SOUTH THOMASTON — South Thomaston resident Michelle Hauser will share selections from her ongoing photographic project: “Meeting Hall Maine” at the Weskeag Historical Society on Thursday, June 13, at 7 p.m.

Her project tells the American story of resiliency, adaptation and obsolescence as expressed in the architectural typologies of Maine’s historic meeting halls. This once-thriving network of civic forums was built and maintained through the collaboration of local people. Simple and stark, her images convey the real possibility of the halls' disappearance, and the erasure of a social good that once engendered solidarity among citizens to achieve shared interests.

This presentation is this month’s feature for the Wessaweskeag Historical Society’s monthly evening gathering, which always spotlights good food and great speakers, according to the Society.

Following the Potluck supper at 6 p.m., the speaker will begin the program at 7 p.m. in the Society’s meeting room, which is connected to the Village Schoolhouse Museum at the corner of Rt. 73 and Dublin Road in South Thomaston. The public is invited to join for both the program and for the potluck.

As memberships in fraternal and volunteer societies wane, hundreds of halls are standing empty most days of the year. Others are on the verge of going dark or have already done so, putting the halls at risk for being razed or otherwise lost for civic use. Hauser’s project honors our collective legacy by inviting more people in to recognize the dynamic of current and previous generations. Their spirit, time, and materials created these extraordinary and irreplaceable civic spaces for us to share.

This project aims to foster new stakeholders in preserving Maine’s civic architecture as democratic forums for generations to come. Michelle’s portfolio may be viewed at: Michelle-Hauser.com

The Wessaweskeag Historical Society was founded three decades ago and is a nonprofit charitable organization anchored in South Thomaston. It maintains both archives and a museum. It also hosts monthly potluck suppers and programming that is available to the public. The Society also hosts the annual Heritage Day, sponsors local historic preservation and cooperates with kindred community organizations. Higher education for local youth is supported through the Society’s scholarship program.