250th Anniversary of America's Foundation/Honor Ceremony

{Author's Note:  The original intent was to hold this ceremony on July 3rd, 2026, but the extreme heat (97% and high humidity, the third day of record temperatures in Portland, compelled us to re-schedule to the following Saturday, July 10th.}

    

    

    The Harold T. Andrews Post 17, of the American Legion offered to commemorate our 250th anniversary by conducting a ceremony at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery  at 3 PM on Saturday, July 10, 2026 to honor those Veterans whose service contributed to the founding of our Nation. Some twenty members of the Post, their wives and friends participated.  

There was a presentation of the flag, an invocation, and the singing of the National Anthem by Gwen Basinger.

    Former State Representative, Southern Maine Community College professor, and well known historian, Herb Adams delivered  this speech which I will include in its entirety,  as a formal record of this day.  Herb is also a friend, a mentor to the young women who initiated this project of recovery of the Grand Trunk Cemetery, and a continued supporter throughout these sixteen years.

    Fluttering Flags of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.            

 

 

    The ceremony continued with a presentation of a wreath, the reading of the names of our deceased Veterans, a final benediction, and concluded with the playing of Taps.

    I am most grateful to the Harold T Andrews American Legion, Post 17 for affording this honor to our ancient Veterans and recognizing the significance of this small, sacred, and final resting place. 

     I was happy to know that two of the members grew up in this neighborhood, attended Presumpscot School, and remember playing in the cemetery as children.  They also remember that many of the memorial stones lay flat, and broken on the ground.

    I had the opportunity to share a few brief thoughts and I will end with this.  The renowned Scottish actor, David Macallum died in 2023.  He played the character of Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard, the Medical Examiner on NCIS.  When he died, the cast honored his memory in an episode by repeating his own words to his young assistant:

    We die twice.  Once, at our physical death, and second, when no one tells our story.

    These words resonnate for me.  By continuing to come to this cemetery, caring about its condition, planting daffodils and flowers with new generations of Girl Scouts, neighbors and friends, we continue to remember to honor those who lived long ago, and whose stories it behooves us to tell.