The Maine Spirit and the Horse: Maine Starting Gate Museum

A Comment about The Maine Spirit Blog

Historians and horse lovers owe a great debt of gratitude to Stephen Thompson for his thorough and fascinating survey of Maine’s tie to the magnificent beast that, in both work and sport, was a principal means of tying this vast state together in the long era before the automobile. Water Village, my history of Waterville, only touches on the horse, most particularly the astonishing creature named Nelson. Thompson’s work reveals the full tale of the impact of these beloved animals in this area, and in celebration of the horse, future generations will be grateful to know a story that otherwise might have been lost in the mists of time. -- Earl Smith, Dean of College, Emeritus, Colby College

Showing posts with label Maine Starting Gate Museum. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

The Maine Starting Gate Museum at the Statehouse -- Maine History Atop the Bedsides of a 1967 Pickup Truck

This photo was taken two years ago with with Maine State Capitol in the background, A frame has been mounted on the top of each bedside. When the 67 Chevy Pickup is in place, the panels within the frames open up to provide a total of ten panels to place informational displays. The second photo was taken at the Fryeburg Fair.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Introducing you to Maine's Starting Gate Museum -- Images from the Cornish Horsemen's Day at the historic fairgrounds in Cornish Maine

The images in this post feature the Maine Starting Gate Museum. The museum is set up on the bedsides of a 1967 Chevy Pickup that was the last truck my father, Keith M. Thompson, purchased when he farmed in Limestone, Maine. The Maine Spirit of the Horse Initiative will re-brand the truck to tell a variety of stories of Maine as it achieved statehood and evolved into present day. Click on the first image to enlarge.