L. Bean; and Slow Down (You’ll Hit A Moose).

 

Keach is a nationally-known Bluegrass songwriter whose creations have been recorded by some of the biggest names in Bluegrass, but he says, “The (Cry of the Loon) collection, which I’ve been working on for 30 years, is my real labor of love as a songwriter.” Recently he also wrote What the North Pond Hermit Knows which gained notoriety across New England, on You Tube and was featured on the WCSH TV show Bill Green’s Maine.

 

In addition to Keech and Simons there are instrumentalists in both groups that include: Zach Greenham and Megan Dood; Liz Keach on the upright bass; and Bud Godsoe on the banjo. Vocalists include 19-year-old Julie Churchill, of Fayette, and 17-year-old Lee Stetson of Readfield.

 

General admission tickets are $10.00 pre-sold and $12.00 at the door. Children under 5 yrs are free. FMI or to reserve tickets call (207) 685-3531. 

 

Thank you to our event sponsor Saunders Manufacturing  

UMH "Old Vestry" Giveaway

The "Old Vestry" was part of Capt. John Smith's
mansion. It was donated by his daughter, Ursula
(Smith) Gile. to UMH for use as a vestry in 1868
and moved to this location where it has been used
for religious activities ever since.
It was originally part of the
Asa and Ursula (Smith) Gile home on Main Street. 

Our board of directors has voted to give away (for free) the "Old Vestry" to anyone who will move it off the premises. This 19th century post and beam building has a meeting hall on the first floor and several small rooms on the second floor. It retains old doors and mantles. Windows are new. The "Old Vestry" is located next to the Union Meeting House, 22 Church Road, Readfield. If interested in removing the building call (207) 685-4537 or email unionmeetinghouse@gmail.com

Spring has arrived...

We are pleased to announce we made progress last winter on repairs and restorations to the doors and some of our beautiful windows. This work has been made possible with these generous gifts: Two façade windows from the Warren Boenke memorial donations; two front doors - one from Mr. Therrien's gift and one from Evelyn Potter's quilt raffle proceeds; the Huntoon window with Mrs. Donna Page’s donation; three additional windows including the Haines, Pierce and Notables with Susan Wagner memorial gifts. There is still much work left to do at UMH so your donations are welcome and very gratefully received.
Plans are underway for summer activities and the UMH building will be utilized in various ways. For one, there will be a wedding later this month. On June 21st Readfield grammar school alumni (pre- 1956) will be holding a reunion and commencement re-enactment at UMH. Our UMH board and members are planning for Readfield Heritage Days, a benefit concert, lawn sale, and a hooked rug show for later this summer. Stay tuned for details on this and more.
In the meantime we are sprucing up and getting ready for lots of visitors who have interest in touring  UMH. Are you one? If so, please do contact us to make an appointment!

February 2013 Update

Just because there is snow piled against the front door does not mean that The Union Meeting House (the Brick Church) is inactive. The stained glass in the bottom sash of the Hunton-Atkinson has been com-pleted by Stained Glass Express (a division of Oakes & Parkhurst in Manchester/Waterville) and returned to the building. The entire win-dow is being restored because of a gift from Mrs. Donna Page... (a Hunton descendent). Mr. Joseph Caputo has taken the top sash to his workshop and is working on the repair of the wooden parts of the window. The entire unit will be re-installed during warmer weather.
Mr. Caputo has also taken the left front door for a complete overhaul in his shop. It needs to be strengthened and tightened up, coats of old paint removed and new primer and paint applied. This is being restored with a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Dana Therrien of Readfield in memory of Mr. Therrien’s parents. Once that door is done Mr. Caputo will take the right hand door and likewise restore it. Funds for that door are coming from the successful quilt raffle organized this past summer by Advisory Board member Evelyn Potter.
At the last Board meeting this month it voted to follow the wishes of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Wagner of Read-field to use the funds donated by friends of their late daughter, Susan, to continue the restoration of the large windows. Three windows are on the list to be done this winter and they will receive a memorial plaque in memory of Miss Wagner once they are returned and installed. More details on this in the February Messenger.
Therefore, persons driving by the Brick Church this winter will see a lot of plywood closing up windows and doors that have been removed for restoration but this is a good time to get the work behind us before the sum-mer season.
If you have not renewed your membership this is a good time to do so. If you want to join with other inter-ested persons and become a first time member, the Board would welcome you on board. We hope that every-one would help to keep the Brick Church as an important Readfield landmark. Thanks for your support.
Contact the UMH at: 685-4537 or 158 Thorp Shores Rd., Readfield 04355.

