Saturday, May 3, starting from the History Center at 11:00 am, free and open to all
Join Yarmouth History Center’s Katie Worthing for an interactive walk that explores local history through the eyes and words of Yarmouth’s citizen poets. Spanning the 1840s through 2010, this group of poems culled from the archives represents a wide range of subjects and approaches and conveys richly personal ideas of place and time. Some pieces were published, while others were handwritten on scraps of paper and carefully saved by family members. Some are anonymous, others are signed.
We’ll begin at the Yarmouth History Center (118 East Elm Street) at 11:00 am and continue to Main Street, stopping at several points of interest along the way. Each stop will include some historical background information, but the focal point will be a poem specially selected for that location from the archives of Yarmouth History Center. Wear comfortable shoes and tune up your poetic sensibilities. Participants will be invited to read aloud some of the selected poems to the group and share their thoughts about the poems, people, and places we encounter. The tour will end at Merrill Memorial Library on Main Street around noon.
This walk is part of Jane’s Walk Maine, a statewide festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Jane’s Walks combine the simple act of exploring a place with personal observations, local history, and civic engagement. For more information and for the full list of the 50+ walks happening all over Maine on May 3, visit the Jane’s Walk Maine website. Thanks to our partner organizations Maine Preservation and Greater Portland Landmarks for putting these walks into action!
