FORT FAIRFIELD JOURNAL
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CAPACITY CROWD ATTENDS F.F.
SESQUICENTENNIAL OPENING EVENT
Nearly 300 People turn out for Community Dinner
By: David Deschesne
click photo to enlarge
After a pot-luck supper and dessert, town Manager, Dan Foster addressed the crowd. “About year ago, Former Fort Fairfield Chamber Director, Shawn Murchison and I started thinking about what we would need to do to put on the Sesquicentennial celebration this year,” said Foster. “I’m happy Sarah Ulman and Rayle Reed-Ainsworth stepped up to take on the role of co-directors of the event.”
“We have nearly 10 percent of the community here tonight,” said Ainsworth. “That is quite an accomplishment for any community to have.”
“This is a community event and it wouldn’t be possible to do without help and input from all of you,” said Ulman. “We look forward to assistance from any of you who wish to help out, and hearing some of your interesting stories for an updated Fort Fairfield history book we are compiling. Fort Fairfield’s last history book was written in 1898, I think it’s time for an update.”
Ulman introduced former Fort Fairfield inhabitant, David Case (class of 1966) as M.C. for the story-telling portion of the evening. “I’m from Fort Fairfield, but haven’t been in town for a long time,” said Case. “I’m a former resident of Puddledock, and driving through there today, I find the town is still very beautiful.”
Case told a few anecdotal stories of his childhood and growing up in Fort Fairfield, then opened the mic up to those in the audience who also had stories to share
The stories told may become part of the updated history book of Fort Fairfield, as well as submissions by local people to the Sesquicentennial Committee. Sarah and Rayle are also collecting old photographs of Fort Fairfield to be scanned and possibly published before being returned to their respective owners.
It will be a busy year, as the tentative schedule of events for the town’s 150th anniversary is augmented with the annual Agri-Business Trade Fair in March, County Gospel Festival, Maine Potato Blossom Festival and County Bluegrass Festival in July. Some of the unique events planned for the Sesquicentennial are:
March: Re-enactment of Official Proclamation of Township
April: Victorian Tea Party for children at the Fort Fairfield Public Library
May: Mother’s Day Tea
May-October: 1858 “School Days” at Frontier Heritage Society’s McIntosh one-room school house.
June: Student re-enactment of Civil War
July: Vintage Fashion Show at Friends Church, Dedication of town clock, painting and song
December: Victorian Tea, Time Capsule
Many other events are planned and the times and dates will be announced. Anecdotal stories and history of Fort Fairfield will be collected throughout the year. For more information, contact Rayle Reed-Ainsworth at edandrayle@gwi.net (207) 472-2691 or (207) 846-3191; or Sarah Ulman at skough@ainop.com (207) 227-0585.