ROCKLAND – Rockland’s City Hall is looking to update its Wall of Fame, the pictures that line the hallway at the entrance to the building. Amateur historian and Rockland Historical Society board member Wayne Gray said the Historical Society would like to add five photos to the wall. To qualify a person must have been a resident of Rockland, created a name for themselves outside the state, have a photo and be deceased.

The proposed citizens are Gertrude Elliott, an actress; Abbie Burgess, of lighthouse fame; Wesley Hoch, retired from the Navy; Leo Connellan, a poet; and William Burgess, a painter.

The wall was originally created by a Rockland organization called Share the Pride. Share the Pride is no longer in existence, but it wanted to create the wall of Rockland residents who had made national and international accomplishments.

Gray joined the organization in 1994 and started doing background on a list of people.

The original 17 inductees were placed on the wall in 1995. The second program added four more inductees in 1998.

“If you’ve ever been in City Hall, you’ve seen the plaques along the south wall,” said Gray. “Over the years, those plaques had become dark and discolored, so the Rockland Historical Society took on the task of redoing the plaques.”

Gray said the RHS is getting ready to put the new plaques up; at the same time they will add five new plaques.

Gray said all the plaques have a photo of the person and that is one of the requirements. All the way back to the first person, Nathan Farwell who was born in 1812, before photography was popular, but there were paintings of these people and it can be a photograph of that painting.

“Farwell was a school teacher and a U.S. Senator,” he said. “Being a state senator or representative or even the mayor of Rockland won’t cut it. You have to make a name for yourself outside the state.

Though five people have been nominated, they have not been selected for inclusion on the wall. That will be decided at the next RHS meeting Gray said, and whether to include three, four or all five. Gray said they are leaning toward adding all five.

Gertrude Elliott, one of the nominees, is a sister to a person already on the wall, Maxine Elliott, who was an international star of stage and screen and died in 1940.

“It was said Maxine lured Gertrude away to be an actress,” Gray said. “Gertrude got critical acclaim, while Maxine was more known for her beauty. Gertrude married a famous British actor by the name of Sir Johnston Forbes Robertson. He had been knighted by the King of England so when Gertrude married him she took the title of Lady Gertrude Forbes Robertson. And I’m pretty sure she is the only Rockland resident who had an English title and maybe the only person in Maine with an English title.”

Gray said Gertrude was good friends with Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin. She opened a theater in New York that became the first studio for CBS.

Gray said people think he embellishes the history of these people, but if you Google them, a lot of the history will emerge.

Abbie Burgess whose name appears on a Coast Guard Cutter based in Rockland is also nominated.

Abbie Burgess was just a teenager when she kept the light burning in Matinicus Rock Lighthouse for 21 days in 1856 after a violent storm. During that time she saved her mother and sisters while her father was stranded on the mainland. She was 16.

Wesley Hoch was one of the first people to land in Viet Nam. In the Navy, his role was to convince the native population that Communism was not the way to go.

“It was small private plane that took him there,” Gray said. “The pilot shook his head because he thought that would be the last time he saw Wesley Hoch. The plane didn’t even come to a stop when they landed. They just pushed him out, yelling ‘good luck’ and the plane took off. It’s called touch and go landings.”

He survived and his brother published a book he had written of his adventure after he died.

Leo Connellan was a poet nominated for the wall. Connellan grew up in Rockland and attended Rockland High School. His father was the postmaster.

“There are several books published about Connellan’s poems, many of which are about Rockland,loobstering and fish packing industries.

“People of Rockland could really relate to his poems because they are about Rockland,” Gray said. “Connellan died in 2001 and he was the poet laureate of Connecticut.”

Gray said that once the RHS decides which or all of the photos will be posted a ceremony will be announced. Gray said the announcement will include an invitation to the general public. A date and approval from city hall has yet to be determined.