A Visit to Readfield, Maine

This feature presented me with a new challenge. It wasn’t a bad one.

I contacted the Readfield Historical Society to schedule a visit. They not only welcomed me to tour their building, but sent me a list of fourteen (!) options for sites around town they would be happy to show me. Narrowing down my choices was not easy. There are so many good things to see here.

First stop: the Readfield Historical Society

Readfield is in Kennebec County. Augusta is a couple towns to its east. This is a beautiful region of our state with rolling hills and numerous lakes and ponds.

Throughout this journey to every town in the state of Maine, I have become convinced that there is rich history in every community. However, not all of it has been collected and preserved for future generations so sometimes it is not known or remembered.

That is not the case in Readfield. The efforts of the local historical society have been—and are—robust. One of its members is Dale Potter-Clark who is a local author and historian. She organized our visit and served as my tour guide. She is a treasure trove of knowledge. It was a great privilege to spend a few hours with her.

We began on Main Street in an old schoolhouse which was built in 1853. It is the current home of the Readfield Historical Society. On the first floor, it appears school is in session. Classes are still held here, but only once a year. On that special occasion, the local third graders dress up in period appropriate clothing and attend “Day in a Rural School House” to get a taste of student life in the “old days.”

On the wall of the classroom I read a poster describing one of Readfield’s unique distinctions. It is the only Maine town in which four state governors lived. That list includes the following names (and the years they served as Governor of Maine:

1. Jonathan Glidden Hunton (1830-31)

2. John Hubbard (1850-53)

3. Anson Peaslee Morrill (1855-56)

4. Lot Myrick Morrill (1858-61)

And, yes, the latter two were brothers. 

The upstairs of the historical society takes some time to stroll through because there are many exhibits and displays. All of them show evidence of great thought and care. Here I saw one of the best military rooms in small town Maine (in my opinion). The current society president Bob Harris oversaw its creation. I chose not to include a photo because it really needs to be explored in person. Plan to stop by and see it for yourself.

It would have been easy to spend my entire time in Readfield roaming through this building, but Dale and I headed out to another well-known historic point in town.

Second stop: Kents Hill School

Kents Hill School opened in 1824 as the Maine Wesleyan Seminary. It is one of the oldest co-ed private schools in the country. The photos above were taken in Bearce Hall and show the hand-painted murals and school seal. The entire building is stunning.

Over 200 students from around the world come to live and study at Kents Hill School. The 400-acre campus includes studios and stages, a library, learning center, and science hall, an NHL-size ice hockey rink, some of the largest outdoor turf complexes in New England, the Alpine Training Center shown below (use your imagination and picture snow), and much more.

Pit Stop: Lunch!

Dale and I stopped at the local Weathervane Restaurant to enjoy lunch. This establishment began as an ice cream and burger spot in the 1940s. There is no connection to the Weathervane restaurant chain (except for the fact that national one also had its roots in Maine during the late 1960s). The meal was delicious.

Final Stop: The Union Meeting House

We have many old churches in Maine, and I enjoy seeing them first-hand. The reason I selected the Union Meeting House from my list of Readfield options was for its exquisite trompe l’oeil murals. If you’re not familiar with this French term, it means “to fool the eye.”

Artist Charles J. Schumacher of Portland created paintings inside this church which give the illusion of columns, arches, and more, but they are actually flat. The one at the front of the church is almost dizzying. The colors throughout the building are breathtaking. It is one of the most beautiful churches I’ve set foot in.

The meeting house was built in 1827-28. The paintings were added in 1868. If you have an opportunity to attend an event here, it is a place to experience for yourself.

My deepest appreciation to Dale, Emily, and Nancy who each gave of their time to make this visit to Readfield so special. I just might have to come back to peek at the other places on that long list of options. Before doing so, I need to continue on my journey to every town in Maine. If you’re not receiving the newsletter with updates on the latest features, be sure to sign up (it’s free!).