The archives of the Gorham Historical Society may be housed in the old Wescott School building on Narragansett Road, according to Brenda Caldwell, the Society’s executive secretary and former archivist. The historical artifacts and documents are boxed and ready to leave the city-owned brick building on School Street where researchers have used the collection for 40 years. That building needs major repairs and lacks parking. Mold has made it unsafe both for people and the Society’s collection.
Shawn Moody owns the one-room school house next to his company headquarters and has used it for storage. He has offered it for the archives if the building can be made suitable for the Society’s needs. It would provide a safe environment for the valuable historical resources which have been at risk in the water-damaged current location. Parking would be available on Moody’s nearby lot.
Gorham Historical Society president Suzanne Phillips said the organization is also looking at some other possible locations, including space on the USM Campus. “If anyone has an appropriate place we might consider,” she said, “we would love to hear from them.” The archives are traditionally closed for the winter, but Phillips would like to have the collection available for researchers and visitors this spring.
Photo credit Kathy CorbettThe old Wescott School building on Narragansett Road (Rt. 202) near Moody’s Collision Center is a possible option for the Gorham Historical Society’s archives. In the late 19th century students in one of Gorham’s nineteen districts attended classes at Wescott School.
After years of dwindling membership, the Gorham Historical Society is seeing renewed community interest. At the October annual meeting, members accepted a bequest of $10,000 from the estate of Almery H. Hamblen, Sr. Descended from one of Gorham’s founding families, Hamblen was a long-time member of the group with an interest in genealogy and local history. The Historical Society also announced that John McCarthy, the nephew of Jim Eddy who had donated his homestead several years ago, gave the society $62,000 to build a barn on the property.
New officers were also elected at the annual meeting. Jan Labrecque is secretary and Kelly Towle Dearborn is now treasurer. David McCullough was re-elected to the role of vice-president of projects. Dearborn also became archivist, succeeding Caldwell, who retired from the position. Other officers are Phillips, vice president Amanda Pearson, executive secretary Caldwell, and past president Ronald Shepard.