BETHEL — The Bethel Historical Society will host a special presentation and book signing to celebrate the publication of “Write Quick: War and a Woman’s Life in Letters, 1836-1867,” a book based on Civil War era documents and artifacts in the collections of the society. The presentation will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at the Dr. Moses Mason House exhibit hall.

Co-authors are Roberta “Bobbi” Gibson Pevear of Exeter, N.H., who is descended from Eliza Bean Foster, the main character of the book, and poet and author Ann Chandonnet of Vale, N.C. The book is based on nearly 200 letters written by Pevear’s and Chandonnet’s Bethel area ancestors and their extended kinship network in New England.

During the talk and book signing, a sampling of the letters, photos and artifacts used in creating the books will be on display. The presentation is sponsored in part by a grant from the Maine Humanities Council in the 2010 “Vignettes of the Maine Past” series. There is no charge for attending and books will be available for purchase and autographing by the authors.

Also this month, the Bethel Historical Society’s 12th annual St. Never’s Day Sale will be held beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 29, under the tent on Stan Howe’s lawn at the corner of Mason and Broad streets. Household good, tools, furniture and dishes in good saleable condition are needed for the sale and may be left at Howe’s side porch at 18 Broad St. or on the back porch of the society’s Robinson House at 10 Broad St.Unsaleable items such as tires, computers or clothing should not be left. All funds raised by the sale will go to funding the general operations of the society. If pickup is necessary, call the society office at 800-824-2910 or 824-2908.


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