Norway Historical gets digitization grant

PORTLAND — Norway Historical Society has won one of the 10 new Maine Memory Network Community Mobilization grants Maine Historical Society (MHS) recently awarded to historical organizations and libraries around the state.

The grants are to support the digitization of historic collections and the creation of on-line exhibits about local history. They are designed to help local organizations — historical societies, libraries, and schools in particular — use participation in Maine Memory Network (www.mainememory.net) to develop skills, build capacity, and expand collaboration with local partners.

A total of 39 grants have been awarded since the Community Mobilization program began in the spring of 2011.

The new grants support organizations in the towns of Berwick, Brunswick, Friendship, Greenville, Livermore, Monson, Norway, South Bristol, Westbrook, and Westport Island. Grants ranging from just under $500 up to $1,500 were awarded.

Norway Historical Society won a grant to create an on-line exhibit about Norway as the snowshoe-making capital of the country from the 1890s to the 1960s, focusing on the life of Alanson “Mellie” Dunham (the foremost maker of handmade snowshoes during his lifetime.

Among other accomplishments, he made snowshoes for Robert E. Peary’s last two Arctic explorations.

Representatives from each grantee attended a training workshop on October 11 at MHS’s Portland office. All grant-supported projects will be carried out over the next year and result in new content on Maine Memory Network, Maine Historical Society’s statewide digital museum, which provides a robust technical infrastructure, a platform for training and skills development, consistent standards, and broad public access.

The next deadline for applications is April 1. For details, including program guidelines and applications, please visit www.mainememory.net/grants.