Upcoming event:

“Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin” with William Huntting Howell
June 13, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Hello friends!

We’d like to remind you all that the next event in our Independence 250 speaker series is coming right up! This Saturday, June 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. we will welcome Professor William Huntting Howell of Boston University to share his research and analysis of an unusual Revolutionary War memoir. Joseph Plumb Martin’s A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier is a rich, first-hand account that tells the story of the American Revolution from the perspective of an ordinary enlisted soldier rather than a famous general or statesman. Howell writes that Martin’s Narrative, first published in Hallowell, Maine, in 1830, “offers both a counter-record of the facts of the War and a counter-method for relating them.”

If you want to get a taste for the narrative, check out Howell’s article “Starving Memory,” which appeared in Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life.

A celebration of the life of Dr. Stanley R. Howe will be held this Saturday, June 6, at the Lower Meeting House (East Bethel Church) located at 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel, Maine. Beginning at 2:00 pm, there will be special remarks by family and friends, followed by music, and memories/comments from those attending.

Dear friends,

By now, most of our readers have heard the sad news already, but for those who have not yet received word, it is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of Dr. Stanley Russell Howe, Executive Director of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society from 1974-2010 and Director of Education and Research from 2010-2012.

Every member of the Society probably has a Stan Howe story. My own begins in the summer of 2014. I had recently graduated from the University of Maine at Augusta with a degree in information and library studies. Throughout my studies, I had worked as a reference assistant at the Auburn Public Library and I had recently accepted a second part time job as a project archivist in the Shaker Library at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village. Working at Shaker Village had proved an absolutely wonderful experience, but it was one that was destined to eventually end when I finished scanning and cataloging the community’s extensive photographic collection, and so I had my eyes peeled for future opportunities.

A former teacher spotted me at Molly Ockett Day, pulled me aside to ask me what I had been doing, and then promptly marched me over to talk with Randy Bennett, Stan’s good friend and successor as executive director of the Bethel Historical Society. It turned out that the Society was just months away from breaking ground on a new facility. The Huntoon Center, an addition to the Robinson House, would eventually house the Society’s extensive library, archives, and museum collections, and would also include an office for library personnel and reading room for public access. The facility was a gift from supporter Charles R. Huntoon and it was expected that there would be enough funds to provide for a new part-time staff person to manage the transition.

In the meantime, I began regularly attending BHS programs and got to know both Randy and Stan. Stan was particularly enthused because he found out that I had an interest in political history. While Stan and Randy shared many interests, Randy is given to quote Artemus Ward creator Charles Farrar Browne (“I’m not a politician and my other habits are good”). Stan, on the other hand, never shied from controversy, and, indeed, seemed to revel in whatever the political scandal of the day was.

But while he followed the news closely, his true passion was always for the history of the nineteenth-century Republican Party and, in particular, Abraham Lincoln. In the fall of 2014, the historical society showed a documentary about Lincoln and Stan brought over a selection of his books about the sixteenth President, which easily covered an entire table.

A week later, Stan invited me over to pick up some duplicate books that he had found in his collection and thought I might be interested in. I drove up to Stan’s house on a Sunday around noon, expecting that I would pick up the books, chat for a bit, and be back in a couple hours. Instead, I didn’t arrive back home until evening. In the meantime, Stan had given me an entire box of books, showing me them one at a time and explaining the merits of each one, toured me through every room in his house, told me the entire story of his life and career, and taken Randy and me out to eat at Kowloon Village.

By now, many readers, I’m sure, are nodding, having lived through the full Stan Howe Experience themselves. For the uninitiated, the basic facts of Stan’s life are these:

Stan was born on August 25, 1943 to Rodney Kimball Howe and Geraldine Alma Stanley Howe. At the time of his birth, millions of American soldiers were serving overseas in the fight against fascism.

(Stan’s first cousin, twice removed, Clarence Decatur Howe, known as C. D. Howe, was then serving as Minister of Munitions and Supply in the Canadian government. C. D. Howe was a controversial figure, but Stan was always proud of the fact that, for his work on wartime munitions, Winston Churchill had given Howe much of the credit for winning World War II. Stan heard much about Howe growing up, and his admiration for him sparked an interest in Canadian history, and eventually inspired him to write his dissertation on Howe’s political career.)

Stan and his four younger siblings, Greg, Sue, Allan, and Cathy, grew up on the Stanley family farm in East Bethel. Their family roots in this area extend back to the 1770s.

Stan began his education in a one-room school in East Bethel and later attended Bethel Primary (later known as the Ethel Bisbee School) and Crescent Park School. He graduated from Gould Academy in 1962 and from Gorham State College (now University of Southern Maine) in 1966. At first Stan wasn’t sure what he was going to do after receiving his undergraduate degree, but a classmate alerted him to the fact that the University of Connecticut was effectively free to attend for graduate students in the Department of History—even those from out of state. Stan was awarded his master’s degree in American history from “UConn” in 1967. He went on to earn a doctorate in Canadian history from the University of Maine in 1977.

Stan received numerous awards and honors in the field of history, including induction into the history honor society Phi Alpha Theta in 1974 and selection for the Seminar in Historical Administration at Colonial Williamsburg in 1980. He served on the board of organizations including the Maine Archives & Museums, the Maine Historical Society, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, and Maine Preservation, was book review editor for the journal Maine History, and taught history classes at the University of Maine, Westbrook College, and the University of New Hampshire’s College for Lifelong Learning.

In addition to his important role in preserving local and regional history, Stan was also a civic leader, serving on the Bethel Select Board from 1975-1983 and again from 2004-2015, including many terms as Chair. He served on boards and committees including the Bethel Planning Board, Bethel Bicentennial Committee, SAD44 Board of Directors, Gould Academy Board of Trustees, Project Opportunity, Bethel Library Association, Oxford County Republican Committee, Republican State Committee, Woodland Cemetery Company, East Bethel Cemetery Association, Alder River Grange, Oxford Pomona Grange, Maine State Grange, Middle Intervale Meeting House Society, and Oxford County League of Historical Societies.

