Guidebook to feature cultural sites

MADAWASKA – Most people who travel to the St. John Valley know some information about the historic sites in the area. But that doesn’t apply to everyone, especially tourists who are visiting the region for the first time.

Education about the St. John Valley’s rich history is on the way, however, as the Maine Acadian Heritage Council readies to launch its booklet, “Heritage Sites of the St. John Valley: A Passport and Guide for Residents and Visitors.”

Louise Martin, the MAHC’s office manager, conceived the idea after writing columns for the St. John Valley Times about the sites. The columns were published over a 10-month period last year.

“When I was finished writing the columns, I looked back at all of the information and the photos I had taken and thought, I’ve really got something here,” Martin said Wednesday. “I realized that putting all of this information together in a booklet would be a useful tool for both residents and visitors.”

“A lot of people who come up here know about one or two museums or about the Acadian Village,” she continued. “But there are so many other places to see.”

The Maine Acadian Heritage Council is a coalition of historical societies, municipalities, cultural organizations and museums that collaborate to support Maine Acadian culture in the St. John Valley. The MAHC is supported by the National Park Service.

The 22-page, color booklet contains Martin’s columns about the historical sites, a detailed map of the St. John Valley and more than 100 photos.

Those who purchase the books can get them marked with a unique stamp at each site that they visit. The stamp is different at each site and records the name of the site and the date of the visit so that visitors can have a memento of the occasion.

Some of the sites included in the book are the Roosevelt schoolhouse in Hamlin, the Gov. Brann schoolhouse in Cyr Plantation, the Acadian Village historical site in Van Buren and the Tante Blanche museum complex in Madawaska.

Each site has its own two-page spread, according to Martin.

The booklets will be sold for $5 each at the heritage sites featured in the guide. They also will be available for sale at the Chambers of Commerce in Fort Kent, Van Buren and Madawaska.

A portion of the sale of each booklet will go to the seller, and a portion will be used by the MAHC for future reprinting of the guidebook.

Martin said that the booklets will be handed out at the MAHC’s annual dinner and meeting on May 11, and she said Wednesday that she can’t wait for the event.

“I think the booklet will open the eyes of a lot of people who live around here and who maybe haven’t even visited some of these places,” she said. “I think that it will impress visitors and make people realize what they have in their own backyards.”