January Board of Directors Business Meeting

 

The Board of Directors are meeting January 17th 6:30pm. This is a business meeting to determine / prioritize which stained and stenciled glass windows can be repaired / restored with monies in hand. There is still time to make a donation for this worthy effort! Donations can be sent to: Marius Peladeau, UMH President, 158 Thorp Shores, Readfield, ME 04355. Thank you for your kind consideration!

Please Remember Readfield Union Meeting House when Planning Your Year-End Giving...

Readfield Union Meeing House c1950

This picture of Readfield Union Meeting House  was taken c1950 - notice the steeple and clock. Efforts are underway to preserve them now - along with the interior repairs and restorations to the invaluable trompe l'oiel artwork by Charles J. Schumacher, the stained glass and stenciled windows and more. This is a daunting task for a handful of volunteers. Community support has been and continues to be vital to this process - some have helped through hands on, others have given gifts in kind and last but not least we have gratefully received the much needed individual and business cash donations and grants from foundations. All are imperative to the success of preserving this national treasure so PLEASE remember Readfield Union Meeting House as you plan your end of year giving!

December 2012 Update

A happy holiday to everyone from the Board and Advisory Board of The Union Meeting House. We are buttoned up tight for the winter but before it got too cold workmen from Oakes & Parkhurst stained glass restorers came and took out the Nancy Hunton Atkinson memorial stained glass window. Over the past decades the bottom third had sagged badly and the entire sash was in danger of letting go. This would mean hundreds of pieces of broken glass on the ground and the loss of a beautiful window.

    This past summer Mrs. Donna Page, a former Readfield girl and a Hunton descendant, donated $1,000 to have the window taken out and completely restored. Between Oakes & Parkhurst, which will repair the stained glass, and Joseph Caputo of East Pittston, who will scrap, prime, repair and paint the wooden casing and sashes, the window should be back in place by springtime. Our thanks for Mrs. Page for her thoughtfulness.

   October was the Meeting House Board’s annual meeting. Elected to serve until October 2013 were: Marius B. Péladeau, president; Barbara Boenke, secretary; Donn Harriman, treasurer; and Florence Drake, Marianne and John Perry, Karen B. Peterson; Joan Wiebe and Milton R. Wright. On the Advisory Board are Dale Marie Potter Clark, Mary Jernigan, Brianne M. McNally and Evelyn A. Potter.

   The newsletter to all members and donors is in the mail. If anyone else wants a copy let us know at 685-4537. The UMH is honored that the branches of The Bank of Maine in Readfield and Winthrop made a kind donation to sponsor this newsletter.

Getting Married Soon?

                                                                                 Donna Hall photo, 5/18/2002

Amanda Clark & David Linton wedding at
Readfield Union Meeting House. 
The trompe l'oeil art provided a
beautiful backdrop for the wedding.

Have you thought about reserving the Union Meeting House for your wedding? The setting could not be more beautiful - or historic. FMI email unionmeetinghouse@gmail.com.

Did you get married at the Union Meeting House? We want to include more pictures in the slideshow, on this website, of weddings performed at UMH. Email jpegs to unionmeetinghouse@gmail.com. Be sure to include names, dates and photographic credits.

Scroll down to the slideshows in the left column to see the wedding pictures slideshow. Enjoy!

"I knew from the time I was a little girl that I wanted to get married at the Union Meeting House because I always thought it was so beautiful inside. It was like a dream come true for me."

Mandi Clark Linton, Readfield

The Dome has been Removed for VITAL Repairs!

The UMH done was removed for repairs Thursday.
Cindy Cushing photo

Readfield Union Meeting House made a big step yesterday! The dome was removed and stored so that VITAL repairs can be made. Thank you to the Lewiston Sun for covering the landmark event in both words and pictures!!
Donations are still needed and appreciated to complete this project and others - all vital to the survival of Readfield Union Meeting House! Read on to our next post to learn more about the projects we are undertaking to preserve UMH. To see more pictures of the event go to our "Repair and Restoration" slideshow. This slideshow will also give you an idea of how much work has been done over the past two years! You can also read more in the Lewiston Sun news article, along with their pictures,  by going to our MEDIA LINKS. Thank you, as always, for your support!

