Brunswick — Tours at the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum in Brunswick, owned and operated by Pejepscot Historical Society, end for the season on Veterans’ Day weekend, Nov. 9-12, with free admission all veterans, active military, and their families.

Open hours for the holiday weekend are Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; and Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours take place on the hour.

In addition, on Saturday, Nov. 10, historical society volunteer Judi Stoy presents a free talk in the Chamberlain Museum parlor at 3 p.m. on a forthcoming book she edited for the society titled “‘Darkness is over our land…’: Civil War Perspectives from the Journals of John Furbish.” The book will be published in November.

Furbish, was a Brunswick businessman, co-founder of the historical soceity, and avid diarist. In addition to battle reports and mentions of Chamberlain, Furbish’s wartime journals reveal the impact on the local economy, the imperfect role of the media, and the complex feelings of Brunswick residents, not all of whom supported the war.

“There is nothing like reading a local perspective on a national event to really bring it home,” said Pejepscot Historical Society Executive Director Larissa Vigue Picard. “After transcribing the 1861 journal, Judi had the foresight to say ‘This would make a great book.’ We thought that Veterans’ Weekend at the Chamberlain Museum would be a great time and place to launch it.”

During the holiday weekend, everything in the Chamberlain Museum shop will be on sale at 25 percent off, with selected items at 50 percent off. Purchases of $50 or more include a free Chamberlain t-shirt. Light refreshments will be available throughout the day.

While Chamberlain is best known for his leadership of the 20th Maine Regiment at Gettysburg during the Civil War, he was also Governor of Maine for four one-year terms, and president of Bowdoin College.

The house contains his Gettysburg boots, horse’s saddle, original Medal of Honor, Governor’s chair, family furniture, and many other items.

The Pejepscot Historical Society preserves, interprets, and promotes the rich history of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine, through its collections, programs, and historic house museums.

For more information, visit www.pejepscothistorical.org or call (207) 729-6606.

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