Friends of the Presumpscot River invite you to an evening commemorating Chief Polin with special guests Lisa Brooks, Associate Professor of English and American Studies at Amherst College, and James Francis, Sr., Director of the Cultural & Historic Preservation for the Penobscot Nation. 

During the mid-17th Century, local Abanaki tribe leader Chief Polin embarked on a 100-mile journey by foot, on two separate occasions, to make an impassioned plea to the Governor of the Massachusetts Colony for safe fish passage, which had been compromised by the first dams built along the river. Polin was eventually killed for his efforts to preserve a vital food supply for his people. 

Brooks and Francis, Native American historians and scholars, will bring to life Chief Polin’s courageous story as the State of Maine’s first river advocate and protector of our river of “many falls”. They will also discuss the role that Native American Tribes continue to play in advocating for Maine’s rivers today, hoping to restore these natural resources to a time when they were healthy and teaming with spawning fish. 

The event is free and open to the public. Following the talk, please join Friends of the Presumpscot River and presenters for a reception and an opportunity to mix, mingle and engage in additional conversation.