Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization, Freedom, ME (2021)

10/19/2020

October 19, 2020: Interior Demo at Keen today.

09/05/2020

2020 Fall progress: building a secure foundation

08/29/2020

Just received good news from Maine Community Foundation's Belvedere Fund! They awarded us a second grant of 17,000. toward our restoration of Keen Hall. The retaining wall is done and Brandon Suitor is completing the surrounding earthwork as I write. Dan Doyle is planning to install a bulkhead and stairs to the basement next week. I am expecting a formal Work Agreement Contract from Mark Lessard who is scheduled to do the demo and reconstruction of the flooring in the back entryway, kitchen and dining room side of the building in September. After that major section is leveled and stabilized, the garage section can be closed in, clapboards repaired, and window replacement begun. Tyler Hadyniak and I are working on a major grant proposal to the Alfond Foundation for a next phase. Kate is installing new software to get our financial records upgraded. Audio visual equipment has been purchased and Marie Overlock (Lorraine's sister) has made progress digitizing our archive collection. Exciting times and great progress! Thanks for your support.

08/05/2020

08/05/2020

www.freedomhistory.org/news/

01/23/2020

Come out and enjoy some winter fun! Bring your sled, snowshoes, skiis , skates or just yourself. End the day with a potluck at the grange and/or see what type of talent your neighbors have at the Freedom Follies. Maybe you would like to share your talent? Send pm and we’ll get you on the list. See you there!!

10/10/2019

Transforming Keen Hall - By Fran Gonzalez

Freedom Community Historical Society is transforming the 165-year-old "house on a hill" into a village cultural center with a proposed office, library, archives, exhibit space and community meeting space. Plans also call for a revenue-generating studio rental apartment on the second floor.

10/08/2019

2nd Annual Antique “roadshow” fundraiser.

10/01/2019

The Keen House located in the village of Freedom on Rt. 137 is under renovation. It was purchased by the Freedom Community Historical Society and declared a historical building. Renovation has begun and the first step is to raise the building and put a basement with a foundation beneath it. Money was raised through donations and grants to begin this project,

05/30/2019

Freedom Community Historical Society
"YARD SALE"
52 Pleasant St. Saturday,
June 1 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

05/18/2018

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization

Freedom Residents:
The Freedom Community Historical Society is selling a collector’s item for $25.00. It is a customized mug showing the American Flag on one side and the Keen Hall on the other side with inscriptions. This is a fund raiser that only you can make successful. You can purchase one or more of this beautiful 8 1/2 oz. mugs by calling Myrick Cross at 382-6155. We have a limited supply, so buy yours now.
It will make a memorable gift for that special someone in your life for any occasion.

05/10/2018

Freedom Residents:
The Freedom Community Historical Society is selling a collector’s item for $25.00. It is a customized mug showing the American Flag on one side and the Keen Hall on the other side with inscriptions. This is a fund raiser that only you can make successful. You can purchase one or more of this beautiful 8 1/2 oz. mugs by calling Myrick Cross at 382-6155. We have a limited supply, so buy yours now.
It will make a memorable gift for that special someone in your life for any occasion.

02/04/2018

Town Office, Springvale Farm, Dirigo Grange Hall. The weather was clear and sunny, a bit chilly but beautiful. We had a very nice turnout, Everyone enjoyed the Pot Luck Supper and he Follies was "Fantastic". It was a great day in the neighborhood and a good time was had by all. Thank you to all those that helped put the Winter Festival together, the food and money donations and most of all, thank you for attending.

02/03/2018

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization's cover photo

02/03/2018

Winterfest is underway! Come out enjoy a sleigh ride , skating, sledding , friends!

01/26/2018

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization's cover photo

01/25/2018

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization

FCHS promotes appreciation and understanding of the Town of Freedom, Maine's past heritage as prelude to restoration and development of the future.

01/24/2018

Winter Festival/Freedom Follies Feb 3!!!!

01/13/2018

The Freedom Community Historical Society will be presenting “Winter Festival” on Saturday, February 3, beginning at 11 A.M. at the Springvale Farm located on Pleasant Street (across from the Town Office).The activities will consist of snow shoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating, horse and sleigh rides, groomed sledding hill with snowmobile transport back up the hill! And "fat" tire bicycles to try out that new sport. Rec committee has skates you can borrow.

Also, there will be more information to follow regarding Freedom Follies 6 P.M. At the grange hall. Prentice Grassi of Villageside Farm will be the MC for this program. If you would like to perform doing what you like to do, contact Prentice. There will be a pot luck supper to be held before the follies. (Starting at 4:30 P.M) Donations of food and desserts are welcome, there isn’t any charge but money donation are more than welcome and will be greatly appreciated. The Freedom Rec Comm. will be serving hot drinks, food and snacks at the Town Hall during the day and a place to warm up. In the meantime, let’s hope the weather isn’t too cold and that there is enough of snow.

.It takes a lot of planning and different committee’s working together. I hope you will find it in your heart to come on out and have a great time. Show your support. I will update this next week if needed so stay tuned.

12/10/2017

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization

12/10/2017

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization's cover photo

10/28/2017

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization

October 23, 2017

“Local activists put Freedom history on the map ”

Freedom Community Historical Society recently has received two significant accolades, one from the National Park Service and one from the Maine Community Foundation. After completing the restoration of the Old 1857 Town Meting House, the small group of local historic preservation activists turned their attention to an endangered architectural gem in the center of the Village. Keen Hall, which sets on a high promontory of land at the intersection of Rt. 137 and Main Street, through unpaid back taxes, had reverted to Town ownership three years ago and was in danger of demolition.

