Lincoln County Historical Association and Old Fort Western will kick off Maine’s Bicentennial celebrations with a lecture series in three parts. The first part includes six talks in September and October of 2019 that will provide insights to life in Maine from pre-history to the 18th century. The second part, in May and June of 2020, will discuss the effects of the French and Indian Wars and the resettlement of Maine along the Kennebec River. The third part, in September and October of 2020, will cover the period of statehood, the Civil War, and the rise and fall of industries in Maine.

Part One of the series is entitled “10,000 years of Maine History from Native American to European Contact.” These lectures will take place Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. during September and October at Wiscasset Middle High School, 272 Gardiner Road, Wiscasset.

The schedule of the first set of talks is as follows:

Sept. 15, Dr. Arthur Spiess, senior archaeologist for the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, will kick off the series with a talk entitled, “Maine Native Americans: An Archaeological Perspective Covering 13,000 years of Native American History in Maine.”

Sept. 22, Orman Hines, a vocational archaeologist who has worked on the Popham Colony and is the former president of Maine’s First Ship reconstruction project, will speak on the building and reconstruction of the pinnace Virginia, Popham Colony’s major success.

Sept. 29, James E. Francis Jr. director and tribal historian of the Penobscot Nation, will talk about the 17th century Maine from the Wabanaki perspective.

Oct. 6, Dr. Emerson Baker, professor of history at Salem State University and award-winning author, will speak on the English settlement of Maine in the 17th century.

Oct. 13, Mike Dekker, author and living historian along with Mark Roman, living historian, will talk about the French and Indian Wars in Maine.

Oct. 20, Ken Hamilton, living historian, will talk about Maine and Acadien privateers during KingWilliams War.

For more information about the LCHA, visit www.lincolncountyhistory.org or Facebook at Lincoln County Historical Association (Maine) and Pownalborough Court House Museum.

Old Fort Western is not for profit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect and interpret the National Historical Landmark, Fort, Store and House located on the Kennebec River in Augusta.

For more information about Old Fort Western, call 626-2385 or email oldfort@oldfortwestern.org