Upcoming Events
Fall/Winter 2026-2027
**Our 2026-2027 lecture series is brought to you with the financial support of SMRT Architects and Engineers**
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 6:30pm: Ron Romano returns to the South Portland Historical Society with his new book Stories from Maine Cemeteries - Lives Cut Short. He’ll show how gravestones from the 1800s were inscribed and decorated with symbols to memorialize those who died before their time, and he’ll share stories of Mainers—including some from South Portland—whose lives were cut short by lightning, shipwreck, disease... even murder. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of South Portland Historical Society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
*Sunday, November 8, 2026, 11am-1pm: Chat with Matthew Jude Barker – Barker is a life-long resident of Portland who has written extensively about the city’s Irish history. His two most recent works are Becoming American - Portland, Maine’s Irish and the Making of Immigrant America, 1840-1861 and The Blue and the Green - The Irish of Portland, Maine During the Civil War Era, 1861-1870. *This free event will take place at the South Portland Historical Society’s museum at Bug Light Park. Books will be available for purchase and signing in the museum gift shop.
*Sunday November 15, 2026, 11am-1pm: Chat with Paul Ledman - Paul’s newest book is The Freedom Trail: Portland, Maine and the Underground Railroad. Paul is also the author of Portland Maine: Connections Across Time and Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot. *This free event will take place at the South Portland Historical Society’s museum at Bug Light Park. Books will be available for purchase and signing in the museum gift shop.
Thursday, November 19, 2026, 6:30pm: Writer Linda Snow McLoon will present “Portrait of a Family Through Their 19th Century Letters.” The lives of various siblings of the Googins family are described through their letters to their brother, William Hayes Googins of Scarborough. Lucy writes about her life working in one of the textile mills on Factory Island in Saco; Albion describes being a farmer in Hiram in the 19th century; Lydia tells the story of attending school in Harpswell before leaving with her husband to begin life in the West; and the youngest sibling, Charlie, shares details of serving in the Signal Corps during the Civil War. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of South Portland Historical Society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
*Sunday, November 22, 2026, 11am-1pm: Chat with Kathy DiPhilippo and Seth Goldstein - Kathy is a historian and author of South Portland: A Nostalgic Look at Our Neighborhood Stores and the weekly history column A Window on the Past. Seth’s essay “Sugar, Salt Cod, and Slaves,” on the topic of Maine’s commerce with sugar plantations in the Caribbean, was recently published in ReSounding: Recovering Maine’s Undertold Maritime History, the exhibit catalog for Maine Maritime Museum’s ReSounding exhibit. *This free event will take place at the South Portland Historical Society’s museum at Bug Light Park. Books will be available for purchase and signing in the museum gift shop.
*Sunday December 6, 2026, 11am-1pm: Chat with Frederic L. Thompson - Fred’s newest book is Francis Orville Libby, A Man for All Seasons. Frederic L. Thompson spent his entire career in the field of communications and marketing. He graduated from Boston University’s School of Public Communications in 1965 with a degree in Broadcasting and Film. That same year he enlisted in the United State Coast Guard where he was assigned to the First Coast Guard District Office of Public Affairs. While there he drew from the District’s historical archives information on the history of Lightships in New England. Upon retirement and with the government’s permission he wrote his first book entitled The Lightships of Cape Cod. Upon leaving the service he took up a career in broadcasting, retiring from WCSH-TV in Portland as an executive in 2000. Throughout his career he had the hobby of writing and publishing local history books with over 20,000 of his books being sold. He has lived in South Portland for over 50 years. *This free event will take place at the South Portland Historical Society’s museum at Bug Light Park. Books will be available for purchase and signing in the museum gift shop.
Thursday, December 10, 2026, 5:30pm: WWII panel discussion: Loose Lips Sink Ships. We are thrilled to partner with a group of local historical societies and museums. Our year-long 2027 collaboration focuses on WWII in Casco Bay. Participants include the historical societies of South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Peaks Island, Long Island, and Chebeague Island, along with the Fort McKinley Museum at Diamond Cove. The series kicks off in December with a panel discussion on Casco Bay during WWII that previews the upcoming lecture series. Each of the six participating organizations will be represented. The discussion will be moderated by Seth Goldstein of South Portland Historical Society. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
*Sunday, December 13, 2026, 1pm: Jack Nordby - “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” - Society member Jack Nordby will return for an encore performance of his recital of the Dylan Thomas classic, A Child’s Christmas in Wales. A Child's Christmas in Wales is a much-loved, almost lyrical tale of childhood Christmas memories. This 25-minute star of Thomas' work is best heard aloud for the "music" in the words. *This free event will take place at the South Portland Historical Society’s museum at Bug Light Park.
*Sunday December 20, 2026, 11am-1pm: Chat with Arend Thibodeau - Arend's newest book is Casco Bay 1939-1945: The Battle of the Atlantic (to be released in November 2026). Arend Thibodeau is a native of Boothbay Harbor and a third generation veteran. He currently resides in Harmony with his wife where he has been a professional photographer since 1999. As a writer, Arend has published poetry, academic work, and six nonfiction titles with a focus on the military past and obscure histories of Maine. As a perk to his writing endeavors, Arend enjoys traveling the Pine Tree State and speaking about his work. When not engaged in his writing pursuits, Arend enjoys teaching and playing bass with local rock bands. *This free event will take place at the South Portland Historical Society’s museum at Bug Light Park. Books will be available for purchase and signing in the museum gift shop.
