The
Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage is located in the Union
Fairgrounds (Common Road Union, Maine), in Knox County,
close to the seacoast towns of Rockport and Camden. It is an Agricultural
museum, with more than 10,000 exhibits, including agricultural tools and
equipment, carriages, musical instruments, books, a collection of photo
prints and a research library.
It includes a sizeable Moxie
collection and the Hodge one-room schoolhouse
attached to the museum.
On Saturday, September 20, 2008, the Union Fair
Committee recognized outstanding volunteers in service to the Fair at a dinner
held in the fair restaurant. Recognized were Clark and
Martha Hooper of Union for their exceptional service to the Matthews
Museum and Fair.
The Hoopers received a plaque presented before more than 50 other volunteers
by Fair Trustee, Irene Hawes. They served throughout the week in several capacities.
Each spent many hours at the Museum booth in the crafts exhibition hall and
in the museum itself. At the booth, they sold items raising funds for the Museum
and directed visitors to the museum. In the Museum they served as guides, sources
of information for visitors and as registrars of those attending.
Martha serves as Secretary to the Museum Board of Directors throughout the year
and Clark assists on the Board and with various tasks around the Museum as well.
The Board of Directors authorized the purchase of an unusual item to add to our collection at the September meeting. Pictured below is a funeral directors basket used to transport bodies around the turn of the century en route to the mortuary. The basket, in nearly perfect condition, will be on display this summer. The rarity of this item is what attracted the Board’s attention to it and led to its purchase. Funds for the purchase were provided from the budget and the Life Member account.
A violin built by and belonging to Edwards Matthews was donated to the Museum and announced in our December '08 Musings. Pictured here, the instrument, completed with case, was given to the Museum by recent life members, Lou and Beverly Gehlbach of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The Gehlbachs are relatives of Edwards Matthews and felt the proper place for it was in the collection that carries his name and recognizes his life work.
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