LIVERMORE — Washburn-Norlands Living History Center will mark America’s 250th anniversary with Strawberry and Heritage Days on June 27 and 28 at the historic property on Norlands Road.
Norlands lists the event as America 250 Strawberry Day & Heritage Day Summer Kick-Off on its 2026 calendar. The weekend will include an America 250 Community Sing-Along Celebration in the Meeting House, with classic American patriotic songs and readings from important speeches and documents in U.S. history, according to the center’s website.
As the United States marks 250 years since declaring independence, Norlands offers Franklin County residents a local place to connect the national anniversary with Maine history through the Washburn family homestead, the historic mansion, schoolhouse, library, Meeting House and living-history programming.
The sing-along is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. June 28 in the Norlands Meeting House, according to a Norlands event listing. The center described the gathering as inspired by one of William Drew Washburn’s summer services from more than 100 years ago.
The June 27-28 event gives the national semiquincentennial a local setting. The program places the anniversary at a rural Maine historic site where visitors can connect history with family, education, civic life and the preservation of historic buildings.
Norlands is the former Washburn family homestead. Its summer tours include the Washburn Mansion, Schoolhouse, Library and Meeting House, according to the center’s website. Summer tours are listed at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The celebration also opens Norlands’ summer season. Living History Day programs are scheduled every Saturday in July and August, with activities that may include baking in the Farmer’s Cottage kitchen, school in the schoolhouse, mansion tours, barn stories, ice cream making, sewing, Civil War demonstrations, lawn games, barn visits and trail walks.
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