August 2020–Due to the COVID-19 situation, not much at S-SHS can be considered normal. All of our Bi-Centennial programs, except the Historic House Project, have been cancelled or re-scheduled to 2021. The Archive/museum will not have regular hours, but individual visits may be scheduled by calling us at 422-0995 or e-mail at gandjedwards@gwi.net .
On a more positive note:
* The Paul Urann House project – we recently received a grant from the Davis Family Foundation of $8,000 for continued work on the project.
** The annual Hotson scholarship to a Sumner Senior was given to Sydnie Cunningham.
*** The best news of the year is the Society being chosen as a host site in the Island Institute Island Fellow program. In mid-March, S-SHS made application to the Institute to be a host site and on April first we were notified of our acceptance as one of four host sites to be named in this year’s cycle. Information provided by the Institute states: “The Island Fellows Program is one of the signature programs of the Island Institute. Since 1999, the Island Fellows Program has placed college and master’s degree graduates in Maine’s coastal and year-round island communities for one to two years. Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for recent graduates to apply their skills and gain experience helping to build sustainability within communities whose way of life and identity face many challenges.”
On September first, Raina Sciocchetti will begin working with S-SHS as an Island Fellow employed by the Island Institute. Raina comes from California and has been in Maine to attend Unity College, where she recently graduated. She will be working with us on a three-quarter time schedule. She will be assisting with on-going projects and services. We hope to use her skills and time to improve our social media presence, do more community outreach, especially with the schools and young folks, and work with partner organizations to improve and market services in our region, increase membership and to recruit and support volunteers to help with our mission.
We hope you can visit us in person at some point, but for now please enjoy this virtual tour of the two towns of Sullivan and Sorrento in Maine. Our Historical Society is 41 years young and we have approximately 15,000 items archived. Here you can find information on local mining, ship building, genealogy and the summer colony. Did you know that Sorrento was originally part of Sullivan?
First photo: The rebuilding of Route 1 at the causeway at Sullivan Harbor.
Second photo: Photo of Treasure Island before the causeway was built. Probably taken from the vicinity of Blink Bonny Golf Course.