Lillian Ames Stevens

The Maine Industrial School for Girls or the State School for Girls in Hallowell became commonly called the Stevens School after Lillian Ames Stevens #113 who was a staunch supporter of the school and one of the first 5 trustees in 1885. The school functioned from 1875 to 1920.

While by today’s standards the treatment of the girls might be considered harsh, at the time of its creation the school was considered progressive and a big step forward in its kindness toward “wayward girls”.

The stated purpose of the school:

“. . .designed as a refuge for girls between the ages of seven and fifteen years, who, by force of circumstances or associations, are in manifest danger of becoming outcasts of society. It is not a place of punishment, to which its inmates are sent as criminals by criminal process– but a home for the friendless, neglected and vagrant children of the State, where under the genial influences of kind treatment and physical and moral training, they may be won back to ways of virtue and respectability, and fitted for positions of honorable self support and lives of usefulness.”

The little bronze “water girl”, #113, as she is know was originally dedicated in honor of Lillian Ames Stevens. I visually quote it here as a way to remember Stevens’ part in what we now call Stevens Commons in Hallowell.

artist, Chris Cart

Stevens Commons

The various brick buildings of Stevens Commons were once part of the Maine Industrial School for Girls or Stevens School and the entire campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The old brick buildings of the original campus have now been beautifully restored by Mastway Development, LLC of Winthrop, Maine and are currently used by local business and dormitories for students of University of Maine, Augusta.

The bronze statue of the “water girl” can now be seen in entrance of the Portland Public Library.

an old soul

The Ian Parker Foundation #94 was set up in memory of much beloved Hallowell musician Ian Parker.

The Ian Parker Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporation and gifts to it are fully tax deductible. The Foundation supports local live music, musicians and music students.

The Ian Parker Foundation gave a generous grant to support the mural.

artist, Chris Cart

Ian William Parker (Oct. 5, 1983-Feb. 28, 2011)at his home in Machias. He was a musician, beginning his career performing as a solo artist throughout the state of Maine, and was an integral vocalist/ guitarist in various bands including the popular bands “Rumble Strip” and “The Returnables.” Ian was also a recording session musician and played on recordings for numerous talented Maine artists.

Centennial of Women’s Suffrage

2020 was the year of celebration of the 100 year anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the US. when 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920 giving women the right to vote.

19th Amendment

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Amendment XIX
Section 1

In February 1895 women from all over Maine, including Hallowell, had gathered in Augusta, Maine for a hearing about women’s voting rights, and to make a statement to the Maine Legislature that women’s desire for the right to vote was a statewide issue.

Lillian Stevens of Dover, Maine spoke at the hearing: “Two years ago … we were told that it would be better for our claims if we had the state represented by women from every section … to prove that we really want the ballot. We accepted this advice, and gentlemen, we have come.”
~from Maine State Museum

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While I could not find any articles of specific history of the women’s suffrage movement in Hallowell, I did find a list of women involved in suffrage causes which included women from Hallowell. This is no surprise as Hallowell has often been in the forefront of progressive, activist causes since its founding.

artist, Chris Cart

suf·frage /ˈsəfrij/

noun
-the right to vote in political elections

The term suffrage derives from the Latin, suffragium, meaning “a voting-tablet”, “a ballot” or “the right to vote”.

The colors of the movement

White dresses became associated with the early women’s suffrage movement of the early 20th century to represent liberty, purity, and feminine grace. Purple, or violet, represented the vote as well as loyalty, constancy, and steadfastness. Yellow and gold were by far the most widespread colors of the movement.

a giving man

Chris Vallee #45 has been a real estate professional dealing in commercial and private home and business sales for years.

The Hallowell mural would not have happened without Chris Vallee. Vallee and artist Chris Cart are good friends and were having lunch one day. Suddenly Chris Vallee asked if Cart if he wanted to do a large mural on his wall at 89 Water Street—a building he had owned and lived in for many years.

They knocked around ideas and decided the mural should tell the story of our cool town.

