Aroostook Expeditionary/War Historic Trail
I just discovered the website for The 1837 Foundation of Northern Maine. According to their website:
The Foundation will be working to obtain national recognition of the route used by the State of Maine representatives. The trail will begin at the rendezvous site in Lincoln -- for many of the Aroostook expeditionary militia companies -- and finish at the site of the Defensive Breastworks in T 10 R 5 (Masardis, Aroostook County). We are working with Congressman Michaud on an amendment to the National Historical Trails Act to include an Aroostook Expeditionary Trail.
I understand the fascination with the Aroostook War but I am not sure we need some more road signs commemorating the march into the disputed territories. Anyone else have thoughts on this or any connections to The 1837 Foundation of Northern Maine that can fill in the blanks? Other than the fact that they want to recognize this route and that Congressman Michaud is working on it, what is their plan?
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Like most non-profit
Like most non-profit foundations they take up a "noble" cause and then seek to lay out capital funds that go nowhere.
I like the Idea that they are trying to show the public the history of maine but it never goes past road signs. there are Historic sites all over the state that had larger meaning for the country as a whole , but nothing happens there. there are no encampments commmerating the event, no gatherings of any kind. not even an Arnold Trail bean supper and invitational horseshoe tournament... just a sign that says Arnold trail....and unless you know your history It could be Benedict Arnold or Arnold Ziffle.
Seamus
Cogito sumere potum alterum
Arnold Ziffle?
Arnold Ziffle slept here?
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Michael Johnson
I know you know who arnold
I know you know who arnold Ziffle is..........
owl village
verdant fields of 16 feet square
down the road from the meetings of two roads with womans undergarments
porcine decendant
Seamus
Cogito sumere potum alterum
Like most non-profits
First I would like to thank you for bringing my Foundation to the attention of your forum readers. Second I would like to offer a little reassurance to you. Indeed we are at this moment working on our first "annual re-enactment march" from Lincoln to T 10 R 5. I have been in discussions with the property manager at Deer Run Sporting Camps in Molunkus to utilize their site next year for the first overnight. Our foundation's technical advisor is civil war re-enacter Bill Cook-director of the Bangor Room at the Bangor Public library. We are actively searching for appropriate blanket material used in the wardrobe of 1839 militia as advertised in the February 1839 Whig & Courier newspaper. For the first march we thought it would be most appropriate to have a memorial to the known 6 militia who died while in the service of the state and I will be contacting the Maine Dept of The American Legion to ask the Patriot Riders to assist us, The Greater Lincoln Marine Corps League is assisting and offered to contact the American Legion riders in Millinocket area on our behalf, we need to locate a flat bed to display representative caskets labeled with the names of the soldiers, their units and dates. We are learing the Soldier's marching song to accompany the marching. It's 170 years late. but an honor deserved and owed. In addition there were dozens of soldiers listed on the returns with "not returned" including a complete D company from the 8th Division. (Fairfield, Somerset County). I hesitate to be placed in that "doeth protest too much" category, but as a professional historian, a genealogist and member of the Penobscot County Genealogical Society and a 7th generation Mainer my motivation is to acquire the information about the ancestors who founded and developed Maine-especially Aroostook County and the Aroostook War rosters, militia documents, pension and claims records, land deeds, land agent records etc are a wealth of information about people and places that otherwise have been destroyed by a series of town hall disasters that occured in the later 1800's before back-up documents could be sent to the archives. I have been working with the state archives for over 2 years sifting and sorting to locate these documents. I have purchased them with remnants of my social security income at $3 a piece. I promise-I'd rather have the re-enactment than the road signs but we need the designation to get placement on the national website, the tourism websites and the information out to the states that have been "stealing" the best of Maine's generations since the Northwest Territories took our lumber/timber experts to develop the economies of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota in the 1840's & 1850's and get their descendants back here to learn about their heritage and the role we played as a state in defending the territorial integrity of The United States when the General government was not in a place to assume the responsibility of protecting us as they should. Your insight, assistance, participation are all welcome. If you are interested we are looking for a re-enactment project manager/director to work with Bill Cook. Please feel free to contact Roxanne Munksgaard 735-8360.