For his many contributions, Stan was honored as the Alumnus of the Year at Gould Academy in 1982, received a special Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award, also in 1982, and was selected by the Bethel Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow in 2003. In 2005, he was presented the Henry H. Hastings Award for Citizenship by the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce “for decades of service to the citizens of Bethel, Oxford County and Maine.”

But it wasn’t any of Stan’s achievements that made the biggest impression on me that first long afternoon I spent with him. It was the immense gratitude, even amazement, with which Stan spoke about his life. Stan told me about how fortunate he had been in his education and career. He couldn’t believe that “a boy from East Bethel” had the opportunity to have the experiences and meet the people that he had. He had become friends with the most incredible and most wonderful people.

Stan would become especially nostalgic whenever mentioning his PhD adviser Alice Stewart, a powerhouse in the University of Maine’s history department, who had helped to found the Canadian-American Studies program. But this sentimentality would turn to excitement when recounting the story of how Alice and her circle of advisees had found themselves stuck when the door to one of the university library’s private study rooms jammed. “Move aside, boys!” Alice had commanded after several of the young men had tried unsuccessfully to force the door open. And with one large heave of her body, the door sprang open, releasing them.

The Making of a Public Historian

Many of Stan’s graduate school buddies had pursued more traditional career paths in the academic history field. But Stan was pulled in a different direction. Stan’s grandmother, Edith Kimball Howe, had nurtured his early interest in history, was good friends with Eva Bean, who had published the book East Bethel Road in 1959, and was the primary mover in the founding of the Bethel Historical Society in 1966. Stan had been a member of the society since the early days—several times he showed me his original membership card, personally signed by Eva.

Eva passed away in 1969, just three years after the Bethel Historical Society’s founding, so she never got to see the society fully flourish or even acquire a permanent headquarters. (In those early days, meetings were mainly held at the Bethel Library). A few years later, the Society’s fortunes changed dramatically when Sidney W. Davidson, a New York attorney who served as chairman William Bingham Trust for Charity, had the idea to restore the 1813 Broad Street home of Dr. Moses Mason and his wife Agnes Straw Mason, and to donate it the Bethel Historical Society for its headquarters.

The plans for the restoration of the house called for the creation of a modest apartment on the second floor where the curator would reside, and the Trust would provide the initial endowment funds to support this new position. For Stan, the timing could hardly have been better, and the trustees of the historical society were equally fortunate to have a well-qualified prospect with the local credibility to match. And so, when the Society opened the Mason House to the public in 1974, Stan was hired as the Society’s first employee.

Then as now, few local historical societies could afford to support any paid staff whatsoever. Stan was getting in at the ground floor of a growing organization, with the opportunity to help shape its future and to take on the role he seems to have been destined for: as the quintessential public historian.

He retained friendships with former professors and classmates who had entered academia, and he occasionally taught college courses himself. In his role as book review editor for the journal Maine History and as a committee member for several statewide organizations, Stan remained connected to the larger world of state and local history, and these connections would redound greatly to the benefit of the Bethel Historical Society.

At the same time, Stan never lost sight of what an organization rooted in community history should be. The minutiae of local history still interested him greatly, and he was as happy debating which house was the oldest in a particular neighborhood as he was discussing the historical theories and methodology of Richard Hofstadter (one of his favorite historians).

For many of our longtime members and supporters, Stan became nearly synonymous with the Bethel Historical Society. Along with Randy Bennett—the Society’s longtime curator and Stan’s eventual successor as director—a succession of dedicated trustees, and an active base of volunteers and supporters, Stan led a transformation of the Society. The organization’s mission, which was originally focused mainly on the history of the town of Bethel, expanded, and the Society began collecting a wider range of materials and sponsoring more regionally-focused programs, exhibits, and publications.

The Society became a leader in publishing books on regional history, such as Randy Bennett’s encyclopedic Oxford County, Maine: A Guide to Its Historic Architecture. In addition to popular community events such as Sudbury Canada Days, Heritage Days, and New Years’ Bethel, the Society organized ambitious gatherings—such as a 1985 conference on rural reform and a conference on the history of the Grange in Maine in 2008—and hosted a number of noted speakers such as Pulitzer-prize winning historian Alan Taylor.

Today, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society is a regional history museum, with an extensive research center, that collects, preserves and interprets the history of western Maine and the White Mountain region of Maine and New Hampshire.

By the time I joined the staff of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society in the spring of 2015, Stan had been retired from the regular staff for a few years, but was still a constant presence. Every morning, Stan would bring the local newspaper up to Randy’s office on the third floor, sit down in a chair and read it through. He would pick up and post the Society’s mail, clean up any sticks that fallen in the the yard, and give tours to anyone who stopped by (sometimes flagging down and pulling people in off the street). Stan made everyone feel welcome here and was always extremely generous with his time and eager to share his knowledge and stories.

Most recently, Stan oversaw the transfer of his Broad Street home, the Hastings Homestead, to a new nonprofit, the Hastings Homestead Museum, which plans to develop the property into a historic house museum chronicling five generations of ownership by the Hastings-Howe family.

Stan was thrilled to welcome me aboard the Bethel Historical Society, and took an enthusiastic interest in my professional development and in introducing me to people he wanted me to know and wanted to know me. When old friends such as Tommy and Charles, or Rich and Vic would come to visit, he would invite me over to his house to take part in the lively discussions that would be had over coffee and tea and muffins baked on his wood stove. Beginning in 2015, I would accompany him annually to the “Maine Town Meeting” event at the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, of which Stan had one of the longest unbroken streaks for attendance. I had the pleasure of working with Stan on several projects, including doing the formatting and design for his final book, William Bingham 2nd: A Life, a biography of Bethel’s greatest benefactor, published by the Bethel Historical Society in 2017.