Chris (Vallee) is the most generous person I know. He is constantly giving and reaching out to help people.
In the summer of 2020 he donated one of his kidneys to a complete stranger. Unfortunately, the surgery went wrong and Chris nearly died, spending 3 months in the hospital, with numerous other surgeries to fix the damage from the initial one. I wanted to represent his sacrifice by the symbol of the kidney colored bird flying from his hands.

artist, Chris Cart

equal rights for all Mainers

The mission of Equality Maine “is to protect and advance full equality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Mainers by creating an inclusive and intersectional movement through political action, community building, education, engagement and collaboration.”

quoted from Equality Maine website.

November 7, 2012

A majority of Maine voters legalized marriage equality in 2012. The initiative, known as Question 1, passed by a margin of 53% to 47%. Maine was the eighth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, and one of the first to pass it by popular vote. This was in part due to our tireless work of our volunteers and lobbyists having conversations with people all over Maine!

a progressive tradition

The people of Hallowell, Maine have spearheaded progressive movements from the earliest days since before incorporating as a city in 1852.

The Right to Speak

62 women of Hallowell signed the first ever petition by women sent to the US government.

On January 18, 1830, Charlotte Cheever, her daughter Elizabeth, Hannah Dole and 58 other women of Hallowell, Maine, signed and submitted a petition to Congress protesting the Indian Removal Act, signed by President Andrew Jackson—the federal government’s forcible removal of over 60,000 Native Americans from their lands in the south, the governmental ethnic cleansing of the south, what became known as the Trail of Tears.

These women asked for the right to speak on the matter, stating:

“There is one consideration, connected with this subject, which adds much interest, and gives us, as we think, a right to speak on the subject.”

Over the next 2 years over 1500 women from around the country petitioned the government on the subject of the removal of Native Americans from their homelands.

We do therefore repeat our prayer, that they may be permitted to abide by the graves of their Fathers and enjoy the sweets and endearments of home.

Hannah Dole

The woman in the white bonnet in front of the Right to Speak placard is Hannah Dole #50, wife of Hallowell abolitionist Ebenezer Dole. She was one of the 62 signatories on the petition.

I included Hannah Dole in the mural as she was the only woman who signed the 1830 Petition of whom I could find a portrait. The other two women in similar period clothing with her are Kate Tremblay and Libby Thompson from today. They both worked at Vaughan Homestead researching the 1830 Petition.

artist, Chris Cart

Elizabeth Palmer Peabody (May 16, 1804 – January 3, 1894), sister of Sarah Hawthorne, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s wife, was a progressive educator brought to Hallowell by Benjamin Vaughan to teach his daughters and sons. Many who signed this petition were members of the women’s group Peabody dubbed the Blue Stocking Club, after the English Blue Stocking Society.

Text of 1830 Petition

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled,

we the undersigned, feeling deeply interested in the honor, integrity, and virtue of our country, and considering the question soon to be presented before you, in relation to several tribes of Indians in the western States, as affecting all these, we do most humbly and ardently unite our prayers with those of ten thousands in our lands, that your determination may be favorable to these devoted, persecuted and interesting people.

We have said this question affects our honour, our virtue and our faith – for what faith will be kept by subjects when rulers regard not the most solemn treaties – when they trample on the rights, the heaven descended rights of those who look to them for protection.

There is one consideration connected with this subject, which adds much interest and gives us, as we think, a right to speak on the subject. We refer to exertions made by the pious and benevolent to enlighten and Christianize this long neglected people; – and we say it – without any desire of glory, that these efforts have been sustained chiefly by the charity of our own sex – by the two mites of the widow and the penury of the poor. We are unwilling that these truly benevolent exertions should, by the strong men of government, be prostrated at a blow.

We are unwilling that the church, the school, and domestic altar should be thrown down before the avaricious god of power, and those groves dear to the heart of the Indian and which now echo the hymns of Jehovah, should be again the resort of the hunter, the wild man and the savage. We would not ordinarily interfere in the affairs of governance, but we must speak on this subject. We are aware that we owe to Christianity – all that is sacred to virtue – our elevation in the scale of beings; and we are anxious that others that the wandering Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee should participate in these privileges.

