Three tombstones from mid-1800s uncovered on School Street in Lincoln
LINCOLN TOMBSTONES UPDATE: Our guess is that everyone was buried in the plot in the Lincoln cemetery and when the large monument was put on the plot the little markers were taken home and put in the "back yard", and no bodies were ever buried in the School Street area. Just our opinion from what (little) we know of the situation. September 12 - The Lincoln Water District has been doing some work on School Street. Today as they were doing some excavating they found something very unusual - three tombstones dating from 1843, 1846 and 1850. The three graves (pictured here) belonged to the first wife and two children of William T. Roberts, a local blacksmith also known as Deacon Roberts, whose shop was located near the site currently occupied by Smart's True Value Annex (formerly a bank). His residence was probably near the area where the tombstones were found. Charlotte Roberts died in 1846 at the age of 40. Two daughters, Elizabeth who died in 1843 at the age of three and Mary Ann who died at 16 years of age in 1850, were buried on School Street with their mother, their graves marked by marble stones. The likelihood of finding any remains after so many years is remote, and it is unlikely that there are any other Roberts family graves in that area. The tombstones have been moved to the Lincoln Cemetery, and will be placed on the Roberts family plot (see photo below) as soon as the boundaries of the plot can be determined. At tonight's Town Council meeting, councilors will decide when to resume the Water District's project, which was halted when the tombstones were discovered. - Stories and photos by Lee Rand
Below are three more photos of the tombstones, courtesy of Ron Gray.
Fungus affects Norway Maples again this year
September 1 - The Norway maple isn't a native species in this area, or even in this country. It was originally brought here from Europe, where it is widely distributed. It has been used throughout the U.S. and Canada as a street tree, especially to replace some of the grand old elms that fell to Dutch elm disease. The Norway maple (Acer platanoides) is considered an invasive tree, since it crowds out many native species. Still, its huge leaves turn a bright, sunny yellow after other maple species have passed their most colorful stage. It can grow to 60 to 65 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of as much as 6 or 7 feet and a branch spread of up to 70 feet when growing in the open. Last year you may have noticed that some trees in this area exhibited spots on their leaves, yellow at first, then turning darker as the summer progressed. By the time the leaves turned yellow, the spots were black. This condition is caused by a fungus called Rhytisma acerinum, or tar spot fungus, which starts growing on the leaves in early spring and continues to spread. By late summer, the spots take on the black color shown in the photo above. This year the local Norway maple leaves are drying up and falling off early. The fungus overwinters in the leaves on the ground to return the next spring. Although most reports say that tar spot doesn't usually cause permanent harm to the trees, it certainly changes their appearance. Tar spot has been spreading throughout the midwest and along the east coast as well as in Canada for about 20 years. There isn't much that can be done to get rid of the fungus except to rake up the infected leaves and dispose of them. If you compost the leaves, be sure to cover or turn your compost pile before the new leaves emerge in the spring. - Story by Connie Rand, Photos by Lee Rand
Springfield Fair for sale
August 24 - This Labor Day weekend marks 161 years that people have been flocking to the tiny town of Springfield for an old-fashioned agricultural fair that's fun and family-friendly. The Springfield Fair attracts folks from all over the state for rides, exhibits, concerts, horse pulling, great food and much more. The fair gives people a chance to see many different kinds of animals, and to participate in contests for the best vegetables, quilts, artwork, photography and a whole lot more. There's a talent contest, a demolition derby, horse shows, ox pulling, wrestling, and did we mention the food? This year the fair is up for sale. Owner Kirk Ritchie says it's time for him to spend more time with his family. He and John Krapf have put in a lot of hard work improving the fairgrounds, and last year they added a large field to provide better parking for fair-goers. The fair will go on as it always has while Deb Henderson of Maine Recreational Realty Group works to find just the right buyer so the Springfield Fair can keep entertaining the crowds for many more years to come. The price is $325,000.00. Our parent company, Rand Advertising LLC, maintains the fair's website. It's our great pleasure to visit the fair every year to keep the site updated with fresh photographs. We'll see you at the Fair this Labor Day weekend! |
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