"COME SPRING" The Book

Union's early history comes alive through this well-written and thoroughly researched historical novel about the pioneers Mima Robbins and Joel Adams.

Author Ben Ames Williams based his work on the material and anecdotes in Sibley's History of Union, and on his own research. He claimed to have walked all the paths covered in Come Spring.

A prolific writer of fiction, Williams published this work in 1940. In 1990 Union Historical Society celebrated the anniversary of publication with a symposium which was attended by Williams' family members. A young maple tree was planted on the Common with a memorial plaque and commemorative mugs with the Come Spring logo of flying geese were made by Union Stoneware.

A Come Spring quiz was generated which combines questions about details of the book's narrative with general knowledge uestions about contemporary events, social customs and agricultural practices - a useful tool for history teachers.

Heritage Trail

The Union Historical Society, with a New Century Community Program grant from the Maine Humanities Council, developed this self-guided tour for the sites in Union associated with the historical novel Come Spring, 1940 , by ben Ames Williams. Please remember most of these sites are on private property. You will see instructions to pull to the side of the road and notice the various numbered items within the folder. You will not see actual "log cabins" in which the settlers of the town lived, but rather the properties where the founding fathers and mothers of Union, then Sterlingtown, built their first small rustic dwellings and where they later constructed larger homes for growing families and subsequent generations.


The images to the feft and right can be enlarged if you click on them, thus offering you a full map and step by step instruction to accomplish the Heritagen Trail by yourself. Please respect the privacy of the present residents on the trail stops. UHS makes arrangements for visits during the Founders Day celebrations (the weekend closest to July 19) but does not guarantee entrance to private homes at any other time.

Please feel free to contact the UHS with your questions and comments to info@unionhistoricalsociety.org and 207-785-5444 where you can leave a message and someone will return your call.
The Historical Society has negotiated for the use of the copyright.