A statue of his likeness stands sentinel in Chamberlain Freedom Park in Brewer, the city proudly claims itself as his birthplace, and numerous biographies recount his military victories.
Joshua Chamberlain is a household name in the state of Maine. Perhaps best known for his actions on July 2, 1863, when Chamberlain and the 20th Maine held the extreme left flank of the Union line against a rebel attack at Little Round Top. This historic event on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg is important to his story, but the Civil War hero was once just a child living in Brewer.
Chamberlain’s birthplace and boyhood home are both privately owned, but on Aug. 9, the Pejepscot Historical Society is joining together with the Brewer Historical Society for a special opportunity to step inside a part of Chamberlain’s early life. For $25, guests will travel by bus from Brunswick to Brewer where local experts will speak on Chamberlain’s life at various stops on a tour, including the two homes and the Brewer Historical Society.
This one-time only chance is being offered as a part of Chamberlain Days, a series of events hosted by the Pejepscot Historical Society in Brunswick to celebrate the former governor of Maine and president of Bowdoin College. This year, Chamberlain Days will take place from Aug. 7 to Aug. 9.
Residents of Brewer and immediate areas interested in the tour of Chamberlain’s birthplace and boyhood home also are encouraged to register for a reduced rate of $15 and can board the bus at the Brewer Auditorium, Wilson Street side.
Chamberlain’s birthplace, located at 315 North Main St. in Brewer, and his boyhood home at 80 Chamberlain St., are special locations for his admirers because the residences are usually not open to visitors.
David Hanna, museum accessions clerk of the Brewer Historical Society and member of the Brewer Historic Resources Advisory Board, contacted Dan Moellentin and Earl Sherwood, owners of Chamberlain’s birthplace and boyhood home, respectively. They each agreed to open their private residences for the event.
Moellentin, who purchased the residence in 2008, hopes that the tour will show others, especially young people, that “having an old house doesn’t mean it’s a bad house.”
“The house has been heavily maintained. It’s been loved by everyone who has lived here,” Moellentin said. He commented on the tin ceilings, art deco bathroom, and mahogany trim and doors of the home, which contribute to the tasteful upkeep of the home’s original style.
“There are so many Chamberlain fans out there who come to Maine because they know and admire Joshua Chamberlain. The fact that we can extend the telling of his story past Brunswick up to Brewer is incredibly exciting for us,” Jennifer Blanchard, executive director of the Pejepscot Historical Society, said.
“Founded by a group of 16 local citizens in 1888, the Pejepscot Historical Society is among the oldest historical societies in the state of Maine,” according to the society’s website. The organization owns three separate properties, including the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum.
The museum is the adult home of Chamberlain and his family and is open Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend for guided tours.
This year’s Chamberlain Days will feature the special trip to Brewer and will highlight areas in Brunswick.
“We’ve added in a lot of walking tours about things that were going on in the area during Chamberlain’s time in Brunswick, which span the 1850s through his death in 1914,” Blanchard said.
Examples of tours include a walk through the Pennellville Historic District, which will offer information about shipbuilding in Brunswick, and the Cabot Mill tour, which takes guests through the building and explains how it operated as a textile manufacturer from the 19th into the 20th century.
Registration for the trip is required and can be done by calling Pejepscot Historical Society at 729-6606. For a full schedule of events for Chamberlain Days, visit http://pejepscothistorical.org/events.
