Row House, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve Hallowell’s history, is presenting a series of letters written by a 19th-century sea captain during an event from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at City Hall.
“From the Pine to the Palm: The Library Letters of Captain John Drew” will feature the reading of 12 journal entries by Drew written from 1880 to 1882.
Drew was born in Chelsea and spent his adult life in Farmingdale, according to Gerry Mahoney, who organized the event. Drew wrote a column for the Boston Journal titled “Sea Letters by the Kennebecker” and offered to write several additional letters in honor of the city’s first library, which was built in 1880 and called the Hallowell Social Library.
Some of the readings include letters titled “Hallowell in China,” “Shopping and Sightseeing in NYC” and “Hallowell’s Whaling History.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the (Hubbard Free) library poking around, and I came across (Drew’s) journal about 10 years ago,” Mahoney said. Row House wanted to help the library during the second phase of its capital campaign, which library director Mark Blythe said includes the restoration of the building’s windows and repairing the chimney. Blythe said the library has raised little of the $145,000 needed for the projects. In the first phase, the library raised about $450,000 to pay for repointing and cleaning of the granite exterior and to improve handicapped accessibility.
Mahoney said Drew’s great-grandson, his great-great-grandson and their families will be traveling to Hallowell from Massachusetts to attend the event.
The program is free and open to the public.
Jason Pafundi — 621-5663
Twitter: @jasonpafundiKJ
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