Preserving History:The Blue Point Church Bell Finds a New Home

Posted on November 2, 2025 by Don Taylor
Ben Kildow with the Blue Point Church Bell and its new shelter.

The church bell from the original Blue Point Congregational Church, founded in 1878, has long been a cherished artifact of Scarborough’s past. For many years, the bell stood proudly outside the Scarborough Historical Society Museum, greeting visitors and serving as a poignant reminder of the town’s rich spiritual and community heritage.

Over time, however, the bell’s wooden mount began to deteriorate under the strain of Maine’s changing seasons. Recognizing the importance of preserving this piece of history, Eagle Scout candidate Ben Kildow stepped forward with a thoughtful proposal: to repair the frame and construct a protective covering that would both safeguard the bell and honor its significance.

The Society’s Board of Directors enthusiastically approved the plan. Yet, with upcoming accessibility ramp improvements near the Museum, the Board decided it was the perfect time to relocate the bell. Its new home would be beside Alger Hall, where it could remain accessible and visible for generations to come.

The Historical Society prepared the ground for the move, while Ben and his dedicated team poured footings and raised a handsome shelter over the bell. Their craftsmanship not only ensured its preservation but also created a dignified display worthy of the bell’s long service.

Today, the Blue Point Church bell stands once more as a symbol of Scarborough’s enduring community spirit—protected, honored, and ready to share its story with all who visit.

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Rum Running in Scarborough – 1925

Posted on October 26, 2025 by Don Taylor

A century ago, Prohibition was the law of the land, but Maine—with its long, rugged coastline and proximity to Canada—was an ideal haven for smugglers. Vehicles used to transport illegal liquor were often seized, libeled in civil court, forfeited, and later sold by the government.

1920s Vintage Sedan
(Image courtesy of ChatGPT)

An article in the Portland Press Herald dated November 18, 1925, reported that Ralph Woodward of Scarborough had his sedan seized by federal authorities for use in rum-running. Along with Woodward’s car, a touring car and a truck were also forfeited, according to the report.

Today, one hundred years later, it’s difficult to imagine the days when “rum running” was part of local life—when a person could lose their car for defying the dry laws of the Prohibition era. Yet, these stories remind us that even in quiet towns like Scarborough, the national struggle over alcohol left its mark.

Originally published in the November/December 2025 edition of Owascoag Notes, the Scarborough Historical Society‘s monthly newsletter.

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Faces from the Past – Scarborough High Students at the White School, c. 1921

Posted on September 26, 2025 by Don Taylor

In 1905, Scarborough built the White School at Oak Hill, a two-story building that became the town’s first true high school. The upper floor housed high school classes while the lower floor served grammar grades. For more than twenty years, this little schoolhouse educated Scarborough’s older students before the town constructed a dedicated high school on U.S. Route 1 in 1926. When the new building opened in 1927, the White School transitioned into Oak Hill Primary.

The photograph shown here captures a group of Scarborough High School students assembled in front of the White School, likely taken between 1918 and 1921. The young women wear long skirts, high-collared blouses, and lace details typical of the late 1910s and early 1920s. The young men are dressed in suits and ties, reflecting the formality of the era. Behind them, the clean lines and balanced windows of the White School provide a classic backdrop for this moment in Scarborough’s educational history.

This image offers us not only a glimpse of student life during that era, but also a reminder of how central the White School was in the lives of Scarborough families. Today, the building, at 225 US Route One, is home to Cumberland Tile Services and MackAirPro.

Photo showing students at Scarborough High School, circa 1920, sitting and standing in front of the White School (Oak Hill).
Scarborough High School Students – White School (Oak Hill)— used 1905–1926.
Do you recognize any of these faces?

People Tentatively Identified

NameLocationClass or Note
Elwood BesseyBack, middle of 3 in front of right door.Principal
Leon LaryBack row, third from right 
Norman Webster LaughtonBack row, far right.(died May 1921)
Arthur Pillsbury2nd Row, 4th from left,Tall boy in dark suit.
Gerald “Jerry” Pillsbury2nd row, 2nd from right –Lighter color suit, darker hair.
Martha PillsburyFront row, 6th from left,Light colored dress with sweater

This post written using the aid of AI (ChatGP) and edited using Grammarly.

