Interactive Field Trips

LINCOLN COUNTY
MUSEUM & OLD JAIL – 1811

One of the oldest remaining jails in New England, the 1811 Old Lincoln County Jail with its attached 1839 Jailer’s House provides a look at a piece of history not often seen among historic sites. A visit to the cells alone tells of a time when conditions for those convicted of even small crimes were sparse. If the jailer was married, his wife cooked all the meals for the inmates. A visit to the kitchen, parlor, and dining room stands out in sharp contrast to the living conditions in the cells of the prisoners.

Time: Approximately 60 minutes
Fee: Free of charge to Lincoln County schools and home school groups
Address: 133 Federal Street, Wiscasset

CHAPMAN-HALL HOUSE – 1754

A visit to the Chapman-Hall House, the oldest remaining house in Damariscotta, provides students with a view of home from Colonial times. A tour of the house allows you to walk through time with the Chapman family from their 1754 kitchen to their 1780 bedroom, and on to their 1810 parlor. Original utensils for food preparation are on display, as is equipment for making clothes and conducting business.

Time: Approximately 50 minutes
Fee: Free of charge to Lincoln County schools and home school groups
Address: 270 Main Street, Damariscotta

POWNALBOROUGH COURT HOUSE

The only pre-Revolutionary War court house in Maine, this site served as a private residence and tavern as well as the seat of County government until proceedings were moved to Wiscasset. In the early years of the 19th century it became the post office for Dresden, a service provided there until 1855. The 70 acre property offers an extensive trail system.

Touring times vary as the three sites differ in what they have to offer. Tours can be arranged for September to early October, and for May and June. Please note, at this time LCHA has begun to put in place a fund to assist schools whose budgets have limited field trips due to covering busing. If you need assistance with busing costs for a field trip to one of the LCHA sites, please contact us.

We look forward to welcoming you and your students.

Time: Approximately 75 minutes
Fee: Free of charge to Lincoln County schools and home school groups
Address: 23 Court House Road, Dresden

Encountering the Past Outside the Classroom

17TH CENTURY LINCOLN COUNTY

Goal: introduce students to the unique aspects of 17th C. life in mid-coast Maine.

A field trip to Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site will introduce your students to various aspects of 17th C. daily life along the mid-coast as well as some of the archaeological work that has been carried out in this area.

Offered in May and June

Time: Approximately 2 hours.
Fee: Free to schools

MLR Social Studies Standards D-2, E-1, 4 21

HISTORY AND FOOD

Goal: give students a “taste” of history

This partnership with FARMS (Focus on Agriculture in Rural Maine Schools) in Damariscotta offers an opportunity to mix history with food. Recipes from the Colonial era and other historic periods are available. Students learn basic cooking skills while preparing historic recipes to enjoy. At each class, Louise Miller adds historical background about the foods of the time period.

Fee: $75 per class
Time: To be arranged
To schedule: Please contact Karen Kleinkopf, Youth Program Director at FARMS ([email protected]).

For more information on the historical focus of the program, contact Louise Miller at LCHA ([email protected])

BEFORE THE JUDGES

Goal: provide students with an understanding of the legal system of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Your students will conduct a mock trial in the 1761 court room of the Pownalborough Court House in Dresden. In preparation for the trial, Louise Miller will visit the classroom to provide information on the case to be heard, the legal system of the time, and the vocabulary that might be used by the students when they prepare their evidence.

Division of roles, such as judges, witnesses, jury, etc., will be decided upon by the teachers and students. At the conclusion of the trial, the class will visit the 1811 Old Jail in Wiscasset to lean more about the workings of the legal system.

Tours of the Court House and the Old Jail and Jailer’s House are included.

Please note:

When arranging for this program, time is factored in for students to have a snack and lunch.
The court room is located on the second floor of the Court House. Please advise us if you have a student with special physical needs.

Time: Introduction by LCHA representative – 45 minutes
Court House visit and mock trial – 90 minutes
Old Jail visit – 60 minutes
Fee: $250

CCSS.ELA-LITERCY.SL.4.1,4.3,4.4, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 6.1, 6.3, 6.4. CCSS ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1, 6-8.2, 6-8.4, 6-8.8