BANGOR — Bangor Historical Society and the Maine Discovery Museum will continue their of collaboration with “History Reads,” a grant-funded effort to develop a children’s book written and illustrated by third-grade students in Bangor. The two organizations are seeking teachers interested in helping to create the book during either the summer or as part of the fall curriculum.
“‘History Reads’ is a great opportunity for kids in Bangor to learn more about our history while creating something tangible,” said Bangor Historical Society Interim Executive Director and Curator Matt Bishop, who has been head of the society since last November. “There is no better partner for us in this project than the Maine Discovery Museum. We’re happy to be able to continue working with them in this way.”
“The intention is to get kids and teachers involved. It’s a really great project,” he said.
The project will focus on Minerva, a ship’s figurehead from a building on Exchange Street in the society’s museum collection, which survived the fire of 1911 that destroyed Bangor’s downtown.
“The history museum asked if we could help make connections with schools and teachers, and the age group out museum works with,” said Niles Parker, executive director of the Maine Discovery Museum. “Literacy and writing are a big part of what we do. We will help the history museum carry out the project. It’s a great project, a great idea the history museum had to let children learn about history through an artifact.”
Children taking part in the project will learn about the fire and use their imaginations create stories and illustrations about what Minerva saw before, during and after the fire.
Illustrations not selected to appear in the book will be on display at the Maine Discovery Museum, Parker said.
The Bangor Historical Society and Maine Discovery Museum also are partnering on an exhibit, currently on display at the museum, depicting the 1954 visit of two white whales that caused a great deal of excitement when they swam up the Penobscot River to Bangor. Paintings by the late Francis Hamabe tell that story.
Third-grade teachers in Bangor schools interested in making History Reads a part of their classroom work should contact Trudi Plummer at tplummer@mainediscoverymuseum.org or Kim Stewart at kstewart@mainediscoverymuseum.org for details. Information also is available at bangormuseum.org.
The Bangor Historical Society’s Thomas Hill House museum is now open for the season 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Its Brown Bag Lunch Series is held at noon the first Tuesday of each month. The July 1 session will feature a talk on why stories are important to tell and preserve. The Aug. 5 session will feature a talk in the fire of 1911.