We miss you! Though our doors are closed and we have canceled the annual meeting that usually takes place in June, the Friends of the Southport Historical Society (FSHS) is continuing to work behind the scenes to keep the Hendricks Hill Museum in a state of readiness for reopening as soon as it is safe to do so.

During this quiet time a small volunteer group is working on projects related to the care and preservation of our collection. One of those projects involves applying for the Maine State Archives New Century Community grant that will enable the museum to purchase equipment needed to properly scan original documents and photos so they can easily be shared with the public.

Though programming by necessity is reduced this season, we will be offering a historical walking tour of Southport’s Cosy Harbor, led by Bill Messmer, on Thursday, July 23 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Space will be limited so call the museum at 633-1102 to reserve your place on the tour. Masks and social distancing will be required of all participants.

We are also excited about the ongoing Community Photo Project announced a few months ago. All residents and friends of the Southport Island community are invited and encouraged to participate in the recording of the history of Southport Island during the year 2020. The idea is to collect photos of people, places, events or other images that will tell the story of Southport Island in the year 2020 as we navigate the new normal of life amidst the COVID 19 virus. Get your cameras out and become a part of this important project that will culminate at the end of January 2021. The project will result in a permanent slide show available on the museum’s website and a hard copy display of photos at the museum. An event to showcase the project will be planned for later in 2021.

Your photos can be submitted in print or digital form. Prints should be sent to the Southport Historical Society, P.O. Box 3, Southport, ME 04576. Digital photographs should be directed to mrbjtuna@gmail.com Photos should be accompanied by the photographer’s name, contact information and a sentence or two describing what appears in the image.

We look forward to seeing friends and neighbors throughout this year on walking paths, at the beach and other outdoor venues, and in the photos we all collect.