2026 Spring
Instructor: Linda Williams, Mick O’Halloran, Sue O'Halloran (assistant)
Fridays • 5/1 – 5/29 • 9:45 AM – 3:00 PM (see description)
Class size 13-19 students
0 seats remaining
Location: Randall 248
New adventures await those enrolling in Out and About in Maine. On May 1st, we’ll meet at UMA to complete the necessary paperwork followed by a tour of Lithgow Library and a visit to the Colonial Theater after lunch. Week 2 takes us to the Redington Museum in Waterville. A visit to the LaVerdiere Apothecary will be a highlight. A return trip to Rockland, this time to the Lighthouse Museum, happens in week 3. How does lunch at Archer’s on the Pier sound? We’ll head to Livermore Falls to visit Maine’s Paper and Heritage Museum in week 4. Our final trip will be to the Maine Military Museum in South Portland on May 29th.
Besides learning more about the people and places of Maine, each week will feature time for socializing and nourishment at a nearby restaurant. And a time to test your knowledge with a Maine trivia quiz. Books about Maine will be awarded to the winners.
The list of restaurants has not been finalized as yet but will be shared at the initial class meeting.
Expenses to participants will be lunch costs, entry fee at sites, and a share of gas costs for those who choose to carpool. There will also be some walking at each site. This five week class is a perfect way for participants to learn more about the Great State of Maine.
After meeting at 9:15 in UMA Room 248 Randall Student Center and completing the required UMA paperwork, our first destination will be the Lithgow Library at 10:45.
Lithgow Public Library is named for Llewellyn Lithgow, an Augusta merchant and book lover, who left a $20,000 bequest to the City for the purpose of building a public library. The bequest, along with a $9,000 gift from Andrew Carnegie and the sale of subscriptions to area citizens, provided the funds to construct the building. With much fanfare, the cornerstone of the library was laid in 1894, and the doors opened to the community in February of 1896. An addition to the original building was constructed in 1979.This was demolished and a new, larger addition replaced it in 2016.
The elegant Reading Room, with its frescoes, stained glass and gold-leaf ornamentation, remains much the same as it was in the 1890’s. It is considered one of the most beautiful interior spaces in the state of Maine. The library is on the National Register of Historic Places and celebrated its centennial in 1996.
Sarah Schultz-Nielsen, Director, will be our guide.
1:00 PM
The Augusta Colonial Theater (ACT) is a signature landmark of downtown Augusta, Maine, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Beginning with silent films and vaudeville acts, the Colonial served as a beacon for culture for the entire Kennebec Valley region from 1913 to 1969.
In the 1990s, after many years of neglect, the building was saved from demolition by concerned citizens who founded the nonprofit, Colonial Theater, Inc. Much progress has been made in restoring this Augusta gem. We’ll see the progress on our tour.
Redington Museum, Waterville 1:00 PM
The Redington Museum offers a comprehensive and charming view of life in Waterville during the past two centuries.
Fascinating collections of furniture, accessories, household artifacts, toys, tools, and weapons as well as historical papers and diaries, are located in an elegant Federal-style home that was built by Asa Redington in 1814.
The Apothecary is a must see during our visit and the gardens may be in bloom.
The Lighthouse Museum Rockland 1:00 PM
The Maine Lighthouse Museum is a Must-See For Anyone Interested in Lighthouses and American Maritime History!
From sparkling lenses to heartwarming stories of the keepers and families the Maine Lighthouse Museum is America’s lighthouse museum & home to the largest collection of lighthouse artifacts and mementos. Additional exhibits highlight stories of valor while paying tribute to the United States Coast Guard and United States Life Saving Services, while others shed light on the lady lightkeepers.
Admission is $8 for Seniors
Paper and Heritage Museum, Livermore Falls at 1:00 PM
In 2002, a group of people dedicated to preserving the history of the paper industry in Maine came together to establish Maine’s Paper & Heritage Museum, with the common goal of capturing the cultural heritage of the paper-making towns and mills along the Androscoggin River. Its mission is to create an exciting interactive museum where visitors can experience life in a paper-making community, as well as to encourage tourism, increase economic activity and showcase the area’s distinctive heritage.
Many Mainers among us have worked at paper mills so this should bring back memories for us.
Military Museum, South Portland at 1:00 PM
The Maine Military Museum’s mission is to teach today’s and future generations the meaning of “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.”
Through authentic artifacts displayed in various formats throughout the museum, viewers can witness the experiences and sacrifices of past members of our Armed Forces.
Museum exhibits cover every aspect of military service from the Revolutionary War to Afghanistan and Iraq. The primary focus is American Prisoners of War (POWs) from our Civil War up to the Vietnam Conflict.
It is not glorifying war but is a tribute to those who have served in the military, during peacetime, and in war. It is also a place to honor those who have paid the ultimate price while serving the state of Maine and our nation over the years.
OUT AND ABOUT IN MAINE
Linda Williams taught 21½ years. She has a BA in History and an MA in Education from the University of Michigan. In Maine, Linda worked extensively with the Office of Substance Abuse, the Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program, and Somerset County Hospice as Executive Director. Linda’s classes are always well-received and highly rated.
Mick O’Halloran received most of his education in Miss Down’s Third Grade class in Millinocket. He later went on to Stearns High School, the University of Maine and finally to UMA Senior College. He spent most of his career working in manufacturing where he somehow managed to avoid being laid off until he was old enough to go on Medicare. Mick and Sue now live in Winthrop.
