News Release
Immediate release: October 4, 2010
Contact: Anne Davis
Anne Davis, Director of the Gardiner Public Library, announces the acquisition of a wonderful collection of an early 20th century author from West Gardiner. The collection includes a number of magazines edited by Amy Grant Forrester who lived in West Gardiner, a booklet of her poems and some personal photographs. Davis reports that it is a wonderful illustration of rural life in West Gardiner during the 1920s. “We knew nothing of this author until her descendents contacted me about the collection and the items are wonderful! Our Community Archives Room is the depository of more famous local writers such as Edwin Arlington Robinson and Laura Richards. To discover another published author who lived quietly on a farm in West Gardiner is just a treat” says Davis.
Amy Grant Fisher was born in North Foxboro, Massachusetts on September 11, 1874. She attended the county school in North Foxboro until she prepared for entrance examination for high school in Foxboro, ranking the highest of those who sat for such examination that year.
In her sophomore year, she left school to take care of her mother, who had a long illness and who died when Amy was eighteen.
Amy continued studying with her father, John H. Fisher. She studied Latin, Italian, German, and English. Coming from a very musical family that played together as often as possible, Amy studied piano, organ and violin. In later years she taught piano to her four daughters in addition to many private pupils.
She married Austin P. Forrester in 1897, a carpenter, and lived in various areas in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
In 1920, they moved to a farm in West Gardiner and she began gardening. Amy founded and became the editor of a small monthly magazine, Maine Garden Paths. She corresponded with many flower lovers who collaborated with her.
In 1957, Amy G. Forrester published Down The Lane, a booklet of her poems.
She died in Gardiner at 83 years old on October 1, 1957.
The library staff encourages everyone to think of the Community Archives Room when looking for a depository of family papers. The library has no budget for acquisitions of our local history, so staff has to rely on the donations from our local community. The Community Archives also houses donated collections from the Oak Grove Cemetery Association, the Gardiner Congregational Church and a unique collection of local sports memorabilia from Gardiner High School. The Archives are opened noon until 5PM every weekday so plan on spending some time researching your own local history. Please call 207-582-3312 for more information.
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