We do therefore repeat our prayer, that they may be permitted to abide by the graves of their Fathers and enjoy the sweets and endearments of home.

Petition signatories

Joanna Gage, Sophia Bond,Lucy Emerson, Hannah Alden, M C Ladd, Sarah Dummer, Mary M Palmer, Mary G. Morse, Nancy Dole, A or H Getchell, S or L Masters, M Perley, O. Getchell, Mary G Gillett, Ann E Gillett, Lydia F. Shepard, Pamela L Fuller, Lydia Page, Lucretia T Bond, Caroline T Bement, Lucretia P Bond, Susan C Moody, Abigail Page, Caroline ? Stickney, Julia A Page, Harriet Page, Hannah Dole, Anna Lakeman, Hannah Sewall, Martha H Page, Sarah C Howard, Sarah Cutler, C. _, Sarah W Page, Adelaide W Page, Mary C Wingate, L M Goodale, Elizabeth Goodale, Elizabeth S Goodale, Mary Gow, Pamela E Gow, Lucy __Gow, Sybil P Lovejoy, L Stickney, P E Stickney, Mary A P Wells, Sally H Agry, Abigail Gow, L__ren Parsons, Sarah E. Moody, Catherine Gardner, Mary Dole, Susan Gardner, Mary Gardner, M__ Gardner, Charlotte Cheever, Elizabeth B. Cheever, Caroline Ladd, Susan Vinall ?, Lucy G Gilman, F C Page

On outside of folded petition:

Wm. Sprague
21 Cong (Congress)
1 Sess (Session)
Memorial of sundry ladies of Hallowell, Maine, praying that certain Indian tribes may not be removed from their present places of abode.
1830 January 18. referred to committee on Indian Affairs March 29 report ______.

Old Hallowell Day

Hallowell is hosts many festivals throughout its year. Old Hallowell Day is the big annual festival that happens every year in mid July.

October Fest, Festival of Scarecrows, Mardis Gras, Zombie Crawl every Hallowe’en, some come here for a few years and move on—the Luthier Festival, Granite Symposium—and some are seemingly permanent fixtures in our calendar, like the grand Old Hallowell Day and the Rock on the River with 30+ summers of music and counting.

This is Maggie Warren #40, with her parasol. I needed a bit of color in front of the big granite head. At the 2019 Hallowell Woodstock Revival I sketched Maggie with her tie dyed dress and parasol and k new she was the perfect bit of color to be sitting up on the scaffolding in front of the Faith Statue. Maggie was at the original Woodstock Festival in NY.

artist, Chris Cart

Woodstock Revival

Hallowell Board of Trade hosted a Hallowell Woodstock Revival for several years with bands playing live music played at the original woodstock. Hallowell boasts several people who were at the original Woodstock Festival, including Maggie Warren.

Hallowell Hexen

You may have noticed the witch in the mural. That is the artist’s wife Jen Greta Cart #67, who started the Hallowell Hexen Dancers, a raucous gathering of Hallowe’en Hallowell witches who dance down the street every All Hallow’s Eve toward the big bonfire.

It was hard to decide how to include Jen in the mural. She is an artist, avid dancer, actor in local theater and she started the witch dancers at Hallowe’en. She finally ended up as a graceful witch, brushes in hand casting a spell on us all.

artist, Chris Cart

Zombie Crawl

Bruce Mayo #101, is shown in the mural in two of his many guises, as the super talented artist he is and in one of his elaborate and always elegant costumes as he leads the annual Mardi Gras parade to launch the festivities. He is also a prominent figure in organizing and participating in Hallowell’s annual Halloween Zombie Crawl and June Pride Parades. His talent can be seen all over his Easy Street Lounge.

indispensable volunteers

Cary Colwell #91, is one of Hallowell’s steadfast committee volunteers who make all the fabulous festivals and events happen. She has been instrumental in many Old Hallowell Day festivals, Mardi Gras bashes, weekly music events and so much more.

