Ceremony to mark 100th anniversary of the Moosehorns

    On Saturday, Aug. 9 the Abbot and Monson Historical Societies, along with the Blanchard Preservation Society, will be holding a ceremony in observance of the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Moosehorns in Abbot. In August of 1914 the Piscataquis Historical Society had 200 people attend as they placed a slate marker at the historic site.

    The moose horns were placed at this location in 1817 by Joseph Bearce to mark the trails leading from Abbot to Monson and the Million Acre’s (soon to become Blanchard). A set of horns has been at this spot for almost 200 years, seeing many changes in transportation and landscape at this former crossroads. Until 1914 the horns were simply marked Blanchard on one antler and Monson on the other until a committee of the Piscataquis Historical Society decided to have a slate marker installed. In 1961 the Tisbury Manor DAR replaced the slate with a bronze marker which gives a history of the Moosehorns.
    Proceedings will begin at the Moosehorns in Abbot on Route 15 near the Monson/Abbot town line with a barbershop quartet at 12:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. a brief history of the Moosehorns and the 1914 ceremony will be presented. At 2 p.m. a slide presentation of old photographs of Abbot, Blanchard and Monson will be shown followed by an anniversary cake.
    The Blanchard Preservation Society will be holding a bean hole bean dinner with all the fixings beginning at 2 p.m., along with dinner will be a rubber duck race and music by the Monson Jammers.
    For more information or directions please contact the Bennetts at 876-3073, the Amos at 876-3041 or the Vainios at 997-3911.