Beyond the South End

Along our Country Roads

 

Once in a while as I’m writing these blogs I come across something twice. Such is the case with Solon, Maine. I recently mentioned Solon as a National Blue Ribbon winner for Solon Elementary School in the “Exemplary High Achieving Category.” They received that honor as one of two schools in Maine, the other school being Hope Elementary School.

A Facebook friend of mine brought Solon to my attention again when she shared these two videos on the Meeting House in Solon. Most small towns in Maine have their historical society. After all, many towns In Maine are over 200 years old. Solon has their society too, and their committee got together to restore their pride and joy, the Meeting House.

As I watched the videos I was struck by the dedication of the historical society and the immense talent, artistic and otherwise, of the people of the town who made the restoration possible. It’s no wonder that the children of this town are high achievers. When you look at the outside of this building, you have no idea what you’ll see when you enter its doors. It’s not your typical historical venue.

As I understand it, our old Rockland High School on Lincoln Street, which is now up for sale, is on the endangered historical site list. I suggest that those who would attempt to restore this old building, look at the videos from Solon. Although the high school is much bigger, the spirit and dedication of the citizens of Solon are to be admired. They are a good example for the rest of us.

We who were brought up along the ocean are sometimes snobbish about our “rockbound coast.” We forget that there are many more beautiful places in Maine. The next time you visit Maine, pick any country road and take a ride. You’ll soon see what I mean. One day I plan to take the country road that leads to Solon and view this beautiful Meeting House for myself. Enjoy the videos.

By the way, if you are interested in learning about more country roads in Maine, buy this book, by Donna Gold, available on Amazon.

 

Information about Solon:

Solon is a small town located in central Maine on Route 201, a Federal Scenic Byway from Solon to the Canadian border. The population is 940.

Solon is about one hour north of Augusta, the state capital, and one hour west of Bangor. It was incorporated as the Town of Solon on February 23, 1809. In 2009 they celebrated their 200^th birthday.

The Kennebec River runs along the western border. It used to be famous for its log drives but now is a recreational paradise--fishing, canoeing, kayaking and white water rafting. The area has many recreational opportunities and is only 45 minutes from Sugarloaf Mountain, a popular Maine skiing area.

Thanks for listening. (Sorry, go by the titles on each video. Part 1 comes second.)