Like Stan, I have always considered myself immensely fortunate for the circumstances and timing that brought me to the Society. Almost immediately, I felt a keen sense of awareness that I was becoming a part of something that was much larger. Stan and Randy both had a profound vision for what the organization could eventually become and their enthusiasm was infectious. The state-of-the-art new collections storage facility and research library that was being built—and which I would have the pleasure of working in—was just the latest development in the fulfilment of our longstanding goals.

When I took over as Executive Director of the organization, I understood my mission, in part, as carrying forward what my predecessors had already worked so hard to set in motion. And for as long as I continue to work here, one of my motivations will always be to do Stan proud.

Stan passed peacefully in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, February 22.

He was a giant of Maine history and will be greatly missed.

Upcoming event:

Goose Eye No. 6 Launch Party
Saturday, June 20, 2026, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Intervale Gateway
Bethel, ME 04217
(Optional walk at 5:30 p.m., party begins in barn at 6:00 p.m.)

Hello, friends!

We are excited to unveil the latest issue of Goose Eye, which has just been sent off to the printer! We invite you to join the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, our partners, the Mahoosuc Land Trust, and our gracious hosts, the Shepley family, for a party at the Intervale Gateway (the triangular piece of land between Intervale Road and Route 26 as you enter Bethel Village) on Saturday, June 20, to celebrate the launch!

We’ll be kicking off the evening at 5:30 p.m. with a guided walk around the historic Intervale Gateway. (Meet at the corner nearest Davis Park.) The Intervale Gateway was the Mahoosuc Land Trust’s first conserved property and offers a lovely short walk with views of Bethel village. MBHS Executive Director will provide a few general historical notes on the area and MLT leaders will discuss the organization’s history with the property.

Following the walk we will congregate under the tents beginning at 6:00 p.m. (Feel free to join us at this time if you want to skip the walk.) Light refreshments will be served and you’ll have a chance to pick up or purchase a copy of the new issue. At 6:30 p.m. we’ll hear remarks from Goose Eye editor William Chapman, and contributors, Kirk Siegel and William B. Krohn.

Goose Eye No. 6

Goose Eye No. 6 is entitled “Lines on a Map, Part One,” and is the first in a two-part series exploring some of the stories behind the many different kinds of lines that we take for granted when looking at a modern map. There those that represent natural features such as rivers, mountains, and coast line; those that identify physically real features created by human intervention, such as trails, roads, and railroad track; and still others that mark purely legal or political boundaries. The issues will seek to show how none of these are timeless or inevitable; they all reflect particular historical circumstances and contingencies. The lines on today’s maps encode a legacy of conflict and struggle by humans both against nature and against fellow humans.

Given the overlap between this topic and the work of our local land conservation organizations, MBHS asked the Mahoosuc Land Trust to partner on the production and release of this issue. Goose Eye No. 6 includes an essay by MLT Executive Director and co-founder Kirk Siegel, who reflects on how growing up roaming freely in the White Mountains formed a conservationist—and how our future depends on rebuilding relationships with land through deeper connection with Wabanaki communities and Indigenous ways of knowing.

Here’s a look at what else you’ll find inside!

• Brett Ciccotelli, Stephen Engle, and Bryan Wentzell reflect on a unique map they created which shows Waponahkik—Wabanaki Territory—stripped of imposed political boundaries.

• William B. Krohn writes about Kennedy Smith, the pioneering founder of three sporting camps in northern Franklin County, Maine, and constructor of many miles of buckboard trail.

• Larry Glatz recounts the many adventures of eccentric entrepreneur, relentless self-promoter, and transcontinental railroad advocate Josiah Perham, of Wilton, Maine, in the first of a two-part series to be concluded in Goose Eye No. 7.

• David Crouse discusses the long-running dispute between Massachusetts (and later Maine) and New Hampshire on the precise location of the Maine–New Hampshire border, focusing on the implications for a few Maine and New Hampshire communities in the White Mountain region.

• Larry Glatz explores the fragmented and confusing processes behind the naming (official and unofficial) and “unnaming” of Maine’s many areas of “unorganized territory.”

We would like to thank all of readers for their ongoing support which makes putting out a high-quality journal possible for our small organization. We are very proud of the latest effort and look forward to sharing it with all of you!

Hello, folks! We are just six weeks out from the Fourth of July, and the Independence 250 program series is in full swing! From programs, exhibits, and more, there is so much on the horizon that we wanted to share some updates about everything that is going on.

Upcoming event:

“Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin” with William Huntting Howell
June 13, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Memoir of a Revolutionary War Soldier

First up, on Saturday, June 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. we will welcome Professor William Huntting Howell of Boston University to share his research and analysis of an unusual Revolutionary War memoir. Howell writes that “Joseph Plumb Martin’s Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, first published in Hallowell, Maine, in 1830, offers both a counter-record of the facts of the War and a counter-method for relating them.”

Howell is the author of “Starving Memory,” an article on Martin’s Narrative which appeared in Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life.

“Connected by a Thread” Puzzles Available for Pre-Order

We are excited to announce that the remarkable “Connected by a Thread” quilt will soon be available as a 504-piece puzzle. The quilt was created to honor the 250th anniversary of American Independence with the collaboration of quilt guild chapters across Maine. This project was led by our very own Donna Gillis as part of the Independence 250 series! Expected availability is early July. Pre-order here!

Fourth of July Community Celebration

Let’s not forget about the big day itself! In honor of the 250th anniversary of American Independence, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s traditional Fourth of July Community Picnic and Concert will be expanded into a full day of festivities.

We’ll kick things off at 10:00 with a parade up Main Street. This will be followed by a reading of the Declaration of Independence on the lawn of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House (10 Broad Street, Bethel, ME), and the 33rd annual concert by the magnificent Portland Brass Quintet.

After the concert, we will have games and activities for both children and adults, refreshments available for purchase, and an informal music jam (open to all!) until 3:00.

