PARIS — Last year’s “Paris Hill Commemorative Egg” fundraiser was a huge success and the 2023 egg will complement the series nicely. Last year’s eggs were sold and delivered all over Maine and as far south as South Carolina and as far west as Colorado to people with unique connections to Paris Hill. The eggs were met with great enthusiasm and excitement.

Paris Hill resident Linda Richardson has again embraced the task of designing the 2023 egg with the help of local author/illustrator and Paris Hill resident Alexandra Thompson. This year’s beautiful egg will showcase the most recognized home on Paris Hill, Hannibal Hamlin’s birthplace circa 1806. The “golden egg” will symbolize the generosity of the Bahre family, current owners of the estate, for their continued support of Paris Hill restoration projects.

Neighboring Well’s Wood Turning and Finishing of Buckfield, Maine, makers of the official White House Easter eggs, again produced the 2023 very special ‘egg’. All proceeds from the 2023 egg fundraiser and “All Things Paris Hill” t-shirts will support the Paris Hill Academy roof restoration project. It appears, by numerous water leaks, the old corrugated metal roof has outlived its lifetime, dangerously threatening the integrity of this historic building.

The Paris Hill Academy building serves as the “Paris Hill Community Club”, sponsoring monthly community dinners, and is available as a rental venue open to the public. The building also houses significant items of historical importance, one of which is the ‘Grand Drape’ showcased dressing the theatrical stage on the second floor. The Grand Drape is also undergoing a privately funded restoration project as it is one of only three existing Grand Drapes, located in New England, painted by Charles A. Henry of Boston Massachusetts in 1892.

The Academy building was built in 1856 to educate the children of the fledgling Paris Hill community and also served as the performance venue for the Paris Hill Thespian Club. The Thespian Club was conceived by Dr. Cyrus Hamlin in the very home featured on this year’s egg. Thespian performances depicting early dramas of the day continued through the early 1900s.

At a young age, Hannibal Hamlin had aspired to become an actor before engaging in his political career and ultimately becoming Vice President of the United States.

For a donation of $10.00 to the non-profit organization ‘Paris Hill Community Club’ you will be presented with the 2023 “Paris Hill Egg” the second egg in the collectible series. Handmade cherry egg stands are available for $2.00 to showcase your ‘Golden Egg’. For more information, please visit: https://parishill.org/egg.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to last year’s ‘Egg-ceptional’ fundraising campaign. Who said only “Aesop’s goose” can lay golden eggs, as we continue to preserve our historic legacy ‘one egg at a time’.

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