The Maine State Archives has many  records that can help to flesh out the history of any community in  Maine, and we have created this page to introduce you to some of the  kinds of documents preserved here that may be available to enrich your study of your own hometown, or of the State of Maine itself. 
 
 
 

     Many teachers have found that an effective way to introduce  students to the hands-on study of history is to focus on local  history at the community level.  By using the resources of local  and regional historical societies and libraries, by identifying and  photographing historic structures and sites, interviewing older  residents in oral history projects, volunteering in preservation efforts  and engaging in similar activities, students can develop an awareness  of and appreciation for the past.

     We have chosen the rural, inland town of Turner, Maine in the  Nineteenth Century as our focus for this project. We have endeavored  to provide as many images of original manuscripts as possible, in order  to familiarize students with handwritten documents.  In cases where  manuscripts did not scan clearly, were simply too difficult to read  because  of poor handwriting, or were too lengthy, we have  substituted accurate transcriptions. Some important information has survived only in published  format, and we have accordingly included this material as well.

     This page is intended for use by students in grades 7 through 12, but we hope that adults as well as students will find the information presented here to be informative, useful and entertaining.