January 2, 2009 Maine's history goes high-tech Play video

(Marnie MacLean, NECN: Harpswell, Maine) - Some sit in dusty attics, others are displayed in small historical societies. Thousands of pieces of Maine history that could soon be seen by people all over the world. It is part of a bold new project that is using the state of the art technology to preserve and share Maine's history, including artifacts from the North Pole explorer, Robert Peary.

If you want to learn the history of Harpswell, Maine you come to the historical society, open Sundays in summer from 2-4. That's a small window to view a lot of history.

But that's about to change. Thanks to a generous grant and the big vision of a state historian the same equipment the Smithsonian uses to scan its valuable collections is now here in Maine.

Tom Desjardins--Historian, Maine Dept. of Conservation "I just thought it would be great if we could somehow digitize all of that material and put it on line so people from Wisconsin to Hong Kong could research Maine history."

Historian Tom Desjardins says there are wonderful collections throughout Maine....that most people never see.

Tom Desjardins "Because the population is so small and there isn't a lot of funding for projects like this, a lot of stuff stays in historical societies and private collections and never gets out to the public"

Letters like this one....it belongs to Harpswell historian David Hackett.

Hackett "This is a letter from Admiral Peary to my grandfather..."

That's

Admiral Robert Peary, the North Pole explorer who lived off the coast of Harpswell on Eagle Island. Hackett's grandfather was the town constable...and Peary sent this note agreeing to pay a fine for the sheep Peary's dogs had killed. it's a small piece of peary's world....but will soon be part of a larger on-line collection.

"These are just some of the 70 boxes of admiral Peary's history...for decades they sat in a broom closet at Peary's home on eagle island."

Tom: "We have Admiral Peary's class notes of a class he took at bowdoin"

There are journals, letters....even a sealed box containing matches that Peary likely brought on his expeditions. each item offering insight into the man who conquered the north pole.

Once they are digitally preserved...the images are sent to the maine memory network....where anyone, anywhere can access them. Technology that is giving new life to all that is old.

David Hackett--Harpswell Historian "A woman from a local newspaper came up and said she wanted to interview me.. What's new...nothing, it's a museum...but this technology is very useful..pleased to be part of it"

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MAINE HISTORY PRESERVATION INITIATIVE, YOU CAN GO TO WWW.MAINEHPI.ORG