Category Archives: History

The Order of the First Crusade: A Genealogical and Fraternal Curiosity

Posted on January 4, 2026 by Don Taylor

Founded in 1923 and incorporated in 1934, the Order of the First Crusade was a little-known American hereditary society requiring proven descent from leaders of the First Crusade of 1096. Its official booklet offers genealogists and students of fraternal orders a rare glimpse into early 20th-century lineage standards, symbolism, and historical memory. Continue reading →

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Donna in Port Huron, MI, at the Majestic Theater, January 2-3, 1926

Posted on January 1, 2026 by Don Taylor

In January 1926, Donna Darling and Girls appeared at the Majestic Theatre in Port Huron, Michigan, following the conclusion of a western tour and a Christmas return to Detroit. This brief engagement illustrates how established vaudeville acts moved efficiently through Michigan’s regional theater network during the final years of professional vaudeville. Continue reading →

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Photos from the Past – New England Scenes & a Scarborough Graduate.

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Don Taylor

A look at four historic photographs from the Scarborough Historical Society’s Photo Collection—three depicting 19th-century locations in Maine and Massachusetts, and one a Scarborough High School graduate from the Class of 1961. Together, these images illustrate the breadth of the Society’s photographic holdings and the stories they continue to tell. Continue reading →

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Faces and Places of the Kinney Family, 1933–1939

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Don Taylor

This installment of the Linwood D. Dyer Collection highlights family photographs connected to Margaret Kinney of Portland, Maine, taken between 1933 and 1939. The images document relatives, residences, and familiar landmarks—including Portland Head Light, a Portland trolley, and the harbor vessel Mildred Goudy—preserved today by the Scarborough Historical Society. Continue reading →

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Faces from the Past – Curtis, Daggett, McCluskey, & Sweeney

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Don Taylor

This installment of “Faces From the Past” highlights four portraits with successful identifications: Alan McCluskey of Falmouth High School (1969), Newton Curtis of Westbrook High School (1936), Patricia Sweeney of Deering High School (1951), and Albert Daggett of Strong, Maine, inventor of the road rake. Yearbooks, newspapers, and memorial records confirm each story and connect these images to local history. Continue reading →

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