BREWER — The 25th anniversary of the Brewer Historical Society’s Chamberlain Freedom Park, the official Maine Underground Railroad site and in honor of Gen Joshua L. Chamberlain, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 11 a.m. It will be on the site of the former John Holyoke House that was built in 1811 and dismantled in 1995 and is the location of the mysterious shaft, attributed to the Underground Railroad. The public is invited to the event to learn more about this significant part of local history.
On Nov. 11, 1997 The Chamberlain Freedom Park was dedicated to much fanfare. Located on the Brewer side of the Penobscot River near the then newly built Penobscot Bridge, the park’s three monuments, the Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain statue, the 20th Maine granite marker and the “North to Freedom” slave statue commemorate Maine’s prominent involvement in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery.
The anniversary celebration will bring back some of the dignitaries who participated in the dedication 25 years ago, including U.S. Sen. Angus King, Historian Brian Higgins and Rep. Dick Campbell. Local historians Susan Lyford Xirinachs and Brian Swartz will also speak to the park’s significance. Other guests include John Holyoke, a descendent of the Holyoke family; Glenn Hines of Houlton, the sculptor of both monuments and Ken Hendrickson of Rockport, the artist who painted a Gen. Chamberlain portrait and many Civil War paintings.
On display will be framed photos of the two dedication ceremonies, the sculptor at work, concept clay and sketch plan with the Governor, news articles of the shaft and park progress, Hendrickson art and will include the Brewer Historical Society’s slave shirt found in the northeast corner of the Holyoke attic.
For more information contact Rep. Campbell at 207-745-7748 or [email protected].
FMI from 1997: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz8uKjcg8FY.