In the 1760s, this was a fireplace in a tavern. The tavern was on one half of the building, and Captain Samuel Goodwin and his family lived on the other half. Upstairs was the Pownalborough Courthouse, the only pre-revolutionary courthouse still standing in Maine (Town of Dresden). Many famous historic people came here, including John Adams (the 2nd president of the U.S.) and Benedict Arnold. It’s a historic landmark now, but many of the original implements, some of the clothing, and even 200+ year-old graffiti can still be found here.
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| A huge walk-in hearth at the old Pownalborough Courthouse. |
I love all the history in Maine.
I took many pictures of this building, but you’ll notice that what
attracted my eye the most was the hearth.
There were several huge hearths throughout the building, both upstairs
and down. I loved this one the most
because it’s the perfect center of a home.
It’s where people came to get warm in the terrible Maine winter. It meant life and death in the bad
weather. It stood for comfort and safety
and peace. It’s where the meals were cooked
that sustained the family and those who frequented the tavern. It’s the lifeblood of the house.
Baked bread, steamed puddings, thick stews, and sizzling
meats were all cooked here. People were
born and died here. People--people just
like you and I--lived their lives, loved and hated, schemed and prayed, lost
and won at the game of life. These
aren’t just historical people. These
were real folks, and it’s important to remember that at every step in history,
real lives are at stake, real lives are in the balance. We tend to think of it all as a historic
romance, but the struggle to live and die was very real and no less poignant
than it is today.
Every generation seems to think that its generation is the
most advanced, the most important, the most relevant, but the fact is that
every generation is vital. Remembering this
for the past but also for the future--especially for the future--can make a big
difference in the way our world ultimately plays itself out. When you gather around your modern-day
hearth, while your life might not seem “vital” or of tremendous significance,
it is. It’s extremely important. You are
life. You are the stuff that the future
is made of. You are brilliantly
necessary, so have a care that you behave in a manner which displays your full
knowledge of that fact.