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Help Us Identify the Grammar School Class of 1937-38

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Don Taylor

A Photo Album Mystery at the Scarborough Historical Society

(Updated 21 July with two names.)
(Updated 22 July with two names.)
(Updated 26 July with four names.)
(Updated 3 August with five names.)
(Updated 5 August with three names.)
(Updated 12 September with four names.)

A recently donated photo album at the Scarborough Historical Society offers a rare look into the Oak Hill Grammar class of 1937-38. Inside, black-and-white images capture elementary students—faces full of hope and promise—yet not a single name can be found.

The album, a small yet significant piece of our town’s heritage, now presents a mystery: Who were these children?

This photo booklet from Oak Hill Grammar, a cornerstone of Scarborough’s educational past of the 1930s, features 29 thumbnail portraits.

Why does it matter to identify these students? Every name is a story, a connection to the broader tapestry of Scarborough’s history. A name added to a face is a family reconnected, a memory restored. These children may be remembered by relatives or friends still in our community.

We invite your help in restoring these identities. If you or someone you know have family archives from that era, please reach out. You may recognize a familiar face, a piece of clothing. Sharing these images with older family members could spark memories or stories that help us name these students. Any detail, no matter how small, may unlock an important piece of Scarborough’s past.

Image 1 of 5
Top Row: Berlge Burnell, Caroline Cunningham, Jane Courtney –
Bottom Row: Kathleen Courtnay, Linwood Dyer, George Davis
Image 2 of 5
Top Row: Warren Delaware, Catherine Field, Lewis Grant –
Bottom Row: Weenie Garvis, Marjorie Googins, Robert Googins.
Image 3 of 5
Top Row: Wade Harmon, Lloyd Clifford Leary, William Merrill –
Bottom Row: Shirley Mills, Virginia Nelson, Virginia Nelson.
Image 4 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Top Row: Ella Nelson, P Granville Pence, Harold Richardson “scoot” –
Bottom Row: Barbara Royal, Patty Stevens, Leanne Shaw.
Image 5 of 5
Image 5 of 5
Top Row: Margurite Skillings, N/A, Virginia Turner –
Bottom Row: Anna Wright, Robert Wood, T. Everett Withee.

If you can confirm any of these photo identifications, please contact the Scarborough Historical Society. Let’s work together to ensure that these young faces from the “Class of 1937-38” are remembered as individuals and not lost to history.

Error: Contact form not found.

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How to Find 1700s Scarborough Birth Records: A Guide to the Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Don Taylor

Introduction

Scarborough’s 18th-century birth records can be challenging to locate, but many have been preserved thanks to the work of early genealogists. This post explains where to find these transcribed Scarborough records in the Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, how to access them online, and tips for searching them effectively.

Why Use the Recorder?

Original town records from the 1700s can be scattered or hard to read. Fortunately, historian S. M. Watson transcribed many early Scarborough births and published them in the late 1800s. Today, these volumes are digitized, OCR-scanned, and freely available on the Internet Archive.

Where to Look

Scarborough birth records appear in three volumes:

• Volume V (1888) — Scarborough Town Records – Births, copied by S. M. Watson. See pages 56–60, 114–121, 134–138, and 214–220. Available at: https://archive.org/details/mainehistoricalg05port/page/n55/mode/2up

• Volume VI (1889) — Scarborough Town Records – Births, copied by S. M. Watson. See pages 302–310, 367–377, and 396–406. Available at: https://archive.org/details/mainehistoricalg06port/page/n301/mode/2up

• Volume VII (1893) — Scarborough Town Records – Births, copied by S. M. Watson. See pages 46–51. Available at: https://archive.org/details/mainehistoricalg07port/page/n45/mode/2up

How to Search

Use the “Search Inside” box (usually in the top left corner of the Internet Archive page) to search for surnames. For example:

– A search for “Harmon” in Volume V brings up 27 matches.
– The first result is in the index.
– The fourth result (page 58) shows that Elizabeth Harmon, daughter of James and Elizabeth, was born November 28, 1764. Isaac, their son, was born March 31, 1770.
– Page 60 shows that John and Mary Harmon had eight children from 1747 to 1761.

This method saves time and can help you quickly find ancestors in these historic records.

Genealogy Tip

Always cross-check transcriptions with any available original records to confirm accuracy.

Thanks to S. M. Watson’s dedication, these volumes remain a valuable resource for anyone researching Scarborough’s earliest families.

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