And without Deb Fahy #108, we simply wouldn’t have the arts that we do in town. She does so much.

Granite Symposium

Hallowell is known for its granite and the stone carvers who worked here in the 19th, creating stone sculptures and ornaments for notable buildings around the country.

September 11-19, 2021 Hallowell celebrated that granite history with a 7 day Granite Symposium–7 artists spent 7 days carving many sculptures to show what can be done with stone. This was a joint project of the city of Hallowell’s Arts and Cultural Committee, Vision Hallowell and the Maine Stone Workers Guild.

Two of the created sculptures are now permanently installed on the Hallowell waterfront—“Bloom” by Isabel Kelly and “Flowing Through” by Mark Herrington.

famous monuments of the nation

Hallowell granite was prized for its light color and fine grain. It has a high percentage of feldspar which made it relatively easy to quarry and carve—relative, but still not easy since it is granite after all. When properly dress by the sculptor it shines almost as white as marble and when polished the surface can glitter like diamonds. It is beautiful stone.

Hallowell granite was used for many of America’s most important monuments—as well as local doorsteps and foundations still seen around town. The cornice stones for Boston’s Quincy Market were cut from John Hain’s Hallowell quarry, shipped down the Kennebec and cut and placed starting in 1815.

Eight to ten teams of horses and oxen hauled the granite loaded onto heavy wagons, called galamanders. Once quarried and carved locally the granite was carefully crated for transport in wood from the local lumber mills.

Granite was shipped by rail and by ship down the Kennebec.

The Hall of Records and the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York City were built using Hallowell Granite. Hallowell had huge granite contracts for Chicago’s Marshall Field Building and the Post Office in Chicago, Ill. were large contracts. The largest contract was for the State Capitol at Albany, NY, from 1867-1898, totaling 25 million dollars.

Hallowell granite was used to build the Maine State House, the Kennebec Arsenal, and the Maine Insane Hospital in Augusta.

Who were the stone carvers and quarrymen?

Stone cutters and quarrymen came from Italy, England, Spain, Scotland and Canada to work in Hallowell’s thriving granite industry.

In 1901 a skilled Maine granite cutter could earn between $2.80 to $3.20 a day. This was a solid middle class income at the time. Quarrymen tended to earn between $1.75 and $2.00 per day.

Tony (Masciadri) was a huge help to me, showing me traditional stone cutting and carving tools and demonstrating the proper way yo use them so I could depict the action in the mural.

artist, Chris Cart

Protasio Neri

Protasio Neri was one prominent Hallowell stone carver. Born in Levigliani, Italy, he was trained in stone carving in the marble quarries of Carrara, the quarries famous for the marble Michaelangelo preferreds. Protasio moved with his family to 1877 at age 27 to pursue his granite carving career in Hallowell. Neri was very involved in unionizing the stone carvers to improve their working conditions.

William Rich

Another granite worker, William Rich, came from Cornwall, England to work the Bodwell quarry in 1872. He was a gifted stone carver who worked carving the statue of “Faith,” statue that sits atop the national Monument to the Forefathers now in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Locally in Hallowell, you can see his carving over the door of the Hubbard Free Library.

Settimio Masciadri

Settimo Masciadri came from Italy near Lake Como, in 1895 when Governor Joseph Bodwell’s company Hallowell Granite Works sent out a worldwide call for stone carvers.

Settimio worked for Bodwell for 5 years and got his United States citizenship. He returned to Italy and married his girlfriend. They returned in 1902 where their son Americo, Tony Masciadri’s father, was born.

Americo grew up working stone like his father. He also worked for the WPA for a time. Then Americo and Joe Perrazi bought Kennebec Monument which eventually became the Masciadri & Sons Monument that we know today.

In the 1970’s Tony Masciadri came back to town to assist his father in the family stone monument business. He stayed on to take over the business. He only recently retired in 2023. Though he still does some work at the shop.