Article contents
Winter 2022 · Issue 28 · Layout: Jessica Dorr.
This is an archived annual newsletter to the society’s membership. Appeals, officers, plans, and event details below reflect the time of publication. For current information, see society news, events, or support the society.
OHS needs your support
We’re happy to announce the good news that the Otisfield Historical Society has survived the Covid-19 crisis. Our traditional strawberry festival in July, held outside for the first time ever, was a great success. The event included Derek Dorr’s presentation, held in the Hankins barn, on Algernon Scribner, one of Otisfield’s numerous Civil War soldiers.
We also conjured up perfect October weather for our first-ever tour of 10 interesting grave sites in the Elmwood Cemetery. Best of all, your support during this tough period has been splendid. Please continue it by mailing a donation in the enclosed envelope.
Voting on a new constitution
We will host a meeting over Zoom on April 14th at 7pm to vote on changes to our constitution and to elect our officers and directors. The proposed constitution is posted on our website - otisfield.org/about - for review.
If you are a member who would like to attend this meeting, please send us an email request for the Zoom link at otisfieldhistorical@gmail.com
Elmwood Cemetery shows off some illustrious and unusual Otisfielders
The Elmwood Cemetery tour on October 16th turned out to be fun for everybody who spent the afternoon celebrating the lives of 10 men and women buried there -- some famous ones like Joe Holden, some better known, like Maurice Whitcomb, for obstreperous behavior. Sitting beside the 10 graves we had 10 interpreters. Garry Dyer recounted his uncle Howard’s trip to Canada at age 94. Not far from Garry, Callie Zilinsky explained how her grandmother Annette Pottle, a widow, managed to get all 5 children through college. Over near the Civil War monument, Jim Howard impersonated William Spurr, using Lennie Adler’s Model-A as a prop.
We saw Pamela Hodenberg act as her great-grandmother Nellie Edwards, aided by her sister as Nellie’s daughter Elvira and a period sewing machine. A good time was had by all!
View photograph: Derek Dorr portrays Joe Holden
Camp Arcadia treasures
Anne Fritts has donated a substantial collection of Arcadiana -- year books, photographs, all kinds of memorabilia from Camp Arcadia, a camp for girls on Pleasant Lake which celebrated its 100th anniversary recently. She also donated photos and documents from the nearby Arcadia Farm. The farm, also owned by the George Meylan family, supplied fresh vegetables for the camp -- as well as providing an opportunity for the girls to practice their weeding and harvesting techniques.
We are grateful to Anne for this donation and encourage others to consider enriching the Otisfield Historical Society with mementos from the town's past.
A farewell to a faithful leader
Shirley Hamilton has served us faithfully as president since 2015, when she stepped smoothly into the position previously held by her husband, Henry Hamilton, who passed away in December of 2018. She quickly demonstrated her own energy and enthusiasm. Perhaps her greatest contribution was her desire to finish transforming the Old Town House into a true home for the historical society and our collection. The Society is most grateful for her long service.
Upcoming programs
While we are still getting our bearings in navigating the pandemic, we do plan on having a few fun outings again this year. Our annual Strawberry Festival will change locations again this year where we’ll join our friends at the top of Bell Hill. Join us at the usual time for delicious shortcake for a cause and make sure to stay a while to enjoy the good times that await at 7pm when our friends from the Bell Hill Meetinghouse Association kick off their season! In August, we plan on revisiting a lost tradition. For many years, the end of August always signified a fun afternoon at the East Otisfield Free Baptist Church. Bring a chair and your memories of picnics past. We’ll provide the snacks! We’ll wrap things up in October with another cemetery tour, this time at the Bell Hill Cemetery, the oldest in town. Many of the founders of our town lie buried here. What new information might they divulge?
Strawberry Festival draws a big crowd
Our annual July Strawberry Festival, the biggest fundraiser for OHS, moved this year from the Old Town House on Bell Hill Road to the Hankins farm on Scribner Hill Road. An outdoor setting seemed a safer way to assemble people during the Covid-19 period. The move meant we could serve the shortcake outside at our usual time and follow up with Derek Dorr’s program at 7.
Tables for the shortcake were set up under a large tent on the lawn. After eating, folks then carried their chairs down to the barn to attend Derek’s talk on Algernon Scribner, one of several of Otisfield’s soldiers who died in the Civil War.
Calendar for 2022
As announced in this newsletter.
- April 14 — An update and voting on the constitution — Zoom, 7 p.m.
- July 10 — Strawberry Festival — Bell Hill Meetinghouse, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
- August 28 — Joe Holden Day — time and location to be decided
- October 1 — Cemetery Tour — Bell Hill Cemetery
Original newsletter
Download the Winter 2022 newsletter (PDF). The source is labeled Winter 2022; this article is filed under February, the society’s annual mailing month. The exact mailing day is not recorded.
An identical archived copy of this issue is also available.