Summer Exhibit at the Old Jail Museum

A special exhibit at Lincoln County Historical Association’s Old Jail Museum in Wiscasset highlights the effects of the events of the first half of the 20th century on the village. The museum, at 133 Federal St., is open to visitors from noon to 4 p.m. on weekends through September. Admission cost $5 for adults and is free for children 15 and younger.

The five decades from 1900 to 1950 saw two world wars, a global depression, and an epidemic that claimed more lives than all military deaths in both wars combined. The period also witnessed the birth and development of air travel, the automobile, the telephone, electric power, radio, television and the computer — all of which were non-existent or in their infancy in 1900.

The exhibit presents a time line in the form of newspaper headlines and Wiscasset’s response to their stories. Artifacts such as the uniforms, photos and biographies of local soldiers demonstrate how world events affected life in Wiscasset — and also show that Wiscasset’s soldiers literally affected the world wars. Other items, such as ancient Maine license plates, a pre-electricity icebox, and local news items on topics ranging from residents’ health to their views on issues such as suffrage and prohibition help to illustrate the co-evolution of Wiscasset and the wide world during this time.

The Lincoln County Historical Association is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that provides stewardship for the 1754 Chapman-Hall House in Damariscotta, the 1761 Pownalborough Court House in Dresden, and the 1811 Old Jail and Museum in Wiscasset. For more information, visit www.lincolncountyhistory.org or Lincoln County Historical Association (Maine) on Facebook.