Our Collections

• PPHS has a collection of books, scrapbooks, newspapers, other printed matter and ephemera pertaining to local history. We have recently completed the process of digitizing the newspaper collection. Access can be arranged by contacting us or visiting History House during open house hours. During July and August, we are planning to have the Research Room open the 2nd and 4th Monday afternoons in July and August.
• The Parsonsfield Old Town House Collection consists of books, records, receipts, reports and plus other items retrieved from the Parsonsfield Old Town House on Merrill Hill Road.  The majority of these items are from the 1800’s and 1900’s with a scattering of pieces from the late 1700’s. Included are many tax valuation books.  Please contact Lyn Sudlow (lynda.sudlow@gmail.com) for more information.
• PPHS has an extensive collection of historical photographs of our area. Most have been digitized. Contact Jan Iler  (657-7019) for further information.
• PPHS has an extensive collection of objects and items related to our local history. Most were donated by supporters of our mission and are used in various exhibits. If you would like to make a donation, please contact us.

If you have items or photographs of historical interest to our area that you would consider donating or sharing with us, please contact Jan Iler (625-7019).

OTHER RESOURCES:

Local Cemeteries

• Porter & Brownfield
• Maine Memory Network
• Greater Portland Landmarks
• PPHS also has other listings of local cemeteries that are not yet digitized. The book:  Cemetery Records Parsonsfield Maine put together by Constance Hobbs dated 1991 is a good starting point. Printed by the Ancient Landmarks Society of Parsonsfield.
• Parsonsfield has a small team of interested citizens who go out and clean cemeteries, time and weather permitting.
• Coming soon: a list of Parsonsfield Cemeteries with GPS information.

Interested in genealogy?  Here are a few places we suggest to do more research…

• Maine State Archives: www.maine.gov/sos/arc/research/genealogy.html
• Maine State Library
  https://www.maine.gov/msl/services/ref/web/genweb.htm
• Ancestry.com: free access available at local libraries 
• LDS Family Search: https://www.familysearch.
• Find-A-Grave:    Millions of burial records recorded & contributed by volunteers. Many have photos and further information about the people buried at that site. (This is now connected to Ancestry.com)
• Digital Maine:  There is also a wide-ranging collection of material relating to Maine history and genealogy available at digitalmaine.com.  Items are grouped by town and this is a work in progress.  Both the Maine State Library and Maine State Archives have already uploaded a ton of documents.  Check it out!

The Maine Old Cemetery Association has published guidelines for cleaning old gravestones and offer workshops on cleaning and restoring old cemeteries and stones. Visit moca-me.org/gravestones.

In brief, they say NEVER USE BLEACH to clean stones. (Bleach will have a chemical reaction especially with marble and cause it to deteriorate much faster). NEVER USE POWER WASHERS for the same reason – they can cause damage to the stone. They also say don’t clean zinc memorials. That, too, can cause damage.