BRIDGTON — The popular Downtown Bridgton Historic Tour series kicks off on May 26 with a “grand stroll” through Farragut Memorial Park.
Alan Manoian, of the Bridgton Office of Economic and Community Development, announced that the first tour of the season will be held from 6 to 7 p.m., viewing the Farragut Memorial Park, the 1852 Town Hall and the Civil War monument.
Participants will hear fascinating hometown stories and about Bridgton’s military and wartime heritage. They will learn about Farragut Memorial Park’s origin, see the Sir Hiram Maxim gun and hear about its Maine native inventor, Maj. Thomas Jackson Rodman, and see his Civil War cannons, which were cast at Fort Pitt Foundry in Pittsburgh and now sit in the North High Street Memorial Park.
Participants will also tour the 1852 Greek Revival Bridgton Town Hall, learn how it was built and why it is considered Bridgton’s most important National Heritage treasure.
There will also be a tour of the 1913 Bridgton Civil War monument and information about why it is considered unique among hundreds of other Civil War memorials.
Walkers should meet at the Town Hall on North High Street and wear good walking shoes and bring drinking water. Children are encouraged to attend with an adult.
-
- The Sir Hiram Maxim gun, invented by a Maine native in 1884, was the first portable automatic gun and the first weapon to recoil force to automatically eject the spent cartridge and insert the next. The gun is located in Farragut Memorial Park in Bridgton.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
