By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

The display cases are empty and the walls are mostly bare now, but the South Portland Historical Society will be ready for its grand opening July 4.

Staff members are mounting exhibits and adding other last-minute touches to ensure its Cushing’s Point House will be prepared before Independence Day crowds arrive.

The biggest exhibit space is the main room on the first floor. It will feature exhibits about South Portland’s shipbuilding history, including the two shipyards that built more than 200 Liberty Ships during World War II.

A large black and white mural of the shipyards sits on the floor waiting to be mounted on a wall.

“We’ll always have an exhibit on the shipyard because we’re in the shipyard and it’s such a significant part of South Portland’s history,” said Kathryn DiPhilippo, the society’s director and historian.

The main room also will include exhibits depicting the history of South Portland’s two lighthouses, Bug Light and Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse.

“There aren’t many towns or cities that can claim two lighthouses in their towns. It’s very unusual. We’re very proud of that,” DiPhilippo said.

The first floor also includes a room dedicated to the history of Cash Corner, named for George Cash who used to peddle goods from his wagon at that location. 

An oil painting on the wall shows a store owned by Cash. Nearby, a neatly wrapped hand-hooked rug sits on a display case. The rug, made of hand-dyed wool, shows Cash with his wagon. It will be hung on the wall as a piece of “folk art,” DiPhilippo said.  

The society is open now on a limited basis, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and other days by chance or appointment. Starting July 4, it will be open seven days a week into the fall before returning to an abbreviated schedule for the winter months.

Admission to the museum is free.

This will be the nonprofit’s second summer in its new home, which was donated by the Portland Pipeline Co. in 2009.

The society was previously located in a small room at the former Thornton Heights School. That building is now a Jewish temple, according to society President Linda Eastman.

 “It became very obvious that if we were going to grow we would have to expand,” Eastman said.

The new building gives the society extra space to house a gift shop, research office, archives, more storage areas and bigger exhibit spaces.

 Last year on Valentine’s Day, the brick structure, known as Cushing’s Point House, was moved 600 feet from Madison Street to its current site in Bug Light Park.   

Built in 1900, it was used in many ways over the years – it has been a single family home, a law office and apartment building.

Now the historic building with its large front porch, ornate balcony and impressive cupola serves as the society’s museum and gift shop.

The city of South Portland provided the land beneath the building, offering the society a long-term, low cost lease.

“It was a wonderful example of a community coming together,” said Eastman. “That’s what I’m most proud of.  I will leave this earth saying I’m so proud of the community effort to give South Portland a historical society.”

Throughout the last 14 months, members have been busy raising money and making many capital improvements to the property.

The society has raised approximately $200,000 in cash and thousands of dollars of in-kind donations contributed by area businesses, including porch decking, windows, and stainless steel screws, DiPhilippo said.

“Without a doubt, the economy has drastically affected the business community and their ability to contribute cash,” DiPhilippo said.

A foundation with a full basement was built, new windows were installed, new utilities were put in and a long, wide handicapped ramp was built and connected to the porch.

The society conducts educational programs for school children and senior citizens. The programs  focus on the role South Portland has played in Maine and American history.

In addition, the society also offers genealogy services for tracing family trees and an archive that allows people to do research about South Portland’s history.

Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.