Mornings at the Museum

July also means the return of our popular summer children’s program, Mornings at the Museum. Bring your children, grandchildren, or other little ones (ages 5-10) in your care to the museum grounds on Thursdays, July 9, 16, 23, 30, 9:30-11:30 a.m. to take part in some free, hands-on activities. In celebration of 250 years of independence, the theme this year will be “Happy Birthday, America!”

Book Discussion Series

The third event in our Independence 250 Book Discussion series was held on May 9. The series will resume this fall with a discussion of Gordon Wood’s Pulitzer Prize-winning analysis The Radicalism of the American Revolution to be held at the Waterford Public Library on Saturday, September 12 at 2:00. Copies of Radicalism are available for purchase at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society at the special rate of $10. You do not have to have attended any previous discussions or to have finished the entire book to take part.

Upcoming event:

Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community
A free walking conversation led by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and Mahoosuc Land Trust
Saturday, May 2, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Davis Park, Bethel, ME 04217

Our community walk, “Along the Andro” is tomorrow at 12:00 (following Green Up Day!) We hope to see you there! A reminder: this walk is part of the global Jane’s Walk event and will be held rain or shine.

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: My Dear Hamilton
Saturday, May 9, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Rumford Public Library
56 Rumford Ave, Rumford, ME 04276

Hello readers!

Our next book discussion in the Independence 250 series will take place on Saturday, May 9, at 2:00 pm at the Rumford Public Library. We will be discussing My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.

My Dear Hamilton is a fictional, but carefully-researched, interpretation of the life of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, wife of Founding Father and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Eliza was a revolutionary woman who, like her new nation, struggled to define herself in the wake of war, betrayal, and tragedy. Authors Dray and Kamoie used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right.

“Revolutionary Books” Discussion Series

This is the third in a series of five book discussions that will take place in libraries around western Maine this year. You can learn about the whole series here.

You do not need to have attended the previous discussion to attend this one, and please feel free to come and participate even if you aren’t able to read the book before the event.

Need a Copy?

If you need a copy of the book, they are for sale at the Rumford Public Library and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society at a reduced rate of just $10. The museum shop is currently open by appointment—just call (207-824-2908) or email (info@bethelhistorical.org)!

You can also borrow the book from the Bethel Library (as of this writing, the library’s copy is still available!) or grab a copy of the audio book on Audible!

Upcoming event:

Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community
A free walking conversation led by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and Mahoosuc Land Trust
Saturday, May 2, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Davis Park, Bethel, ME 04217

Happy Saturday! We hope all of our readers in the Bethel area had a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful summer weather yesterday! While next week looks cooler, May is just around the corner and that means its almost time for one our favorite annual events. Jane’s Walk is a global festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Nearly 70 walks are happening just in the state of Maine!

This is our third year of participating in this great event, and this year we are excited to be partnering with our friends at the Mahoosuc Land Trust to lead “Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community,” a walk along the Androscoggin River on the Bethel Pathway!

We will begin at noon at Davis Park and conclude at the Valentine Farm Conservation Center. Along the route we will be exploring the history and ecology of the Androscoggin River, including indigenous people, the importance of the river to agriculture and early industries, the pollution of the river and subsequent efforts to clean it up, river ferries, bridges, floods, and the flora and fauna of the riverside. Participation and discussion is encouraged and we especially welcome the sharing of memories from when the river was more contaminated than it is today.

Green Up Day

Our walk is timed to immediately follow Green Up Day, a volunteer roadside cleanup event. If you are interested in participating in Green Up, meet at Davis Park at 9:00 am and wear glove and a safety vest if you have one. Lunch will be provided for all Green Up volunteers at 11:30, and the walk will follow.

If you just want to come for the walk, that’s fine too! Just plan to arrive at Davis Park a few minutes before noon.

Upcoming event:

“The Last, Best Hope: The 250 Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation” with Colin Woodard
March 21, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Bingham Auditorium, Gould Academy
39 Church Street, Bethel, ME 04217
Presentation & Signing: FREE!
Special Reception Tickets: 250bethel.org/woodard

Tomorrow is the day! Acclaimed Maine author Colin Woodard will be at Bingham Auditorium at Gould Academy on Saturday, March 21, at 2:00 pm, to discuss his work on regional cultures in United States history!

The presentation and signing are FREE to all!

Woodard will be discussing the thesis first put forward in his award-winning book, American Nations: that there’s never been one America but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. Thrown together in an accident of history, these regional cultures have fought over the meaning and purpose of the U.S. federation, testing Americans’ commitment to securing the natural rights ideals in the Declaration of Independence.

Since American Nations first appeared in 2011, Woodard has continued to develop this theme in later books such as American Character (2016), Union (2020), and Nations Apart (2025). His presentation will focus on the implications of his research for the United States today, in the 250th year of American independence.

Special Author Reception!

Following the presentation and signing the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society will also be hosting a special reception with the author as a fundraiser for the Independence 250 program series.

Reserve Tickets Now!

The reception will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. We’ll be offering light refreshments, behind-the-scenes tours with the Executive Director, and a preview of our upcoming exhibits. Tickets to the reception are $20 for Museums of the Bethel Historical Society members and $25 for non-members.

Just a few spaces remain, so please reserve your reception tickets as soon as possible to guarantee your spot!

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: Angelica
Saturday, March 28, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Norway Memorial Library
258 Main Street, Norway, ME 04268

Hello readers!

We would like to invite everyone to join us at the Norway Memorial Library on Saturday, March 28 at 2:00 pm, for the second installment in our “Revolutionary Books” discussion series! We’ll be discussing the book Angelica by Molly Beer, an engaging biography of socialite Angelica Schuyler Church.

