2024 Documents - Annual Meeting

Presentation Slides

Falmouth’s Western Frontier
 
Mast Road in 1857

The western side of Falmouth abutting Windham was settled mostly by Quakers during the mid-1700s.  A century later, Mast Road was home to four families, all descended from those first settlers.  Three were closely bound by blood, marriage, and faith.  The story of Mast Road and its people reflect Falmouth’s evolution from Wabanaki homeland to the present day.

The Story Begins with a Sword
 
Model 1960 Light Cavalry Saber carried by Corporal
Iver Hanson Iversen during his military service in Cuba

During the rededication of Falmouth Memorial Library after completion of the major expansion, a sword donated by a member of the Iverson family was displayed.  The library was originally housed in the former Iverson home.  The expansion erased most evidence of the home, but artifacts donated to the library provide tangible connections to the Iverson family.

The sword belonged to Iver Iverson, previous owner of the home.  According to family history, he had carried the sword (actually a saber) during his military service during the Spanish-American War.  How did the son of a Danish immigrant who fled to Maine after Prussia invaded Denmark come to serve with the US Army in Cuba?  We soon discovered that Lawrence Iverson, Iver’s brother, also served in Cuba.  We will share what we learned about this chapter in the story of the late 19th century Danish immigration to Falmouth.