The Leeds Historical Society plans to offer spring walks to historical sites such as the V.A. Deane School in West Leeds. Leeds Historical Society photo
The Leeds Historical Society plans to offer spring walks, a chance to explore some locations of historical note in Leeds on a weekend.
Join society members as they walk and talk about the following places, according to a news release from Pam Bell with the society.
• 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22, West Leeds Schoolhouse, Mill and Cemetery
West Leeds was a thriving “village” at the turn of the previous century. During this walk one will learn about its schoolhouse, the partition that changed it, and why it had one of the most envied playgrounds in town.
The talk will include information about mills of the area and, specifically, Swain’s Mill, a water-power box boards and dowels mill, which lent the area the label “Slab City.” Then learn about its cemetery which is the only one with surviving burial records giving a more complete picture of the diversity of people buried here, from a poor, “insane“ farm woman to a woman who was listed in the “Women’s Who’s who in America.”
Meet at the cemetery just off of River Road. The only parking is along the road.
• 1 p.m. Saturday, April 29, Confluence of the Androscoggin and Dead Rivers
This fertile area was first inhabited by groups of Abenaki Indians, and then by Leeds pioneer settlers, the Stinchfield brothers, who encountered the Native Americans and peacefully lived together with them in the 1780s.
This story, the odd flow pattern of the Dead River, and the location of the largest (at one time) silver maple in the country will all be told. Next, people will walk about a quarter of a mile back up the road to talk about one of the very early hand-hewn built homes in town.
Meet at the far end of Campbell Road off of Route 219. The 1.5-mile ride should be taken slowly as the road is rough and potentially wet.
• 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13, Brick Schoolhouse and Union/Wade Cemetery
Leeds’ only brick schoolhouse has had various functions through time, and still holds fond memories of people who went to school there.
Right across the road from the schoolhouse is the Union/Wade cemetery, where one can explore the lives of some of its many veterans and prominent people who are buried there.
Meet at the corner of Bernie Hartford and Jennings roads, both just about a half-mile off of Route 106. There is plenty of roadside or cemetery parking available.
It might be wet, so people should wear appropriate footwear. Rain date and times for all the walks are the next day, Sunday, at 1 p.m.
For more information, call Bell at 207-933-4121.
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