The Grist Mill Museum opened its 36th season on June 9th and finished one of the most successful seasons in the museum's history. The museum opened for ninety-nine days, the most ever, and attendance for the season amounted to 1,992, again the most ever. The museum had visitors from 36 states, 91 towns in Maine, and 3 provinces in Canada, which is about usual for a season. The museum brought in over $4,000 this past summer with sales of $1,506.30 and the donation box contributing $875.28.
On an average, one new additional item per day was acquired by the museum and was arranged in the new acquisitions case. A new display featuring the Amos Abbott & Co. woolen mill was created and new display cases were added in automotive display and the agricultural display in the barn. Vern Bodwell of Dexter built a cabinet under the slate sink in the kitchen display and the Mt. Kineo Beverage sign was electrified and mounted on the wall by Steve Herring's crew at no cost.
The museum also had several improvements made to the museum building. Two new windows were placed in the barn to replace rotted frames on the existing windows. A window sill was also replaced on a third window in the barn. Windows on the office addition were painted and the back wall of the main display room was also painted. The south side of the Miller's House received two coats of paint.
The highlight of the summer was the Wild West weekend August Is' and 2nd. The museum attendance was nearly 600 people over the two days with 413 on Saturday, when the museum was open from 9: 00 A.M. - 10:00 p.m. Although the weather didn't cooperate, the attendance and crowds were much better then expected.
Next year the Grist Mill building will be 150 years old, and plans are being made for a special day to mark the anniversary.
Last winter the Building Trades Programs from the Tri-County Technical Center in partnership with the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis and the Dexter Historical Society completed a great deal of improvements to the building. The student carpenters led by instructor John Guay installed walls, new windows, doors, insulation, sheet rock and siding to the outside of the building. The students also tore out construction before renovations could be done. Thanks to the Building Trades Program and the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis The work saved the Historical Society between $20,000 - $25,000 of in-kind labor. The savings enabled the Society to fund a new foundation for the building and helped to keep the renovation project on time.
On Monday, September 22nd Ken Chadwick and his crew started a major project of reconstructing the foundation on the north and south walls, and a drainage and cement floor in the basement. This job will be the largest single project undertaken on the building and the most expensive, but very much needed before any construction could continue.
The siding on the building is being completed by Fred Crouse and his crew, who will also finish the outside of the building. Several rooms upstairs are ready to finish this fall and a partial heating system will be installed to get the building through the winter, which will allow the society to continue work this winter. Plans are to have the top level open for the 2004 summer season.
The addition of this grant money now brings the total money raised on the Abbott building to over $90,000 in the last year. However, the total cost of the project will probably be at a minimum of $125,000.
The 2004 Dexter Historical Society calendar is dedicated to the Dexter Fire Department and the many individuals who have volunteered and given of themselves to make Dexter a safer and better community. In the last 168 years that the fire department has been formed, hundreds of individuals have dedicated their time and their lives to protecting the property and the lives of Dexter citizens. The calendar will retail for $5 and features fire department and fire photos from Dexter's past. The calendar should be available from the society in late November.
Maria Mountain ended her fourth season as a summer Intern at the Grist Mill Museum. Maria is a Dexter native, and daughter of Joseph and Geoff Mountain of town. Maria graduated from Dexter Regional High School in 2000 and is a senior at St. Joseph's College in Standish, Maine, where she is studying pre-law. During the last four years Maria has been a great part of the museum's success. She has helped with creating displays, cataloging, labeling exhibits, painting and a host of other duties. The Historical Society appreciates Maria's fine work and dedication, and we all will miss her tremendously next summer.
P.O. Box 481
Dexter, ME 04930
Once again a year has flown by and as in the past the society is looking for your membership support. Our annual membership drive raises between $2,000-$3,000 annually and accounts for a large part of our annual operating budget.
During the last three years the Dexter Historical Society has been able to accomplish a great deal including: moving the Carr's Comer School in 2000 and opening it a year later, a $30,000 project; publishing Frank Spizuoco's book Neighborly Neighbors in 2000; and Isabel Jacobs book in 200 1; a new metal roof on the Grist Mill, a $24,000 project; and the acquisition of the Abbott Mill office building in 2001 from Guilford of Maine. These successes in the last three years have been possible due to a dedicated group of museum volunteers and to the help that many friends of the museum have made. Your $ 10 membership is. greatly appreciated and helps the society to continue being an important part of the community.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Whitney