The South Windham Library has a fresh coat of paint on the Village Green and will reopen to the community with a special event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26. Haley Pal / For Lakes Region Weekly
The South Windham Library has a long and storied past. It began its life in the 1920s when it served as the hose house for the South Windham Fire Department. In 1934, a new fire station was built and the hose house was no longer needed. The South Windham Community Club lobbied the town of Windham to convert the little building into a library.
The structure was moved across the street to a piece of land close to Patsy’s Store. Patsy’s had served as a makeshift town library maintained by South Windham resident Lizzie Read. When the building was put in place, Lizzie brought her collection of books down the street and became the library’s first librarian. Although the building was technically located in Gorham, it was named the South Windham Library.
The tiny yellow library became a fixture in town. It was small and open just two days a week, but it served South Windham well for 80 years, amassing 4,290 volumes of books by the 1990s. In 2012, however, with the Windham Public Library and the internet filling the needs of many patrons, the South Windham Library closed its doors.
Musician Katherine Rhoda will perform in the gazebo at noon at the South Windham Library open house. Contributed / Katherine Rhoda
It seemed the building was doomed to be demolished, but then the Windham Historical Society stepped in. They approached the Gorham Town Council and suggested that rather than paying $2,000 to tear the structure down, the society would move the historic building down the road to their Village Green for a fraction of the price. An agreement was made and the South Windham Library is now on a permanent foundation on the grounds of the Windham Historical Society.
On Aug. 26, the South Windham Library will undergo yet another reincarnation. It will reopen as the South Windham Library and Railroad Museum. The original part of the structure will include copies of early school texts, nonfiction histories for research and other materials that compare and contrast the learning methods of yesteryear and today.
Additionally, there is a display dedicated to longtime Windham physician Sidney Branson. Not only did Branson live in South Windham and have his office there, he is also fondly remembered by many a Windham resident for the house calls he made to their homes. An ell has been added to the building, where visitors will discover trifold displays of South Windham village in the 1950s made by resident Nancy Larrivee, who lived in the village at that time. In addition, the railroad that once contributed greatly to the South Windham economy will be celebrated with materials about its history as well as travel memorabilia.
A diorama of the Gambo Gunpowder Mills created by Don Wescott of Gorham anchors the building.
“We’re very excited to open the museum at last,” said Carol Manchester, the historical society’s building steward. “It could not have happened without the enthusiasm and assistance I received from other society members. I’m extraordinarily appreciative and proud of the museum we have put together.”
Haley Pal is an active member of the Windham Historical Society. Contact her at haleypal@aol.com.
To introduce the building to the public, the Windham Historical Society is hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Village Green at 234 Windham Center Road. Visitors are invited to tour not only the new museum, but also the other historic buildings on the green. The Old Grocery Museum, the one-room schoolhouse and the hearse house containing the town’s original 19th-century hearse will all be open. There will be blacksmith demonstrations at the blacksmith shop, and the documentary film “The Gunpowder Mills of Gorham and Windham Maine” will be presented at the Old Town House Museum at 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
At noon, there will be a concert in the gazebo featuring musician Katherine Rhoda performing an assortment of old-fashioned tunes on a variety of unusual musical instruments. Visitors are encouraged to bring a blanket or a lawn chair and a picnic lunch. Homemade baked goods will be for sale by the society.
The open house is free. Donations are always accepted. To get more information about the event, contact the Windham Historical Society at 892-1433 or info@windhamhistorical.org.
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