The “History of Your Place” Project

The history of any place is lived by many but written by few.

Why this project?

Anyone who has studied or tried to research local history is keenly aware that the vast majority of the details of any local history are forever lost. We hope that this project will provide a place for current residents to better understand the many parts of their town, and for future historians to better understand Pittsfield of the early 2000’s.

We’d like to see the history that is lived by many begin to be written by many, and that’s where you come in.

What is the “History of Your Place” Project?

In it’s effort to bring history alive for the residents of Pittsfield, the PHS would like to give every person, church, club, organization and business in town the opportunity to write their own history of their place.

The intent is that these histories not be genealogical histories, nor personal histories, but histories of buildings, land, places, businesses and organizations written by those familiar with them.

How will it work?

We have begun by listing at this website all of the businesses, community organizations, municipal organizations and facilities, and churches in town. This list will include “defunct” entries, as well, since they made their history during their time, even if they are no longer making it.

Each entry can be updated and modified by the writer as often as necessary, so in writing your history, it is not necessary to have a “final and complete” form before sending it to us.

Some of this work is already done, or done partly. Several places in town already have well known or easily uncovered histories, and we will be incorporating what we have already discovered.

Your part.

Everyone is a historian. Everyone can tell the tale, at least in part, of the place in which they live. Or of the organization they belong to, or the business they are part of. That’s what we want to hear, the story as you know it.

It is not necessary to be a scholar to write your piece of history, because we feel that what you know is more important than how you write it.

We are not looking for a promo piece for your organization or business. We are looking for details such as year founded, founding members, physical or organizational changes undergone over the years, and current address and contact info, if applicable.

Your home doesn’t have to qualify for the National Register of Historic places in order to have a history we want to hear about. We are intentionally seeking out the small bits of history the way you have lived it, and the way it matters to you. When was your house built? Who owned it or lived there over the years? When were additions made?

Again, the “history of your place” doesn’t have to be encyclopedic—just tell us what you know. Either all at once or in installments.

How to go about it.

You can fill in the form below.
Or you can send us a written account either by mail (PHS, 114 Central St, Pittsfield ME 04967) or by email tom@snakeroot.net (preferred). Include:

1. The name and/or address of what you are writing about.
2. Your name, and whether you are the author of this history or are simply offering a history written by someone else. Feel free to include acknowledgements of those who supplied you with your story.
3. The history of your place in written form. Include photos if you can. Take all the room you need!

We’ll add what you send in to the Land and House Histories page, or to one of the businesses, churches, or civic organizations pages.