Originally in the mid 1800s the Keen family homestead had been given to Freedom Academy as the Principal’s residence which it served for many years. Carter B. Keen, an attorney and alumnus was a benefactor of his alma mater, moved to Washington, D.C. and became the first Postmaster Inspector General of the new U.S. Postal Service.

The Academy, founded in 1837 was the first secondary school in this part of the State and had an illustrious history , both as a boarding and commuter school for generations of students from Waldo County and beyond.

The local Historical Society applied for status as a 401(c)(3) non-profit, raised money from individual contributions and purchased Keen Hall from the Town. Shortly thereafter it was listed as one of ten most endangered historically significant properties in the State by the Historic Preservation Commission.

After a long application process, and support from the Commission, Keen Hall has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Park Service. The only other National Register property in Town is the Mill at Freedom Falls, home of the Mill School and the Lost Kitchen eatery.

The Society was recently awarded a grant of $ 13,400. from Maine Community Fund’s Belvedere Fund for historic preservation. Along with several other grants including the Gibson Foundation and the Butler Conservation Fund, the initial stage of jacking the building and pouring a new foundation can be started.

Long-range plans for the building include a Freedom Academy Archives Room, a small town library, Historical Society work, archival and exhibit space, local arts and crafts exhibit areas, small group meeting space and a one-bedroom apartment.

The Society meets monthly the second Wednesday at 6:30pm at the Town Office and sponsors several community events such as the “Freedom Follies,” a Winter Festival, and this December 9th is planning the First Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting at Keen Hall, followed by a Potluck and Contra Dance at Dirigo Grange Hall.

Individual donations can be made to support the Society’s work at FCHS, P.O. Box 52, Freedom, Maine 04941 or through the web site at freedomhistory.org.

Submitted by Myrick Cross, President
Freedom Community Historical Society
P.O. Box 52
Freedom, Maine 04941
513.722.6249
[email protected]

Freedom Community Historical Society
________________________________________________
Honoring the Past Envisioning the Future

10/28/2017

October 23, 2017

“Local activists put Freedom history on the map ”

Freedom Community Historical Society recently has received two significant accolades, one from the National Park Service and one from the Maine Community Foundation. After completing the restoration of the Old 1857 Town Meting House, the small group of local historic preservation activists turned their attention to an endangered architectural gem in the center of the Village. Keen Hall, which sets on a high promontory of land at the intersection of Rt. 137 and Main Street, through unpaid back taxes, had reverted to Town ownership three years ago and was in danger of demolition.

Originally in the mid 1800s the Keen family homestead had been given to Freedom Academy as the Principal’s residence which it served for many years. Carter B. Keen, an attorney and alumnus was a benefactor of his alma mater, moved to Washington, D.C. and became the first Postmaster Inspector General of the new U.S. Postal Service.

The Academy, founded in 1837 was the first secondary school in this part of the State and had an illustrious history , both as a boarding and commuter school for generations of students from Waldo County and beyond.

The local Historical Society applied for status as a 401(c)(3) non-profit, raised money from individual contributions and purchased Keen Hall from the Town. Shortly thereafter it was listed as one of ten most endangered historically significant properties in the State by the Historic Preservation Commission.

After a long application process, and support from the Commission, Keen Hall has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Park Service. The only other National Register property in Town is the Mill at Freedom Falls, home of the Mill School and the Lost Kitchen eatery.

The Society was recently awarded a grant of $ 13,400. from Maine Community Fund’s Belvedere Fund for historic preservation. Along with several other grants including the Gibson Foundation and the Butler Conservation Fund, the initial stage of jacking the building and pouring a new foundation can be started.

Long-range plans for the building include a Freedom Academy Archives Room, a small town library, Historical Society work, archival and exhibit space, local arts and crafts exhibit areas, small group meeting space and a one-bedroom apartment.

The Society meets monthly the second Wednesday at 6:30pm at the Town Office and sponsors several community events such as the “Freedom Follies,” a Winter Festival, and this December 9th is planning the First Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting at Keen Hall, followed by a Potluck and Contra Dance at Dirigo Grange Hall.

Individual donations can be made to support the Society’s work at FCHS, P.O. Box 52, Freedom, Maine 04941 or through the web site at freedomhistory.org.

Submitted by Myrick Cross, President
Freedom Community Historical Society
P.O. Box 52
Freedom, Maine 04941
513.722.6249
[email protected]

Freedom Community Historical Society
________________________________________________
Honoring the Past Envisioning the Future

10/10/2017

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization's cover photo

10/07/2017

Clearing trees around the Keen Hall Project.

02/07/2017

No dates or information, only pictures of the Freedom Academy being built.

02/07/2017

I will be posting pictures that were given to the Freedom Community Historical Society of the Freedom Academy while being built. I don't have any other information, as to the date, etc. They were given by someone who would like to remain anonymous.

01/24/2017

Join us for a fun time at the Winter Festival on Saturday, February 18, 2017. There will be sleigh rides, ice fishing, sledding, snowmobile rides, cross country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, hot dogs, hot drinks, stew or soup and cookies. Also there will be a potluck supper at 4:30. Everyone is welcome to enjoy a day of old fashioned winter fun!

01/04/2017

Freedom Community Historical Society- Non-Profit Organization's cover photo

12/23/2016

Freedom Community Historical Society receives grant for Keen Hall

Freedom — Freedom Community Historical Society announced Dec. 16 it has received a $25,000 grant from the Butler Conservation Fund toward the cost of preserving Keen Hall in Freedom Village.

11/19/2016

Here are some photos that I received of the acts from the Freedom Fall Follies.

11/19/2016

Here are some pictures submitted of the acts at the Freedom Fall Follies. I hope you enjoy them. We have Joseph Grassi playing the fiddle Martha Story Foisy reciting poetry Catherine Cross singing Silent Night and dedicated to her mother in heaven, Brian Jones singing and playing the guitar,