Events

Past Events

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - The history of the Cape Elizabeth Historical Preservation Society

Several speakers shared the highlights and stories of how CEHPS came to be. It all started with an idea Dr. Constance Murray had in 1977. 

This was also our annual meeting. The following board was voted in: 

President: Bob Dodd

Vice-President: Malisa Gatje

Secretary: Ellen Van Fleet

Treasurer: Tom Meyers

Members at large: Joel Bassett, Jack Boyce, Diane Brakeley, Dick Kempton, Karen Palin

We are currently looking to add more members at large to the board, so if you are interested, please contact us at cehps@capeelizabeth.gov, or speak with any current board member.

We also voted in changes to our bylaws.The bylaws were changed to make board terms all one-year commitments (they were two-years) and to allow for more members to the board.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 - Free for All: The Public Library

The public library is one of America’s most valued yet endangered institutions, founded on a visionary principle—to create a place where anyone can enter and encounter a universe of ideas, free of charge. this  meeting featured a screening of Free For All: The Public Library, which chronicles the evolution of the nation’s public libraries, tracing the battles over who can enter, what belongs there, and who makes these decisions, while exploring how public commons are defined and defended. The movie was followed by a Q&A with TML director Rachel Davis.  

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - The Aucocisco

David Farnham, president of the Falmouth Historical Society, shared what they have learned about the Native People who farmed, fished, hunted, and thrived by Casco Bay before the arrival of English settlers around 1630.  Recent research has shown much of what they had been told about the original inhabitants was wrong.

2024

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 - Behind the Scenes at Fort Williams

Guest speaker Chris Cutter, Fort Williams Park Coordinator for five years, took us behind the scenes at at the fort. During his tenure he managed the daily logistics and operations of the Fort activities with a staff of rangers and greeters. He told stories of operations at the Fort, from hosting the Beach to Beacon and dozens of weddings each year to managing the flow of visitor traffic at a park that sees close to 500,000 visitors annually. 

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 - Stories from the Life-Saving Service

Cape resident and Life-Saving Station historian, Don Kennel, led a program on one of our community’s most notable operations from the past. The Life-Saving Station, in operation from 1887 to 1964 when the service was transferred to South Portland by the U. S. Coast Guard, served as the forerunner to today’s Cape Elizabeth WETeam life-saving service.

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 - Ralph Gould Collection of antique musical instruments

Jim Rowe led a program on one of Cape Elizabeth’s most revered citizens, Ralph T. Gould (1900-1994). Special focus was placed on his remarkable collection of rare and ancient musical instruments and other stories, photographs, and artifacts from this interesting man’s life!

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 - Story of Cape Elizabeth water and sewer: How we got to today

Resident Paul Hunt recently celebrated his 25th year working for the Portland Water District. Paul pulled together many old photographs and some old stories about how, when and why the drinking water and wastewater systems we use today in Cape Elizabeth were constructed. 

Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Veteran Recalls His Posting at Fort Williams (1946-1948)  And Annual Meeting 

96-year-old Cliff Eaton shared memories of his life as an 18-year-old Army enlistee, whose only station during his military service was at Fort Williams between 1946 and 1948. Cliff’s interesting stories were emhances with original pics that he took (and processed) while exercising his hobby in photography.  

This was also our annual meeting, which included election of officers.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024 - From Trolley Park to Seaside Neighborhood: Harry E. Baker and the Development of Cape Cottage Park 1898-1942

Chuck Drake presented the fascinating and nostalgic story of the Cape Cottage Casino area, and its transition from a trolley park to a waterfront neighborhood. The tale starts in 1898, when the Casino was originally built, and continues to 1942 and the beginning of World War II. Chuck showed vintage photos of the Casino and the houses built on the property.He also presented a short biography of Harry E. Baker, Cape’s first townwide real estate developer.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024 - Sea Rescues - Present and Past

Cape Rescue Team members presented a program on sea rescues past and present that have taken place in our region of Maine. The WETeam will talked about their history and their most recent rescues. The audience offered several rounds of applause for these brave people!

Tuesday, February 13 - Cape’s Wandering Schoolhouses – And the one that stayed put

A presentation by Ellen Van Fleet and Bob Dodd, based on a Power Point presentation created by Zoe Bugard. Ever heard of the Ridgeway Schoolhouse? Do you know where it was located? At the time of separation from South Portland in 1898, Cape Elizabeth had four one-room schoolhouses: Bowery Beach, Pond Cove, Spurwink and Ridgeway. Three of the four shuffled around to various sites throughout town history. One stayed put (that is, it remains at its original location today). Together these one-room centers of learning educated generations of Cape Elizabeth children.

2023

Tuesday, December 12 - What the Heck is a Cunner?

A presentation by Matt Taylor, the most senior member of the Venerable Cunner Association and Propeller Club, reportedly the oldest registered social club in America. 

Tuesday, November 14 - The sinking of the USS Eagle PE-56 

A  slide show presented by Paul Lawton, Esquire, Naval Historian on the USS Eagle. On 23 April 1945, while towing targets for U.S. Navy bomber exercises off the coast of Maine, Eagle 56 was sunk by the German submarine U-853. The loss was classified as a boiler explosion until 2001, when historical evidence convinced the U.S. Navy to reclassify the sinking as a combat loss due to enemy action. Only 13 of the 62 crew survived. 

Saturday, July 15 - Yard sale to raise money for CEHPS

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - A Fallen Star

CEHPS and the Thomas Memorial Library joined forces to co-sponsor a book launch. "A Fallen Star" by writer/historian Lori-Suzanne Dell, which chronicles the muder of Cumberland County Deputy Sheriff, Ebenezer Parker, a Cape Elizabeth resident.

Thursday, May 11, 2023 - Annual Meeting

2023 Anual Meeting with election of officers, followed by program. Jim Rowe took us through a brief history of CEHPS, culminating with our arrival at our new home at Fort Williams.

2021-2022 Programs

COVID

2020 Programs

Monday, September 9

Architect Joe Chalet presented preliminary plans for the Spurwink School House.

Monday, October 7

Jim Rowe led a tour of Fort Williams to share the history of the fort and Portland Head Light.

Monday, November 4

We were delighted to welcome musician, music historian, and "one-person folk festival" Katherine Rhoda to our regular monthly meeting at 7:00 P.M at the Cape Elizabeth Community Center. Ms. Rhoda taught us about (and played) the zither!

Monday, December 2

December program was our Christmas Pot Luck Dinner at 6:30 PM at Cape Elizabeth Community Center.

2019 Programs

Monday, January 7

Ice harvesting in New England. Dick Kempton presented local ice harvesting history along with a film on ice harvesting from Northeast Historic films. Meeting held at 6:30 PM at Cape Elizabeth Community Center

Monday, March 2

Lee Humiston, Director/Curator of Maine Military Museum spoke on military events and people from the local area. He served 26 years in the Air Force. Meeting held at Cape Community Center, 7:00 P.M.