2012 Membership Drive ~ Your Support is Needed

Readfield Union Meeting House annual membership drive is underway. This year's membership drive is more important than ever as in the year ahead we face some daunting tasks. If you have not received a letter and request from our Board of Directors do not hesitate - you can easily make your secure online donation today via the "DONATE HERE" button / link at the left of this screen.

Following is a letter from the UMH Board of Directors, who are seeking the support of members and donors:

June 2012

Dear Members and Friends
 
     The membership year for the Union Meeting House comes to an end this month (June 2012) and a new one, filled with daunting tasks, begins. We must succeed to reach a major step in saving the steeple. If we fail the future of the building is very uncertain. The past four years have seen progress, due in great part to the willingness of our members and friends to support the restoration efforts.
     This is going to be an important year for the building. One of the most expert steeplejacks examined the steeple last fall and confirmed what Ernest Bracy was told more than 25 years ago - there are many seriously rotted beams in the steeple. Its entire stability is threatened. We don't have to spell out the consequences of what will happen if we fail to act quickly. Everyone can see the poor condition of the clapboards on the tower, the badly eroded clock dials and the Roman numerals on the dial beginning to come off. Portions of the metal roof on the dome are flying off in the wind and falling to the ground like leaves off a tree. These are merely experior evidence of a more serious deteroration inside.
     The first step is for a crane to remove the entire rotted, leaking dome. While the crane is on site the bell and its cradle will be taken out since ultimately the metal belfry roof, on which the bell sits has to be taken up and replaced. A new belfry roof will make the structure water tight.
     This is only the initial step. The years of water dripping down into the steeple have rotted the majority of the structural beams that hold the belfry and clock tower together. The majority will have to be replaced. These are huge timbers and it will be a major, expensive undertaking to remove the rotted ones and to insert the new timbers while working around the clock mechanism. Naturally the cost will be huge. These first two steps to save the steeple will be close to $110,000 ($30,000 for Phase I and $80,000 for Phase II later). That may seem daunting, but the Board thinks it is a feasible goal and one we can reach over several years with community support.
     Yes, this multi-year project will be the most ambitious and most costly undertaking in the Meeting House's 184 year history. Encouraged by past support, the Board believes that the community shares in the significance of preserving this magnificent historical structure in the Town of Readfield. PLEASE renew your membership or, if you have not given before, join with a first-time gift so that the first step we have outlined above can be done in 2012.

Sincerely yours,
The Board of The Readfield Union Meeting House
Marius Pelideau, President
Barbara Boenke, Secretary
Donn Harriman, Treasurer
Florence Drake, Marianne Perry, John Perry, Karen B. Peterson, Joan Wiebe and Milton R. Wright
The Advisory Board of The Readfield Union Meeting House
Dale Marie Potter Clark, Holly H. Dumaine, Mary Jernigan, Brianne M. McNally and Evelyn A. Potter

Membership Annual Dues:
$25   Single
$45   Family
$15   Student
$75   Patron
$100 Benefactor
$150 Sponsor
$250 Life Fellow
$250 Corporate
Please contact us for special named gifts to the Meeting House. Naming opportunities include the steeple, windows. replica carpet and bell. There are other projects that could be accomplished with an earmarked gift and could help move the restoration forward. We would like to talk to you about these opportunities. If you wish for information on these additional opportunities please contact Marius Peladeau (contact info below).

You can easily make your secure online donation today via the "DONATE HERE" button / link at the left of this screen. Or you can mail your donation to:
Readfield Union Meeting House
c/o 158 Thorpe Shores
Readfield, ME 04355
Questions can be directed to:
Marius Peladeau: 207-685-4537 or mpeladeau@roadrunner.com

We thank you in advance for your kind consideration and generosity!

Quilt Show 2012

The Quilt Show on August 11, 2012 was a success! Thank you to all who helped plan and prepare for the show. We express appreciation to the hundreds of guests who came to partake of the quilts and to admire the beauty of the Union Meeting House as well! Congratulations to Phyllis Rourke of Readfield who won the United States quilt raffle.

