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Jackman - Moose
River Historical Society
The Historical Society meets on the second Wednesday of
each month at 7pm in the Jackman Library.
2010
SUMMER MUSEUM HOURS
Will be posted in the spring of 2010
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The Jackman - Moose River Historical Society has moved in
to the former town building at 574 Main Street, about 1/8 of a mile south of the Moose River bridge on Route 201. A lot of work has been recently done on
this building, but more work is still needed. If you would like to make a donation
towards the renovation of this building, please make your check payable to
the Jackman - Moose River Historical Society at Post Office box 875,
Jackman, Maine 04945
The Historical Society has a large collection of historical artifacts
associated with the early inhabitants and lumbering practices in the valley
as well as genealogy information on many of the first settlers to the area.
This collection consists of photographs, letters, diaries, old newspaper
clippings, and artifacts dating back more than 170 years.
The Jackman-Moose River Historical Society Museum is open from late May through September. This
season's hours are listed above. Admission to the Museum is free, but
donations are always welcome and appreciated. We are always looking
for new members, so please join us at one of our meetings, the second
Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., at the Museum in the Summer, at the Town
Library in the Winter.
Annual memberships run from July to July and are $5. For more information
about the society, or to obtain a membership, or to make a donation, please
write to the historical society at the following address:
Jackman - Moose River Historical Society
P.O.
Box 875
Jackman, ME 04945
To contact the historical society by email, please
click here.
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Captain Samuel Holden Homestead
Captain Samuel Holden House
The first man to come to the Moose River Valley to make a
new home for himself and his family was Captain Samuel Holden. The Holden
family moved from Groton, Massachusetts to Norridgewock, Maine in 1800.
After living briefly in Norridgewock, and then in Anson, Captain Samuel
Holden came to the Moose River Valley in 1819. He cleared a small piece of
ground, built a log cabin, and planted a small piece of winter wheat.
In the early part of March 1, 1820, Captain Samuel Holden
brought his family to the Moose River Valley. Traveling from Anson, a
distance of 65 miles, Captain Holden brought with him his wife, Jane
Farnsworth, and children, Melintus, 20; Jonas, 14; Sally, 12; Lorinda, 9;
Mary, 7; Samuel, 5; and James Delap Otis, 1. Additionally, Captain Holden's
mother, Rachael Farnsworth, 82, also made the trip. Their journey took them
through unbroken forest with only a spotted trail from the forks of the
Kennebec and Dead Rivers. The last thirty miles had to be made on
snowshoes, as the snow was still very deep at this time of the year.
The family lived in the cabin from their arrival in early March until the
first day of May, when the cabin burned down. A second cabin was built 600
feet from the first and was occupied until 1829 when the Holden family
built the first frame house in the region, which still stands today and can
be found at the Moose River Golf Course.
The Captain Samuel Holden homestead, the oldest structure in the region,
was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on December
14, 1995, and was recently placed on Maine's Preservation List of "Most Endangered
Historic Properties".
The Historical Society supports the restoration
of the original home of Samuel Holden which is owned by the town of Moose River. Donations for this project can also be
mailed to the Jackman-Moose River Historical Society.
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History of the Moose River Valley
Originally published in 1976 by the Jackman Bicentennial
Book Committee and reprinted in 1994 by the Jackman - Moose River Historical
Society, the History of the Moose River Valley (soft cover, 172
pages) is available for purchase from the historical society for $18. This
book contains a variety of historical information including photographs,
early census reports, letters, genealogy, and cemetery information as well
as a collection of stories about local inhabitants and happenings.
Also available for sale is a two volume hard cover set entitled Holden
Family Genealogy for $100
To purchase one or both of the books, please send a check payable to the
Jackman - Moose River Historical Society to the address shown above.
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If you have questions or comments about any aspect of
the Jackman region web site, click here to send an email.
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