Antiques put surveying on the map at historical society

Representatives of Chandler Brothers attended the October open house at the History Barn, home to New Gloucester Historical Society’s artifacts, and added some distinctive items to its collection.

Donations included a surveyor’s vernier compass produced between 1841 and 1878 marked “H.M. Pool, Easton, Mass.” in a wooden case with a price tag for the compass of $39; a Kueffel & Esser Co. Preliminary Survey Transit in a wooden case with accessories that date back to 1924; two antique wooden tripods and a stadia rod, all used in the woodlands of New Gloucester.

According to Steve Chandler, the compass was used primarily by Bernard Chandler, son of Andrew Chandler Jr. Bernard was an early forester, having graduated from the University of Maine in 1909 and Yale School of Forestry in 1910. His work included running several miles of property boundary lines for the many Chandler Brothers parcels in New Gloucester.

First cousins Steve and Charlie Chandler said they remember using the transit while helping their fathers, Warner and Charles Sr., locate boundary lines in the late 1950s to early 1960s.

Take a hike at Talking Brook

Searching for a new local place to go hiking? Just proceed all the way down Woodman Road in New Gloucester and you’ll find two properties available to the public containing scenic brooks, waterfalls, woodland pools and an extensive trail network.

On the left is a 156-acre property featuring Norumbega Trails, owned by Michael and Julie Fralich, that will be acquired by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. On the right is the 37-acre Big Falls Preserve, formerly owned by the Fralichs who donated the property to the Royal River Conservation Trust several years ago.

The combined 193-acre parcel to be known as Talking Brook Public Land will conserve the largest forested and intact habitat blocks in the Royal River Watershed and one of the largest habitat blocks in Southern Maine.

For more information, contact Betsy Cook, Maine state program director for the Trust for Public Land, at 317-2085 or betsy.cook@tpl.org.

Shaker felting workshop

Creating an 8-inch cardinal by needle felting will be the subject of a virtual workshop via Zoom from 1-4 p.m. Jan. 8. Fiber artist Betsey Leslie of Ewes to You Farm in New Gloucester will be serving as the instructor.

Needle felting is the process of transforming wool into 3-D objects using a barbed needle. In this virtual workshop, students will learn how to incorporate an armature, which is a wire framework to create legs.

Each kit will include everything needed not only for this workshop but also for making a second bird. Each participant will receive five felting needles; one foam felting block; core wool in natural white; wool in red, dark brown, gray and orange; and wire for feet. All the wool is hand-dyed by Leslie, custom made for this workshop and projects.

Pre-registration is required online at maineshakers.com/workshops, by calling 926-4597 or emailing info@maineshakers.com. The fee is $75 for Friends of the Shakers members or $80 for the public. Be sure to register early so the kit can be mailed out and received in advance of the workshop. Local customers may pick up kits at Shaker Village, 707 Shaker Road; just include a note with your order.

Patti Mikkelsen can be contacted at mikks@maine.rr.com.

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