Angelica is described in many historical narratives as Alexander Hamilton’s “saucy” sister-in-law, and is best known to modern audiences as a supporting character in the broadway sensation Hamilton. As you’ll learn from the book, the real Angelica was a thoroughly interesting and impressive historical figure. Smart, politically astute, well-read, and deeply connected on both sides of the Atlantic, Angelica moved through circles that included some of the most powerful figures of her time. Her transatlantic life, sharp wit, and intellectual partnerships reveal just how influential women could be—even when history tried to sideline them.

“Revolutionary Books” Discussion Series

This is the second in a series of five book discussions that will take place in libraries around western Maine this year. You can learn about the whole series here.

You do not need to have attended the previous discussion to attend this one, and please feel free to come and participate even if you aren’t able to read the book before the event.

Need a Copy?

If you need a copy of the book, they are for sale at the Norway Memorial Library and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society at a reduced rate of just $10. The museum shop is currently open from 1:00 to 3:00, Tuesday to Friday, but just call (207-824-2908) or email (info@bethelhistorical.org) if you need to arrange a different time for pickup!

You can also borrow the book from the Bethel Library or grab a copy of the audio book on Audible!

Upcoming event:

“The Last, Best Hope: The 250 Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation” with Colin Woodard
March 21, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Bingham Auditorium, Gould Academy
39 Church Street, Bethel, ME 04217
Presentation & Signing: FREE!
Special Reception Tickets: 250bethel.org/woodard

We are now less than two weeks away from welcoming celebrated Maine author Colin Woodard to Bethel! We hope you are as excited as we are!

As a reminder, the presentation and book signing will take place at Bingham Auditorium at Gould Academy on Saturday, March 21, at 2:00 pm, and will be FREE to all!

(Please note that while previous communications stated that advanced registration was required for the talk and signing, we have moved the event to a larger space and this is no longer the case. Registration is required only for the special reception.)

Special Reception to Follow!

For those interested in continuing the conversation in a more intimate setting, following the presentation the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society will be hosting a special reception with the author as a fundraiser for the Independence 250 program series.

Reserve Tickets Now!

The reception will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. We’ll be offering light refreshments, behind-the-scenes tours with the Executive Director, and a preview of our upcoming exhibits. Tickets to the reception are $20 for Museums of the Bethel Historical Society members and $25 for non-members.

The reception is capped at 50 people and about half of the spaces are now sold, so please reserve your reception tickets as soon as possible to guarantee your spot!

About the Presenter

Colin Woodard is a journalist and writer who lives in Portland, Maine. He is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including American Nations (2011), in which he argued hat there’s never been one America but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. His most recent book is Nations Apart (2025).

If you would like to get caught up on Colin’s work before the event, several of his books are now available to borrow at the Bethel Library, or for purchase at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s museum shop.

Upcoming event:

“The Last, Best Hope: The 250 Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation” with Colin Woodard
March 21, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gould Academy
39 Church Street, Bethel, ME 04217
Tickets: 250bethel.org/woodard

Reserve Tickets Now!

The Independence 250 Committee and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society are pleased to invite you to a presentation, book signing, and special author reception featuring acclaimed Maine author Colin Woodard.

Colin Woodard is a journalist and writer who lives in Portland, Maine. Woodard argued in his award-winning book, American Nations, that there’s never been one America but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. Thrown together in an accident of history, these regional cultures have fought over the meaning and purpose of the U.S. federation, testing Americans’ commitment to securing the natural rights ideals in the Declaration of Independence. Since American Nations first appeared in 2011, Woodard has continued to develop this theme in later books such as American Character (2016), Union (2020), and Nations Apart (2025)

Woodard’s presentation and book signing at Gould Academy will be free. Following the presentation there will be a special author reception at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. The reception will feature the opportunity to chat more with the author, enjoy some light refreshments, and socialize in the museum galleries. Special behind-the-scenes tours will also be offered with the Museums’ Executive Director. Tickets to the reception are $20 for Museums of the Bethel Historical Society members and $25 for non-members. The reception is a fundraiser for the Independence 250 programs series.

Both the presentation and reception have limited capacity. Please reserve your free presentation tickets and reception tickets now.

Reserve Tickets Now!

Upcoming event:

“Ghosts of Centennials Past” with Will Chapman
February 21, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Happy Presidents’ Day Friends!

Today is the annual commemoration of the birth of George Washington and others who have served in our nation’s highest office. It is also the perfect day for a reminder of the fun program coming up this Saturday.

In “Ghosts of Centennials Past,” Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Will Chapman will be our otherworldy guide as we are visited by three spirits: the Ghosts of 1876, 1926, and 1976, who will transport us back in time to learn about how the the centennial, sesquicentennial, and bicentennial of American independence were celebrated both nationally and locally.

This program will begin at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 21, and will take place in the Howe Exhibit Hall in the barn of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House at 14 Broad Street, Bethel.

Upcoming event:

Live Book Reading and Discussion: The Age of Homespun
February 1, 8, 15, and 22, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Reading Room, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
10 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Starting on February 1st, the Independence 250 Committee and the Bethel Library Association’s Yarn Hub are hosting a monthly long reading of The Age of Homespun by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. This book presents a fascinating look at how everyday objects—spinning wheels, cloth, clothing—shaped early American life, especially women’s work and experiences.

This book reminds us that history isn’t just made in grand moments, but in the quiet, skillful labor of daily life. In keeping with the theme of the book, please bring any handwork project you have going (knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, embroidery, rug hooking, quilting, hand piecing). And if you don’t have a handwork project going, come anyway.

You do not need to read the book, but if you want to, there will be a few copies of the book to borrow from the Bethel Library Association.

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: American Scripture
January 31, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Bethel Library Association
6 Broad Street, Bethel, ME
Remote Option

We on the Independence 250 committee are busy finishing our read of American Scripture by Pauline Maier, and hope you are excited to join us! The discussion will take place on Saturday, January 31, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bethel Library Association and will be the first meeting in our Independence 250 Book Discussion Series.