Better message
Thank you Roberta for showing up and setting me straight. If I may offer a suggestion, you might try to put your comments here onto your organizations website. It delivers the purpose and message better than what I found on The 1837 Foundation of Northern Maine website.
Lord knows I've delivered some bad messages on this website, so I hate to sound too critical. But upon discovering and reading some of the things on your website, I was left with too many questions. Other than trying to gain the recognition of the trail, I don't see any of the goals and ideas you mention in your comments above on the website. You should promote the ultimate goal clearer.
So please accept my apology for mine and Mr. Pratt's silliness. It was not directed personally. Mike and I just have a sense of humor about such things.
Feel free to post future plans or updates to MaineMilitia.com if you like. A few historians and reenactors pass by these pages and might enjoy hearing about your efforts. Hopefully some of them will be able to help you.
Thanks again,
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Michael Johnson
They are not like most
They are not like most non-profits then!
The ones that I have expierence with get some grant and pay the Director $40,000 a year to be in the office half the time and go to some kind of Seminars or offer the seminars themselves. but I live in Farmington where thanks to the "University " there are more non-profit groups per capita than any other town in Maine!
I call your effort more of a grass roots campaign that suffers not Taxation.
It might be bitterness on my part more than silliness as I have tried to use our non-profit status as a living history group to get Free ad space and meeting hall time, unsuccesfully.
Good luck on you endevor and dont let college phds, shang-hi your efforts.......
"S'mores for the People!"
Charlene Pratt, Groton Mass. 2007
Seamus
cogito sumere potum alterum
Website & goals
I sympathize with you. Four years ago I attempted to Get Sen Martin of northern Aroostook Co. interested in the concept since he is both a Poli Sci prof and works in the Pres office at UM Ft kent but he didnt even bother to return my calls or communications. Most historical societies are more interested in "Things" than in the people who made or used them. We were waiting to see what kind of reception our press conference received before expanding our website information. Please check back to the site later this summer as plans develop. At this time none of us receive any compensation although we are looking for professional grantwriters who work for a percentage in order to get the funding for the library and the memorial itself, and perhaps a re-enactment project director. I've also discovered with non-profits that the 'history" of the board members sometimes determines their committment to their project. My history is one of family who does things because it's the right thing to do. My Gram said that if I had two shirts it was one more than I NEEDED even if I WANTED more. LOL.
Aroostook War
I ventured into the site because I have long been interested in the conflict. It's not an event that gets major treatment as it deserves. It was a great site and I learned a few things. I would be interested in getting involved but am not certain I can commit the time.
There were a few things about the site that concern me. First, who all these people were. I live near Bangor and between my Aunt and myself tend to keep tabs on historical happenings. This group some how got past us. Would there be an interest of folks portraying the soldiers of the era? The Civil War era has died out in interest. How frustrating will it be work with folks who have insufficent understanding of drill and the function of drill running the show. Will they even be doing any drill? There are a lot of things to consider here.
The uniform issue is another kettle of fish all together. The are at least some surviving uniforms in exsistance. Most of the items are available to be reproduced, some at great expense. The shoes will be the hardest to obtain. So the question becomes will the folks be dedicated to do the impression right or will it be another situation where incorrect items will be subsituted and passed off as okay?
I will stop here. I see some great potential here but not certain there will be enough interest.
Will
Hey..
I probably have the closest to correct uniforms for this. My stuff was good from 1833 to 51 save for some minor alterations.
By the way, I miss you guys!
2nd Lt Eric R. Reeder
United States Army
Corps of Topographic Engineers
"Hawks and Eagles fly like Doves"
The Prodigal son returns!
Hey there! Que Pasa?
Its been a while, drop me a line sometime on my e-mail. hows things on the mexican front?
Seamus
Cogito sumere potum alterum