Grant to allow historical society
to better house artifacts
By Kathy McCarty
PRESQUE ISLE — An organization that specializes in preserving the community’s historical data and artifacts has received a grant that will enable it to enhance services to the public.
“The Presque Isle Historical Society has received $2,125 from the Maine State Museum with funds from the State of Maine’s New Century Community Program. The grants provide funds to assist Maine’s non-profit organizations improve facilities that house historically, scientifically or artistically significant collections,” said Kim Smith, treasurer for the Historical Society.
New Century Community Program grant funds were approved by Maine voters in a 2007 bond issue.
Smith said in many ways the Historical Society is unique.
“The Society owns two buildings — the Vera Estey House Museum and the historic fire station. However, many of its unique, historical collections cannot be displayed in either building,” said Smith.
One reason for that, according to Smith, is because the historic fire station is still under renovation and will not be ready to display any exhibits for a while. As for the Estey House, Smith said that displays are limited to items related to the home and its former owner.
“While the Vera Estey House is open at times throughout the year, the original will which bequeathed the home to the Historical Society will only allow Estey collections to be displayed. As such, all other displays must currently ‘travel’ to local libraries and schools to be viewed,” she said.
The grant will help the Society to address storage and display needs.
“This grant from the New Century Community Program has allowed the Presque Isle Historical Society to purchase storage shelves and acid-free storage boxes for properly archiving historic photographs and antique clothing. In addition, an important local historical artifact has now been beautifully archived,” said Smith.
Smith said the item makes a little-known connection between Presque Isle and the Civil War.
“The Civil War promotion certificate of a well-known Presque Isle citizen has been framed under conservation glass with acid-free matting. This piece will be an integral part of the upcoming Civil War display,” Smith said.
New Century Community Program grants require recipients to raise a minimum of one-to-one matching funds.
“The grant award itself is of immediate practical use,” noted Maine State Museum Director Joseph R. Phillips, “but State-level recognition of community efforts also helps to generate matching funds from local people and businesses.”
Volunteer hours will be counted toward the match, said Smith.
“The Society’s volunteers are expecting to invest almost 200 hours of donated time as local match for this project,” noted Smith.
For more information about the Society, visit www.pihistory.org. For more information about the Collections Facilities Grant Program, call the Cultural Resources Information Center at 287-7591 or e-mail maine.cric@maine.gov.