Remote Option

A hybrid option will be available for those unable to attend in person. Please click here to join us via Zoom.

Reviews and Author Interviews

If you want to do some extra preparation for our upcoming discussion, here are some links to reviews of American Scripture and long-form interviews with Pauline Maier. Feel free to deep-dive into this content prior to our conversation on Saturday—or just focus on reading the book!

https://bit.ly/PodcastDiscussion

https://bit.ly/PaulineMeier

https://bit.ly/CSpanInterview

https://bit.ly/PaulineMaierinterview

https://bit.ly/AnotherAmericanScripturereview

Oxford Democrat, July 11, 1876

Centennial Letter, No. 3.

BY S. E. S.

FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL.
Phila., Pa.

Our third day in the Exhibition was devoted to the Art Gallery or Memorial Hall—a magnificent structure of white marble, with a dome like the State House, which building, though lofty and spacious, was found to be incapable of containing the exhibits of art sent in from ail quarters of the globe; and it was deemed necessary to construct an Annex Building containing forty-five rooms, each about forty feet square. We do not pretend to criticise or even to attempt any description of these works of art. We could only give a hasty look at the paintings and sculpture from Italy, Spain, France, England, Canada and other countries, but we confess we loved to linger most among the works of our own American artists, where there was nothing to shock the eye or the taste and much to attract and delight. Among the paintings exhibited by the U.S. we noticed only two from our own State. These were “On the Coast of Maine,” by Harry Brown, and Holmes’s large landscape “Near the Adirondacks.”1 It was impossible to do justice to this department in the short time we had to devote to it; and we would have loved to spend weeks in a careful study of the various and wonderful displays of art here exhibited. Though there is much that is atrocious and indecent, there is more that is pleasing, ennobling and elevating.

The Annex to the Main Building contains carriages of every description, from different countries, some of them harnessed to stuffed horses that looked as if alive and just ready for a start. There were elegant private carriages that might have been constructed for kings and queens so richly were they upholstered and finished, and baby carriages of wonderful structure and elegance, among which we noticed a combined carriage and cradle with a canopy, reversible top, shifting handle and reversible body. Some of the vehicles from foreign countries were extravagantly luxurious, while others were strangely uncouth. Some had the driver’s seat on the back of the carriage high up above the heads of the occupants so that all he could see was the top of the horses’ heads. One of the beautiful Italian carriages was put to a strange use. It was something like a cab and was upholstered with delicate blue satin which cost twenty dollars a yard. While the exhibitor was absent at noon, an Irish woman with five little children conceived this to be a nice place for them to dine—so she opened the doors and took her little family within and they had a fine pic-nic all to themselves. The wrath of the exhibitor on his return can be better imagined than described.

The Woman’s Pavilion was our next place of resort. Here we found all kinds of work performed by women, embroideries, carvings, straw work, bead work, and the like—very much like what is seen at our county fairs, though on a much broader scale. Here were seen contributions from the royal family of England, such as etchings by the Queen, table napkins spun by the royal hands, s table cloth and a banner screen embroidered by Princesses, and drawings of flowers by the Marchioness of Lorne.

Horticultural Hall next demanded our attention. Here we found all kinds of foliage with fountains and statuary, dried flowers and grasses, straw ornaments, and natural flowers preserved without the aid of wax, sent by California. There were lovely wreaths, holding their natural colors, and looking as fresh as if just made. Outside of this building, under a huge tent cover, were beautiful Rhododendrons of ever variety of color making a magnificent display. Other flowers and plants were growing outside in large gardens laid out with a great taste and beauty.

Agricultural Hall with its green roof next attracted our attention. Here were spices, fruits, confections and seeds of all kinds arranged in pavilions, arches, conical pyramids and other curious structures—a palace of wool, a cracker edifice, immense soda fountains with beautiful statuary. One corn start manufacturer had his boxes arranged very artistically. In front of his pavilion was a huge pedestal surmounted by a marble group of statues as large as life, revolving in one direction, while in an outer circle, flower pots and cans of starch revolved in the opposite direction.

New Jersey exhibited huge strawberries, any one of which would make two bites. The large glass jars of pickles, fruit, oysters, &c., were enough to make housekeepers open their eyes with wonder and delight. When we passed the spice exhibit, the air seemed filled with “odors from Araby the blest.”

All along one end of this building were great numbers of aquaria filled with all kinds of small fish, eels, king-crabs, sea turtles, &c. There was an immense tank of water filled with full rigged sailing vessels and boats, representing the Gloucester fisheries, with a wharf in one corner such as was constructed 100 years ago, and in another corner one of the present day. On shelves near by were arranged different models of articles used from the year 1800 to this time—also trophies taken by the fishermen, among which were corals and rocks that came up on their lines from 900 ft. below the surface of the water, curious shells, seaweed and sponges. In this hall we saw the veritable eagle “Old Abe,” who went through the late war with distinguished honors.

The Glass building we did not enter; but it presents a very attractive outside, with its numerous bright glass balls, of ever color, all around the edge of the large roof.

The Government Building engrossed one day of our time, and we left it then reluctantly. As you enter the building you come upon the Navy department, in which are portraits of distinguished men and life size wax figures dressed in the costume of a hundred years ago, minute men in white pants, and green coats with brass buttons, warriors in blue and gilt, seamen in their loose uniforms wit their cutlasses in hand, models of vessels full-rigged, miniature three deckers, and boats of every description, all kinds of ammunition, bomb shells some of which are opened to expose the inside, cannon balls, of which some were cracked open and broken from having been fired at iron targets, huge monitors, and all kinds of curiosities collected by the navy—also models of dry docks, representations of the huts in which Greenlanders live in winter, Esquimaux figures, boats, &c.

In the Post Office department there were models of fast mail cars, running on rails and showing how they take the U. S. Mail from the various stations, without stopping or slackening their speed. We saw three machines in operation for making envelopes, another for stamping, folding and putting on the mucilage, all of which was done as fast as one could take them up in little bundles and put the bands upon them.

