Even though funding for his part-time position as president of the Lincoln County Historical Association was eliminated in the fall, Jay Robbins, 58 of Richmond, still finds himself busy and in demand.
The self described “place-based historian” joined the LCHA board in 2004 and quickly ascended to president after Alan Hawkins, former Superintendent of Wiscasset Schools, left Lincoln County to become Superintendent of Cape Elizabeth.
“At the time the LCHA had no executive director or president so the Board asked me to step in and do both,” said Robbins.
While he acknowledges the difficulty of wearing “two hats,” Robbins is most proud of the changes he helped create organizationally.
“We went from a committee of the whole to an overall stewardship which I think works better,” he said.
In addition to streamlining the organizational philosophy of LCHA, Robbins also was on board when the group absorbed the Chapman-Hall House, believed to be the oldest house in Damariscotta, which dates back to 1754. According to Robbins, the LCHA was first chartered in 1954 with representatives from each individual town and a county commissioner on the Board. Over time, the associations’ focus shifted to Wiscasset and Dresden owing said Robbins to the location of the courthouse and the creation of separate town historical societies.
“We now have a very active board of trustees spread throughout the county. It’s become a little less parochial,” he said.
The LCHA was intimately involved in this past summer’s Lincoln County 250 celebration; a fun process, said Robbins, that was a “marketing umbrella” involving many hours of hard work from volunteers.
“We insisted that everyone had fun and that was reflected in the results,” he said.
Through his company, Robbins Historical Research, Robbins is currently working with the historical society of Edgecomb to document industrial sites in the town. During his research, Robbins found an 1895 document from the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen involving a fish ladder on Parsons Creek and the Cross River that sought to ban all people from taking fish by “seine” or “weir.”
“It was all these petitions and counter petitions. One gentleman from Massachusetts who owned the old Parsons Tide Mill interest said he had a new industry he was going to bring to Edgecomb, which of course never happened. It’s just a wealth of marvelous information,” he said.
Robbins, the first environmental studies major at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, has also served as Town Manger for Richmond, worked as an industrial engineer for a shoe company and been president of the Maine Genealogical Society. His diverse background gives him unique insight into the rich history of the area, he said, and he sees his role as an ever “evolving” challenge.
Like other non-profits, the LCHA has suffered through the down economy and been hurt by the passing of a few prominent donors in recent years. Robbins said that the current volunteer force for the association is “strong” but LCHA is always looking for additional help or resources.
The demographic of the members is considered older which is one reason why, under Robbins, the LCHA made a concerted effort to involve young children in historical education. For the past 12 years he has worked with students in archaeological projects, but he says history and civics have been pushed aside in the current curriculum. Living history projects, like one this past spring with fifth grade students at Wiscasset involving a mock British invasion at Fort Edgecomb, try to impart the importance of history in a hands on, meaningful way. Robbins said he will continue to assist the LCHA and is excited about the coming years.
“Though the circumstances may change over the years, people are the same now as they were then and that is the great lesson of history,” said Robbins.