Thursday, January 21, 2027, 6:30pm: Julian Malcolm will present “Loose Lips Sink Ships: Build Up To War in Cape Elizabeth.” This presentation will be held at the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall in the Town Council chamber. Julian will look at the military preparations for the harbor defenses of Portland in the years before the United States entered the war, with a focus on improving the defense infrastructure in Casco Bay. He will also explain how soldiers, engineers, and local communities worked together to strengthen the harbor’s defenses and prepare for the possibility of attack. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation.
Wednesday, February 10, 2027, 6:30pm: Kathy DiPhilippo and Seth Goldstein will present “Loose Lips Sink Ships: WWII - The Home Front.” In this lecture we will look at the resilience and patriotism of local residents as two massive shipyards arose on the waterfront in the early 1940s. Victory gardens, food rationing, creating housing and more - Americans at home played a part in helping the Allies win the war. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
Thursday, March 11, 2027, 6:30pm: Karen Rea of the Long Island Historical Society will present “Loose Lips Sink Ships: Long Island During WWII.” Long Island in Casco Bay was heavily impacted by the events of World War II. In late 1941 the island was designated as the US Naval Fuel Annex, designed to serve the Atlantic fleet anchored in Casco Bay during the war. Nearly a third of the island was taken through eminent domain and many cottages were demolished to build the naval facilities. Every aspect of daily life for the islanders was affected. This program will share the story of the Fuel Annex and the lives of the islanders during the war. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
Thursday, April 8, 2027, 6:30pm: Kathryn DiPhilippo will present an introduction to a fun exhibit we're installing in the museum for the 2027 season: City of Chips: A History of Potato Chip Making in South Portland. Did you know that three major potato chip manufacturers were founded right here in our community? In this lecture, we'll take a look at the origination of the potato chip and how South Portland became a major player in the industry. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of South Portland Historical Society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
Thursday, April 15, 2027, 6:30pm: Julian Malcolm will present “Loose Lips Sink Ships: Fort Williams and Cape Elizabeth During World War II.” This presentation will be held at the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall in the Town Council chamber. Julian will examine the role of Fort Williams and the town of Cape Elizabeth throughout World War II, focusing on their contributions to the defense of Casco Bay and the nation's war effort. The talk demonstrates how the military installation and the surrounding community worked together to support the defense of Casco Bay and the success of the Allied war effort. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation.
Wednesday, May 26, 2027, 6:30pm: South Portland Historical Society will hold its annual meeting and lecture. After a brief business meeting, we'll enjoy a lecture by Seth Goldstein, “Loose Lips Sink Ships: The Battle of the Atlantic.” The North Atlantic was a hotly-contested battleground during WWII. Allied convoys fought against the scourge of German submarines to determine the outcome of the war in Europe. As the United States’ closest port to the European theater of war, Portland was the point of departure for many of these convoys. Seth will discuss how tactics and technology evolved over the course of the war as each side sought an advantage. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
Sunday, July 4, 2027, 11am-2pm - Independence Day Classic Car Show, presented by Yankee Ford - join us for the festivities at Bug Light Park on the 4th of July! Antique and classic cars will be on display on the field across from the museum - food trucks - Summer in Maine Auction - patriotic kite flying - reading of the Declaration of Independence from the front porch of the museum at Noon!
Wednesday, September 15, 2027, 6pm: Kim MacIsaac of the Peaks Island Historical Society will present “Loose Lips Sink Ships: An Island at War - The Peaks Island Military Reservation, 1942-1946.” With Battery Steele as the “crown jewel” in the defense system of Casco Bay, Peaks Island played a crucial role during WWII. Some 800 soldiers and many navy personnel staffed the Battery, smaller gun bunkers and towers as well as a variety of war related activities on the island. Discover how the military presence changed this small island community forever. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of any participating historical society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.
Past 2026-2027 programs:
Saturday, September 19, 2026, 11am to 2pm - Bug Light Food Truck Festival. Bring your appetite to South Portland for the second annual Bug Light Food Truck Festival, sponsored by GoNetSpeed. Choose from a variety of food options to enjoy while taking in the spectacular views of Portland Harbor from Bug Light Park. Admission to the South Portland Historical Society's Cushing's Point Museum is free. Food trucks planning to attend include PB&ME, Meet on the Street, Vy Banh Mi, Mainely Burgers, Mainely Treats, DiMaria & Sons, and Eighty8 Donuts. Rain date: September 26.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 6:30pm: Seth Goldstein will present “The Wabanaki in Casco Bay.” We will begin with a discussion of Wabanaki history before the arrival of Europeans including information about transportation, technology and food ways. Seth will then delve into the arrival of Europeans and the various factors that contributed to the conflicts known as the French and Indian Wars. The presentation will include information specific to the Wabanaki on the land that is today known as South Portland. Admission to the lecture is free for current members of South Portland Historical Society; non-members may attend with a $20 donation. Lecture will be held in the Casco Bay Room of the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road.