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Odd Fellows: Olive Branch Lodge 28 |
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The long-obscure story behind South Berwick’s landmark Odd Fellows building is revealed at the Counting House Museum this season, answering the question, “Who were the Odd Fellows?”   A new exhibit presents a peek behind the historic façade, beginning with the two original tall, heavy black doors that were transported to the museum when the Odd Fellows chapter closed in 2011 after 166 years. The Counting House is open 1:00 to 4:00 pm on weekends through October, and year round by appointment. Ceremonial robes, colorful costumes and banner, a ballot box and other regalia, record books and members’ biographies are also shown, along with interior photos of the ceremonial hall as it once looked on the upper floors of the historic brick building in the village square, said to be the oldest commercial building in York County. |
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Berwick Begins: 1631-1713 |
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Old Berwick’s story began over 4,000 years ago as home to Native American fishermen and hunters. For millennia, Indians migrated during the spring from the interior of southern Maine to the Salmon Falls River.  |
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South Berwick's First People |
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 Who were the first people in South Berwick? Unfortunately, very few historical documents have survived to tell us about the native people who were living here at the time of settlement. Books have been written about the New England native culture; they likely applied to the people living in the South Berwick area (see Bibliography.)
Early visitors and settlers provide some eyewitness reports, but they came with a mission -- to take possession of the land occupied by these “savages.” |
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