We saw the original ledge of Benj. Franklin, the first Postmaster General of the United States, for the year ending Oct. 5th, 1775, models of wheels and presses, and books of raised letters for the blind.

In the U. S. department of Agriculture were all kinds of wood, pressed flowers and leaves, immense pine cones, wax models of fruit, and all the insects injurious or beneficial to agriculture.

We were made acquainted with numerous barometers, thermometers, hygrometers and all the other ’ometers, and were told how “Old Probabilities” prognosticated the weather.

In the Smithsonian department of this building we saw native copper and iron ores from Michigan, gold and silver ores from Colorado, silver ores from Utah, immense cubes of Vermont marbles, polished and unpolished, Indian manufactures in pottery, beads, furs and feathers; objects of clay in terra cotta from Mexico, wooden images, curiously carved, immense idols, one of which reached to the top of the building and was composed of numerous headed monsters, and other curiosities both modern and antique. We saw copper ore crystalized in the shape of fern leaves, brilliant specimens of different ores from California and geological specimens from other States.

There were hundreds of models of various kinds of fish, life size—immense sharks, torpedo fish, Jew fish, spear, sail and flying fish, and every other kind of fish found in the waters of our own country.

In glass cases were to be seen walrus tusks polished and “scrimshawed” by sailors, articles of all kinds manufactured from pearl shells, pieces of wood showing the ravages of the ship worm, lovely baskets, arrows, flowers, picture frames, and other ornaments, all made of shells.

Then we came upon the stuffed animals, from a wee mouse to a huge buffalo. There were the Polar and the grizzly bear, the elk, large seals and little baby seals, walruses, immense sea-lions, a white whale, huge leather-backed turtles, crocodiles and other sea monsters.

In the light-house department, were huge, revolving light-house lamps, models of light-houses, among which was one of the new Minot’s Ledge light-house built of granite. It has a huge fog bell which is struck by machinery. There were also self-recording thermometers and barometers and coast survey instruments of every kind.

In the war department were portraits of the Secretaries of War and other officials. Among the numerous implements used in that department were buoyant torpedoes in tanks of water. We saw an immense trip hammer forge pounding out the butt plate of muskets. We saw bullets, cartridges and percussion caps made; and we were attracted by a model of the U. S. arsenal, Rock Island, Ill.

We left the Government Building with the resolve that if it were possible we would spend another day in examining its exhibits, and wended our way to Machinery Hall of which we will give you some account in our next letter.

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: American Scripture
January 31, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Bethel Library Association
6 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

The first meeting in our Independence 250 Book Discussion Series will take place on Saturday, January 31, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bethel Library Association. We will be discussing the book, American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence by Pauline Meier.

In American Scripture, Maier shows us the Declaration as both the defining statement of our national identity and the moral standard by which we live as a nation. The book explores everything from the Declaration’s birth in the hard and tortuous struggle by which Americans arrived at Independence to the ways in which, in the nineteenth century, the document itself became sanctified.

In a time when debates about equality, freedom, and national identity are at the forefront of our political and cultural conversations, American Scripture reminds us that America’s founding ideals weren’t inevitabilities—they were arguments shaped by people, politics, and compromise. We chose this book to open our book discussion series, because it’s a perfect way into thinking about what the Declaration of Independence means today.

And since a few people have asked, we want to reassure you the book is a breezy 215 page survey, not a dense academic tome!

A hybrid option will be available for those unable to attend in person. Please let us know if you would like to be put on the list!

If you need a copy of the book, they are available for a special price of $10 at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and the Bethel Library Association.

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Oxford Democrat, July 4, 1876

Centennial Letter, No. 2.

BY S. E. S.

FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL.
Philadelphia, June 14th, 1876.

Mr. Editor:

In our last we gave you the exhibits of the U.S. in the main building; and we will now offer some account of our second day in this edifice. Next to the U.S. department, on the right, Mexico displayed a fine collection of beautifully polished marble.

In taking a cursory glance at the exhibits of these different countries, we shall only speak of what we were particularly pleased with, in each one; for, as we said before, it would be impossible to describe all the articles contributed. As one mathematical genius has ascertained, it would take about twenty-three years to survey the whole exhibition, allowing five minutes to each contributor, and using a reasonable number of hours each day.

In the Netherlands department we found a model of a house with a thatched roof, and other models giving some idea of their mode of dress and living.

Brazil has a brilliant display of flowers made entirely of feathers, and some curious insect jewelry made from the bright green beetles and other beautifully colored insects, in gold settings.

The Belgium laces were enough to drive the ladies “raving, distracted, crazy.” They lingered over the lovely delicate fabrics and “oh!-ah”’d” and sighed and broke the 10th commandment; and all the while their liege lords were wondering “what on earth they could see to admire so in those flimsy gewgaws.” There were several wax figures, life size, in full dress. One was very beautifully robed in soft, white grosgrain silk, trimmed elaborately with elegant black lace. Another wore a lovely pale lavender silk, with wide white lace trimmings, and here and there, on the skirt, were little bouquets made of white lace. There were also beautiful silk laces.

The Switzerland embroideries were very fine; and the models of Swiss architecture and the fancy ornaments were exceedingly attractive.

France and her colonies made a fine exhibit of church ornaments, large statues and elegant jewelry, among which was a diamond necklace worth $40,000.

Great Britain had large apartments representing the different rooms of a dwelling house, richly furnished. The beautiful mahogany and satin-wood furniture from London, was particularly noticeable. There was also some ancient furniture on exhibition here. High up above the other exhibits, was a magnificent woven tapestry hanging, representing Christ and the Twelve Apostles, like an oil painting.

Canada had numerous models of public buildings and even whole cities laid out in miniature; and the minerals from that province made an attractive appearance. An inlaid table was here seen, in the top of which were over 100,000 different pieces of wood, all representing a fine picture.

