FORT KENT, Maine – Almost 100 years ago today, a group of northern Mainers founded the Fort Kent Historical Society, which at the time was incorporated as a literary society for village improvement. The group now maintains six buildings adjacent to the railroad track, and is planning a centennial celebration next month on June 28.
Historian Chad Pelletier, former society president who currently sits on the board, said the society, founded on Dec. 5, 1925, initially functioned more like a chamber of commerce that also dealt with historical items.
“We could trace our historical society, chamber of commerce and public library back to what happened in 1925,” Pelletier said.
Pelletier said the society’s first project was to restore the town’s historic blockhouse, which was used during the “bloodless” Aroostook War of 1838-1839. This was a dispute between the United States and United Kingdom about where the border separating Maine and New Brunswick stood.
Federal troops were called to the blockhouse, but no battles occurred. They remained at the fort until 1845 to protect the country’s interests. The blockhouse is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark.
Among the society’s founding members was Dora Bradbury Pinkham, who was the society’s secretary. Pinkham, a Republican, was also the first woman ever elected to the Maine Legislature. Pinkham served in both the state house and senate.
The first treasurer was William J. Audibert, a Democrat who ran against Pinkham for state Legislature in 1923. Audibert lost in 1923, but won his seat back in 1925.
“I compare it to Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet, because when he was president, he chose all of his political rivals to be in his cabinet,” Pelletier said. “So it was a team of rivals, and it was kind of the same thing with the historical society. There were Catholics and Protestants, and there were Republicans and Democrats, especially [Pinkham and Audibert], but they all came together in 1925 to form the society.”
Edwidge Pelletier, another member of the society, was also the first woman to become an embalmer in Maine, according to Pelletier.
“A team of, I’ll use the word ‘misfits,’ got together and they founded something that has lasted almost 100 years,” he said.
Among the founding members was Paul D. Thibodeau, whose grandson Jim Thibodeau currently sits as the society’s president.
“I got involved about 15 years ago, after my parents passed,” Thibodeau said, “because they were involved.”
Thibodeau said the society currently owns six buildings, all of which are near the town’s old train station. Two buildings were directly used in connection with the railroad, the other is a railcar building. Railcars are a two-person machine that could be put on the rail for transportation.
These three buildings are on one side of the railroad. The other three buildings include the Jean-Baptiste Daigle house, also known as the Daigle-Dube House, an Acadian log house built in 1840. The other two buildings are a replica of a one-story schoolhouse, on the same property as the Daigle house, and a barn that contains displays of farming and logging equipment.
Pelletier said the society now contains about two hundred members and has an active board consisting of 11 people. The group holds fundraisers on a regular basis and hosts public openings throughout the summer months between Friday and Sunday.
Between fundraisers, membership dues and donations, Thibodeau said the group generates between $15,000 and $20,000 annually.
Pelletier said that while the group has several ongoing projects, its main mission is operating its buildings as museums and collecting memorabilia. The society is also continuing to work on restoring the 1840 Daigle house.
During the June 28 centennial celebration, buildings will be open for viewing, a cookout will be held and members of the society will give speeches about the organization. The event is set to take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be free and open to the public.
