2020 Historical Society Archives and Public History Internship

Update: The internship is a go at this time and applications are welcome through March 24. We plan to conclude the hiring process in mid April. If by May 1st travel and relocation is still unsafe, we will postpone the internship in an abundance of caution.

The Castine Historical Society offers a graduate level internship for students enrolled in master’s degree or Ph.D. programs in museum studies, history, public history, or archival studies. The internship commitment is 35 hours/week for eight weeks and comes with a $3,000 stipend. The start date is flexible between June 22 and July 2, 2020.

Castine is a small, coastal village that is home to the Maine Maritime Academy and a year-round population of 1,400 people which nearly doubles in the summer. The Castine area, located where the Penobscot and Bagaduce Rivers meet on the Maine coast, has long been Native American traditional land. Europeans built trading posts in the early 1600s and political claims to the peninsula and its deep, secure harbor remained contentious from that time through the War of 1812. Development in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries represents a microcosm of American commercial and cultural history.

The Historical Society occupies two historic buildings on Castine’s town common and is a 501(c)(3) membership organization with a paid staff of three and an active volunteer Board of Directors. Changing and permanent exhibits are hosted in the 1859 Abbott School. In 2015, the Society completed construction of a climate-controlled, fireproof storage facility, research center, and administrative offices located next door in its restored c. 1850 Grindle House.

This internship is designed to give graduate students an opportunity to gain experience with professional staff in a local history setting. In addition to the projects outlined below, the intern will participate in the day-to-day activities of the Castine Historical Society, attending staff and Board meetings as well as programs and fundraising events. No previous experience is needed. The Historical Society’s curator works with the student to structure the internship to meet requirements for academic credit as needed. While the internship will take place mostly on weekdays, some weekend hours are required.

The Historical Society will provide the intern with information on rental options for housing.

Projects

Collections
The Historical Society’s collections are at the core of its mission and programs. This year the intern will work primarily with photograph collections under the direction of the curator. Documenting photographs is one part of our preparations for an online catalog of local history collections. Tasks offer practical experience in collections management including item-level description in PastPerfect software, re-housing nineteenth century prints, and assisting researchers. This learning opportunity can be tailored to help the intern develop needed skills.

Walking Tour Program
The Castine Historical Society provides free public tours of Castine history on Saturday mornings and private tours by appointment. The intern will join a small group of volunteers who give these tours. Resources and time to study Castine’s history and develop a comfortable script are built in to the first week of the internship. As well, the intern will shadow a volunteer guide and practice his/her tour before being the guide for alternate Saturdays and as needed on weekdays.

A Successful Candidate Will:
● Be currently enrolled in a history or museum related graduate program
● Show sincere interest in documenting and sharing local history
● Demonstrate proven attention to detail
● Possess social skills for working with staff and volunteers
● Work well independently and as part of a team
● Display professional behavior and a customer service attitude

To Apply
Send the following materials by Tuesday, March 24, 2020, to Paige Lilly via email at curator@castinehistoricalsociety.org (please include the word “internship” in the subject line) or by post to Castine Historical Society, P.O. Box 238, Castine, Maine 04421.

• Cover letter describing your
  • Need for the experience offered by this internship
  • Course of study including internship requirements
  • Availability (start date is flexible between June 22 and July 2)
• Résumé summarizing work experience and education
• Letter of support from a faculty member in your graduate program
• Names and contact information for two references from previous work or volunteer experiences.