An Enduring Tradition

The Chapman Reed house lawn has served as a town gathering place since around 1823, and people and groups, including the local Art Colony Mandolin and Guitar Club, have long used it for sales and fundraisers. At the March 1923 town meeting, residents approved remodeling the house in the Greek Revival style to become a free public library, and year-round residents and summer visitors alike eagerly helped raise money or contribute to the project. Machinist "Hite" Thurston donated wrought lighting fixtures shaped like antique lanterns, while "the ladies" made curtains. Veterans, the Boothbay Harbor Band, and other spectators crowded the lawn for the dedication on July 11, 1923.

Boothbay Harbor, Maine · United States