Rufus Porter Museum and Cultural Heritage Center , Bridgton Maine

Westwood Murals

A collaboration with his son Stephen Twombly Porter, these murals were painted, signed, and dated in 1838.

Folk Art on High: 19th C. Weathervanes

A collection of historic New England weathervanes. Primarily copper molded animal forms.

Museum Gift Shop

The Rufus Porter Museum gift shop displays a variety of work from local folk artistans. The museum also offers many books, cards, and posters.

Cultural Heritage Series

The museum sponsors workshops in traditional arts and history. In 2011, there will be classes inspired by Rufus Porter style.

The Rufus Porter Museum and Cultural Heritage Center, Bridgton, Maine

EXCITING NEWS! Rare 1840 Murals Gifted to the Rufus Porter Museum

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When the Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton, Maine announced its plans in January to move to an historic house in center Bridgton, it did not know that an exciting new development was waiting. As plans were evolving for an expansion of the museum into a new, attached gallery planned to house the remarkable set of Rufus Porter murals on loan to the museum, another set of exceptional murals in nearby Baldwin, painted by the nephew of Rufus Porter, were deemed at risk.

The James Norton House wall murals in East Baldwin, Maine, signed and dated by Jonathan D. Poor in 1840, have just been donated to the Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton. The Deed of Gift was signed by owners Glenn and Norma Haines on Saturday, April 2, and the house is being readied for the extrication of the murals. “Although it is preferable to keep the walls in situ, in this instance the owners and the realtor handling the sale of the property have agreed that the walls are of such monumental significance in the folk art world that they should be where they will be conserved and preserved for future generations, rather than at risk of demolition or damage,” said Jane Radcliffe, Board member of the Rufus Porter Museum who was on hand for the transfer.

Welcome to Rufus Porter Museum

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"Rediscovering the Murals of Jonathan D. Poor"
by Jane Radcliffe.
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Click here to visit our store and buy Linda and Jane's book.

Linda is an artist, teacher and scholar of the historic decorative arts known for her research into many of the historic decorative fields, makes her home in Penn Yan, New York. She has taught and lectured for years on various topics such as historic watercolors, school girl arts, love tokens, wall murals and theorem painting. Linda is co-author of The Art of Theorem Painting, and is currently serving as an advisor to the Rufus Porter Museum.

Jane is a resident of Hallowell, Maine, served the Maine State Museum in a variety of capacities for close to twenty years, currently as an Adjunct Curator. Since 1988, she has been a partner in Museum Research Associates, a firm specializing in the documentation and computerization of historical collections and records. Their keynote address and new book is the culmination of many years of research on Porter School murals. Jane is a member of the Board of Directors of the Rufus Porter Museum.