In Jamaica we saw ladies’ hats made of the bark of a tree; and the flowers with which they were trimmed were manufactured from the inside cuticle of the leaf of the tree.

Australia had a huge skeleton of a bird, a great variety of butterflies, immense gold nuggets, and numerous specimens of corals and sea-weed.

India and other colonies had on exhibition a great number of beautiful shells, models of fruits growing in that country, and finely polished wood.

Sweden had several life size groups of figures in wax, showing the habits, customs and modes of dress there, among which groups was a touching representation of Death in the Household. The mother was bending over the couch on which lay the marble form of her little one; and the father sat facing the back of his chair while he held his pipe in his hand. The minister was near with the good Book open in his hand. Near by was the coffin. The mother’s foot protruded from under the folds of her dress and the hob-nailed shoe, with the heel in the middle of the foot, was a curious specimen of cobblers. The countenances of these figures were very natural and life-like, and the cracks and calluses on the father’s hands seemed like real flesh and blood. Another group represented the Old Clockmaker and family. There were also models of Swedish houses, and samples of their furs, among which were some very elegant robes.

Norway also had groups as above. One was of a man riding on a boat-like sledge, made of leather and drawn by a reindeer guided by a single rope, on one side. Wool was spread on the ground to represent snow. Near by, was the wife, walking, and holding under her arm a canoe-shaped leather box, in which was a little babe. The mother’s hair was worn in two long braids down the back. They were all dressed in fur and leather.

Italy exhibits were very striking and beautiful. There were lovely wares, rich mosaics, fine sculptures, shell jewelry, silver filigree ornaments, very nice Leghorn hats, and a large ornamented silver bell which visitors were allowed to strike with the ball which was on the outside, the bell being hung on a framework.

Orange Free State had a large collection of feathers, stuffed birds, insects, etc.1

Peru exhibited mummies, geological specimens and the products peculiar to that region; there was also a singularly recognizable statuette of Gen. Grant and the American eagle, made wholly of wire and placed under a glass globe.

China was rather late in getting her exhibits here, and but a small space was allotted to her in this building. This was filled with unpacked boxes and rubbish the day we were there, and two Chinamen in native costume, with long queues, loose white trousers and shoes with thick, soft white soles, were unpacking and arranging elegant vases and ornaments of wondrous shape, in a huge pyramid. There were also pictures and fans curiously wrought with silk, odd paintings, mosaics, etc. We could but notice the difference between these men and the Japanese of whom we saw several. The latter were fine-looking and intelligent and had adopted our modes of dress, while the former cling to their own costumes and habits with strong pertinacity. They are an inferior race, and their genius is wholly imitative.

[2026 note: Views such as this were unfortunately common during the 1870s, when anti-Chinese racism was reaching its pinnacle in the United States. Many Chinese laborers had recently become employed in industries such as mining and railroad construction, and—especially after the financial Panic of 1873 and resulting economic depression—these workers were often scapegoated for depressed wages. Anti-Chinese rhetoric was promoted by labor leaders, by politicians of both parties, and by working class white people as well as members of elite social circles. However, anti-Chinese racism wasn’t just rhetorical, it was often lethal. In 1885, at least 28 immigrant Chinese miners were massacred by European immigrant miners in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Six years after this letter was original published, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first major law restricting emigration to the United States on the basis of national origin.]

Japan had a magnificent display of carved wooden boxes, ornaments and furniture, curious toys and images, and vases of rare beauty and size. Two huge ones on large pedestals were marked $2,500.

The Sandwich Islands had on exhibit casks of different kinds of sugar, stuffed birds of brilliant plumage, garments made of the inside fibre of grass, with shells for buttons, and a framed wreath made of sea-weed and shells, enclosing the words

      ALOHA AMERICA
                 1876.

Denmark offered wonderful terra cottas, and table stands, one of which was inlaid with silver and gold, and cost $4,500.

Turkey was not open, and unpacked boxes and packages blocked the way.

Egypt had inscribed on her enclosure, “The oldest nation in the world sends a morning greeting to the youngest nation.” Among her exhibits were huge dried crocodiles, shells of every size and description, richly embroidered garments and other national manufactures.

New Zealand displayed rich furs and gorgeous leather.

Spain was remarkable for its gold embroideries, laces and jewelry.

Russia brought to the exhibition specimens of very fine green marble, with graining like pictures. We noticed a set of furniture made from elk’s or deer’s horns.

Austria and Hungary offered lovely wares, vases and ornaments of rare beauty, marble, mosaics, Bohemian cut glass and rich jewelry, and some very elegant furniture made from bent wood. We saw a case of 12 buttoned kid gloves which attracted much attention.

The German Empire contributed church ornaments, statuary, paintings, jewelry, fine carpets, velvets of rich texture and color, laid in graceful folds in form of a palace, with bright worsteds so arranged above as to represent a rainbow.

In our next we will give some account of what we saw in other buildings, all we have written thus far having been the exhibits in one building alone.

Upcoming event:

Independence 250 Kickoff
January 10, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Are you ready to help the Independence 250 committee start our 2026 exploration of the American revolution? We hope so!

Our kick-off event is tomorrow at 2:00 pm at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House. We’ll have some information on what’s coming up throughout the year along with a highlight reel and discussion of the Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution.

The aim of the Independence 250 program series is not just to recount the events of 1776. We hope to open up a community-wide conversation about the significance of the American Revolution and what it means today. With that in mind, here are some questions to help get you pondering the Revolution in a new light:

• How viable are the traditional, heroic depictions of the American Revolution?

• In what ways does viewing the Revolution as a civil war change our understanding of it?

• How should we reconcile the Revolution’s ideals with its limitations and the people it left excluded from its promise of liberty?

• What connections do you see between the divisions of the Revolutionary era and those in America today?

We invite you to bring your own questions to the kickoff and to all subsequent events. See you tomorrow!