Saturday, May 2
Local author Fredric B. Hill’s presentation and a reading from his latest book “A Flick of Sunshine.” Hill’s talk focuses mainly on the story of a shipwreck, survival in the latter days of the great three- and four-masted sailing ships, and Bath’s prominence in shipbuilding in the mid and later 19th century.
Forgetting by Acadia Guiliani Seaglass by Sinead Bowdish
The Poet’s Well by James M. Wright Maine by Susan Landry
April 6, 2022 
Why would a successful Maine software developer in his early 60s close his laptop and spend an entire year chasing a little known birding record? Follow Ethan Whitaker’s 2021 adventure as he travels from Kittery to Caribou to Camden to Fryeburg in an attempt to see every species of bird in the State of Maine. With support from Mid Coast Hospital.
Want to learn more? Visit bigyearbirding.com.
March 9, 2022
Last fall, lifelong friends Alain Ouellette and Norman Guerette fulfilled a longtime dream and took a 12-day, 600-mile bicycle trip from Kittery to Fort Kent. Using mostly Route 1 and Route 1A, the retirees covered about 50 miles a day and stayed in tents, with friends, and with friends of friends. At this Zoom talk Alain and Norm share what they did to prepare for the trip, lessons learned, and tales from the beautiful coast of Maine. With support from Bath Savings Institute.
Armchair Traveler: From Greenville to Belfast, a 300-mile Paddling Journey
February 9, 2022
In May of 2021, Jackie Stratton, her partner Nate and dog Maple embarked on a 24-day canoe trip from Greenville to Belfast. Primarily following the route of Henry David Thoreau, Penobscot guide Joe Polis, and countless indigenous people, their 300+ mile padding journey included 8 miles of historic portage routes to connect the Kennebec Headwaters, West Branch, East Branch, and Main Stem of the Penobscot River. She shared about how they prepared, naturalist highlights, lessons learned, and what it was like to be on “river time.”
Kaite Thayer of Thayer Treats teaches three different classes on baking techniques to provide inspiration for the 2022 Edible Book Contest. With support from Now You’re Cooking.
March 25, 2022
April 1, 2022
Very Hungry Caterpillar Pull Apart Cupcakes
April 8, 2022
Visit our youtube page for more.
January and February 2022
The Town History Series is a long-standing Patten Free Library tradition that brings together Patten Free Library’s member communities to learn about and celebrate each town’s local history. The town of Arrowsic, Bath Historical Society, Georgetown Historical Society, West Bath Historical Society, and Woolwich Historical Society each select a speaker to present on an aspect of their local history.
Previous year’s Town History Series presentations
December 1, 2021
Saved from demolition 50 years ago, Bath’s Winter Street Church is the masterpiece of Anthony Coombs Raymond’s long career as an architect-builder in the Bath-Brunswick area. Born in 1798, Raymond started working in Brunswick at the age of 18 in 1816. Maine Hall of 1836 on the Bowdoin College campus is his most visible surviving building in Brunswick today. In 1839 his work on the Universalist Church in Bath resulted in his moving to the community. For the next 40 years he planned and built churches and houses for Kennebec River towns, influencing architectural design from Phippsburg to Gardiner. This talk illustrates many examples of Raymond’s work with a focus on his churches, especially the Winter Street Church in Bath.
In collaboration with Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc., the History Room welcomes Maine State Historian Earle Shettleworth to reprise his popular 2010 talk about the architect of the Winter Street Church, which was saved from demolition by SPI in 1971.
Visit the History Room’s youtube page for more.
