On Saturday, Jan. 12 at 1:30 p.m., the Boothbay Railway Village will host its first in a series of speaker programs for this year. Admission is free to all for this most interesting discussion entitled “The history of side paddle wheel steamboats in Maine.”

The museum has produced these talks during the winter season and they have been well received.  In an effort to highlight the history of Maine these talks are meant to highlight the impact of such things as roads, shipping, railroading, etc.

Historian and model maker George Barrett will offer through historic photos, and entertaining narration the explanation of the use of side-wheelers and other steamboats along the coast of Maine.

Barrett will delineate the routes, and evolution of the construction and use of these very unique vessels. He will include anecdotes about being a pilot or passenger on a paddle wheeler on the coast. Learn about these steamboats and their use in Maine, New England and the Hudson River.

Come join us for this free presentation and learn a bit more about the state that we all love and its very unique history.

For more information, call the Boothbay Railway Village (Route 27, Boothbay) at 207-633-4727 or visit www.railwayvillage.org.