Grammy award-winning composer and pianist, Paul Sullivan

Sullivan has played concert tours worldwide and has performed with legendary orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy and the Boston Pops under both Arthur Fiedler and Keith Lockhardt.  As a jazz player, he has worked in some of New York’s most prestigious clubs, including Sweet Basil and The Village Vanguard, playing with jazz masters like Benny Goodman, Tommy Flanagan, Red Mitchell, Lou Donaldson, and others.

The Spring Serenade includes a silent auction featuring a distinctive array of items and experiences, including the opportunity to discuss and solve your woodworking project with renowned craftsman Tom Moser or an overnight stay in a historic James Place Innafter a lovely afternoon on the isle-dotted Harraseeket River with Sail Freeport and a gourmet meal at Azure Café. The Silent Auction will be presided over by historic figures from Freeport’s past—Arctic explorer, Donald MacMillan, Industrial Revolution era entrepreneur, E.B.Mallett, and John “Colby Jack” Coombs, who pitched for Philadelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Detroit Tigers.

The evening also includes hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Spring Serenade takes place from 6:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. at the Freeport Community Services building, 53 Depot Street in Freeport. Tickets ($50 each) are available by calling 207-865-3170. FMI: www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org .

NY Times
“Sullivan plays with brilliance and clarity”…

Paul Winter Consort
“Adjectives don’t come good enough for Paul Sullivan… He’s an exquisite musician and just one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.”

During the last decades of the nineteenth century and the earliest years of the twentieth century, visual images proliferated at a never-before-seen pace. Some of the most widely circulated and mass-produced images appeared on greeting cards and, at the turn of the century, on postcards. How do we “read” these images one hundred years (and more) after the fact? What can the images on historic greeting cards and postcards tell us about the people who used and commented on these images? Ms. Morgan will offer her take on how the images of the past constructed the social relationships of the time, suggesting that the motifs of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era were uniquely situated within their historic moment, but were likewise not so different from contemporary sentiments.

$5.00 suggested donation.

FMI: www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org or call 865-3170

We’ll take inspiration from the current display of vintage Valentine postcards and greeting cards then tap into our own creativity to create a Valentine. Various materials will be available. 

Mia Taggart, a senior at Freeport High School and an avid “paper artist” will lead the workshop.

The $2.00 suggested donation will be divided between the Freeport Food Pantry and Freeport Historical Society ( to cover workshop supplies.) Participants are also invited to bring a canned good for the Pantry.

The workshop is limited to twelve children. Call today! FMI- 865-3170 or info@freeporthistoricalsociety.org

Featured are an array of turn-of-the-century through 1940’s Valentines, greeting cards and general postcards from the FHS archives and from private collections. Pop-ups, hand-made, and other styles of cards are all represented.

Beverages will be available.

In honor of Valentine’s Day and the Freeport Historical Society’s collection of historic valentines, join us for a discussion of love, affection, and desire as it played out on these nice (and often not-so-nice) “tokens” of history.

On Sunday, February 21^st at 2:00pm, Michelle A. Morgan, a PhD candidate in Visual and Material Culture at Yale, will be presenting excerpts from her Masters Thesis in an illustrated program entitled “Your Face is Like a Book”: Reading the Images on Historic Postcards & Valentines.

During the last decades of the nineteenth century and the earliest years of the twentieth century, visual images proliferated at a never-before-seen pace. Some of the most widely circulated and mass-produced images appeared on greeting cards and, at the turn of the century, on postcards. How do we “read” these images one hundred years (and more) after the fact? What can the images on historic greeting cards and postcards tell us about the people who used and commented on these images? Ms. Morgan will offer her take on how the images of the past constructed the social relationships of the time, suggesting that the motifs of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era were uniquely situated within their historic moment, but were likewise not so different from contemporary sentiments.

$5.00 suggested donation

FMI Please call 865-3170

Cycling on the Harbor, Paul Cunningham 1994

On January 21st from 4:30p-6:30p Freeport Historical Society, 45 Main Street, is hosting the opening of a photo exhibit, “Yours, Mine, Ours—Our Town and Our Stories,” with work produced over the past twenty years by professional photojournalist and lifelong Freeporter, Paul Cunningham.

Black & White and color work will be on display through the end of March, 2010. The exhibit coincides with the launch of the FHS 2010 Membership Campaign.

Paul’s keen eye and technical mastery has resulted in a body of work that puts us in touch with moments ranging from the most celebratory to the most devastating. Paul’s photography captures the evolving story of Freeport. Cunningham’s family has lived in Freeport for over 200 years.

Concurrent with the exhibit opening is the launch of the 2010 Membership Campaign. The public is invited to the exhibit opening which will include introductory remarks by the photographer. Light beverages will be served.

We’d like to supplement the late 19th and early 20th century children’s toys from our Collection with additional items from the public. This allows us to tell a bigger story in terms of how children spent their leisure time. We are interested in outdoor or indoor games, dolls and their accessories, and other childhood amusements. The exhibit will also feature the story of Freeport town baseball, and baseball in general. We’d welcome the opportunity to borrow photographs, balls, gloves, uniforms, and anything related to Freeport baseball or the town team, which was active in the 1950s. Autographs and memorabilia from visits of baseball legends would make great additions to the exhibit.

Please dig around in your attic, cellar and places between and let us know what you have. Your item could make a great contribution to the story of Freeport’s love of baseball.

The Opening Reception for the exhibit will be Thursday, May 27th, 4:30-6:30pm at Harrington House. Regular exhibit hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. For more information please call 207-865-3170.

In past years the Bell Ringers have performed throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and Iceland, as well as many countries in South America and Europe. The group has played in a variety of venues such as the Maine State Capitol and Governor’s Mansion, the steps of the United States Capitol and the rotunda of the U.S. Senate, Radio City Music Hall, television, radio, shopping malls, schools, churches, service clubs, prisons, nursing homes, and hospitals.  The group has also performed for the President of Paraguay, members of the government, cabinet, and their families on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the founding of the capitol city of Asuncion.

In addition to producing two full-length recordings, the Pine Tree Academy Bell Ringers was one of 10 Maine artists featured on the WCSH TV (Channel 6) first Christmas in Maine album.  Their latest recording can be obtained through Pine Tree Academy (865-4747). CD’s will be available for sale at the concert.

Enjoy the seasonal and magical sounds of this talented group as they perform Christmas music, including traditional carols, sacred, classical and original handbell music in a concert of about 1 hour 15 minutes. After the concert, seasonal warm beverages will be available and the audience is invited to try their hand at bell ringing!

A $5.00 suggested donation will support Freeport Historical Society, The Pine Tree Academy Bell Ringers, and the First Parish Congregational Church.

FMI: Freeport Historical Society  865-3170

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Hot cider and sweets will be available. A $5.00 donation for adults is suggested (no charge for children.) Harrington House Holidays is part of Freeport’s Sparkle Weekend.  FMI:  info@freeporthistoricalsociety.org or 207.865.3170