New handicap ramp installed at Readfield Union Meeting House

The extension of the handicapped ramp at the Union Meeting House was undertaken by (left to right) Jason Wheeler of Fayette, Nathan James of Monmouth (James & Wheeler) with the assistance of Byron Hewitt of Farmington. They demonstrated excellent workmanship. The ramp will be stained in the spring.

November 2011 Updates

The warm fall allowed the Board of the Union Meeting House to complete a few projects before the snow flies. When the re-grading of the entire lot by Reay Construction took place it was necessary to remove the “hump” of an old septic system that was allowing rain water to drain back under the foundation. When the dirt was taken away the handicapped ramp no longer fit. To follow Federal guidelines the ramp had to be extended to provide the proper pitch for handicapped persons.
The contract was put out to bid and James & Wheeler, local builders, submitted the low bid. They did the work, using pressure-treated lumber, in early November and the finished product meets everyone’s expectation. Thank you, Nathan and Jason. Chris Dumaine of Mt. Vernon had earlier rehabilitated and painted the original part of the ramp and he will do the same for the new addition next spring.

The Board hopes that everyone has driven past the Meeting House to see the attractive new sign. Mr. Dumaine will also stain the sign posts in the spring. Thanks again to Reay Construction for the installation of the sign as a donation to the UMH. Inside, all the splintered and rotted window sills have been repaired and repainted.

This fall the Board commissioned two steeplejack firms to study the building’s steeple. Their reports confirmed earlier studies done previous years – there is substantial rot through the entire steeple and the large hole at the top of the dome is causing havoc as the rain water enters into the top of the steeple. We’ll be reporting in more detail in a coming Messenger on what they found to be the problems. The cost will be enormous. Be prepared for sticker shock.

October 2011 Updates

It has been a busy and productive fall at the Union Meeting House (“the Brick Church”) on Church Road. Thanks to a generous gift from a descendant, a Memorial Window in memory of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Dumaine Clarke of Kents Hill was restored in late August. Her grandson, Christopher Dumaine of Mt. Vernon, provided the funds which made possible the total rehabilitation of one of the large stenciled glass windows in the sanctuary. Now it fittingly bears a brass plaque with Mrs. Clarke’s name. (Please see picture below)
Many Readfield residents remember Mrs. Clarke and her husband who operated a large dairy farm on the Old Kents Hill Road for many years. After having been in place since 1868 the window had received no attention. The painted surface had worn away, most of the putty holding in the glass panes had turned to dust and some of the sashes and the outside casing were rotted or broken. Restorer Joseph Caputo of East Pittston took out the sashes and removed them to his workshop where every pane of glass was removed, wood repairs undertaken and then each pane reset in new putty before a complete priming and painting.
The Board of The Meeting House extends its thanks to Mr. Dumaine for his extreme generosity.
Thanks to a major grant from the Quimby Family Foundation the Board was able to call for bids from local contractors to re-grade the entire Meeting House lot. The award went to the low bidder, Reay Excavation of Readfield. In September the firm removed an old septic system, which was causing drainage problems and a pump station installed underground to send all waste up to a newer septic field in back of the Old Vestry. Then dirt which had piled up around the foundation was taken away and the entire lot sloped so that now there is the proper drainage away from the building. A final layer of topsoil, crushed rock under the eaves, and a membrane that is underground to protect the foundation completed the work. Already the new grass is springing up and the change is evident. The Board thanks Mr. and Mrs. Reay for their professional work. (Please see the picture below)
And, as extra bonus, while the equipment was on the lot, Mr. and Mrs. Reay installed the brand new Meeting House sign along Church Road free of charge as a donation to the Meeting House. This gesture is much appreciated. In October the sign posts will be cut off at the top and decorative caps installed.
Thanks also to the students from Kents Hill, led by Joy Bonnefond, who came down at the end of the month to rake leaves and tidy up the Meeting House grounds.
Residents of Readfield are reminded that all meetings of the Meeting House Board and Advisory Board are open to the public. The next meeting will be October 20 at 6:L30 p.m. on the second floor of the Town Office.
The membership is half completed. If you have not renewed we’d appreciate your continued support. Our mailing address is: 158 Thorp Shores Rd., Readfield 04355.