In January 2025, the Windham Historical Society was rocked by some sad and shocking news. Their secretary, Karen Lougee, had passed away after a brief illness. This was a great loss to the organization since Karen was not just an officer on the board of directors, she was an active vibrant member of the society. […]
It happened in windham
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: Almost 200 years ago: The South Windham Village memories of Rev. George Bodge
While doing some research for a book that the Windham Historical Society is putting together about our town’s history, I came across an article by the Rev. George Bodge that was written in 1906 and appeared in the “Suburban News” in January 1995. Titled “The Village in 1847,” it is a very interesting look into […]
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Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: Even in bad weather, Mainers stick together: The Blizzard of 1952
In February of 1952, Maine was hit by one of the biggest snowstorms the region has ever seen. Between the 17th and 18th of that month, it is estimated that 25.4 inches of snow fell with drifts piling up as high as 15 feet. On top of the incredible amount of snow that came down, […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: Old-time Christmas memories of a Windham old-timer
One of the most popular features on the Windham Maine Historical Society’s Facebook page is the daily account from the diary of Depression-era housewife Alice Gilman. In 1938, Alice and her family lived in the Newhall section of town off of River Road. If you follow the daily entries, you know that she has a […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened In Windham: Windham’s earliest lawyers, famous John Andrew among them
These days if you are in need of legal services, you can pick up your phone and call the law offices of Joe Bornstein, or maybe you’d try calling “The Twos.” But back in Windham’s earliest days, it was not that easy to find an attorney at law. The earliest residents of Windham would have […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: A country girl’s memory of logging on the Presumpscot River
Those of you who visited the Windham Historical Society’s Fall Harvest Festival probably took the tour of the newly renovated Windham Center Library. One of the many volumes on the shelves is a sweet little book titled “Memories of a Country Childhood” by Martha Manchester Menard. The book was lovingly penned for the author’s niece […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: Windham’s oldest library to reopen at Fall Harvest Festival
For the first time in many years, the Windham Center Library will open its doors to the public on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Windham Historical Society’s Fall Harvest Festival. Over the course of the summer, Karen Lougee, secretary of the society and the building’s steward, has been busy working with contractors to get the […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: How kids used to cool off in the long, hot summer
Unlike last year’s dark, damp and dreary summer when it seemed to rain every weekend, we are having a magnificent summer this year. The sun has been shining and we’ve had just enough rain that gardens are overflowing. Whereas last year we struggled to get out of the 70s, this year we’ve had several days […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: How children and families passed the time in past times
Buster Gilman was 5 years old in 1938. His mother, Alice, was a hardworking housewife and his father, Lloyd “Gillie” Gilman, worked at Windham Town Hall. He had older siblings from his parents’ previous marriages, but they were much older than he, in their teens and early 20s. He had no video games or television […]
Posted inLakes Region Weekly
It Happened in Windham: Community help needed to preserve a part of Windham’s past
May was National Historic Preservation Month, a month designed to remind people of the importance of preserving their local historic sites. Many of you may not be aware that one of Windham’s most beloved landmarks is in dire need of repair. From the outside, the Old Town House Museum on Windham Center Road looks perfectly […]