READFIELD — A program featuring selections of vintage photos from Eastern Illustrating & Publishing Company will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 16, by Kevin Johnson, photo archivist for the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport.

Johnson will tell the story of the company and present a slide show of historical views of Readfield and the neighboring towns of Winthrop, Wayne, Fayette, Mount Vernon, Vienna, Belgrade and Manchester.

According to Johnson, the company was founded in 1909 in Belfast by Rudolph Herman Cassens. He photographed small towns and rural areas from Maine to New York, producing “real photo” postcards used to promote tourism.

Cassens’ company produced more than 50,000 glass plate negatives between 1909 and 1947, including some of businesses, houses, local landmarks and lakeside scenes in this immediate area.

The program will be hosted by the Readfield Historical Society after its brief annual meeting. It will be held at Asa Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road, Readfield. Refreshments will be served. There is no fee; donations are welcome.

For more information contact readfieldhistorical@gmail.com or call 207-377-2299.

A photo of Readfield Corner is one example of the circa-1900 central Maine photos that will be shown by the Readfield Historical Society on March 16. Most of the photos will be shown publicly for the first time.(Penobscot Marine Museum)

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