CAMDEN — On Saturday, May 3, at 10:30 a.m., a free walk will take place in Camden as part of the annual worldwide festival of more than 200 walks called "Jane's Walk". This walk will start at the Camden Library gazebo.

Jane's Walks encourage people to share stories about their neighborhoods, discover unseen aspects of their communities, and use walking as a way to connect with their neighbors.

This year's Camden's walk will be "From the Library to the Dam: Rediscovering the Heart and Soul of Camden" and is hosted by the "Save the Dam Falls Committee".

Between 1926-1934 Camden experienced a Renaissance. Its iconic library was built on high ground overlooking the harbor. It was accompanied by a companion amphitheater, designed by Fletcher Steele. At the same time, Harbor Park was designed by the world’s most prominent landscape architects, the Olmsted Brothers, according to the Committee, in a news release. Steele’s design was intricate and full of pleasant surprises. The Olmsted Brothers’ design was subtle and simple. Together, they were a study in contrasts.

The walk will discuss this creative and consequential period in Camden’s history. It will cover the relationship between the two landscape architectural firms, pointing out design details and their synergy. Participants will walk from the upper level of the library though the Amphitheater and across to Harbor Park, concluding at the Megunticook River, Camden’s founding location where the mountain runoff meets the sea. Harbor Park, designed by the Olmsted Brothers, used the Montgomery Dam and Falls to magnify the riches of the Harbor Park.

Attendees will learn how the Camden Renaissance took place and how it now represents the essential spirit of Camden and its renowned connection to its harbor. Jane’s Walk will reveal how this thriving downtown was transformed into the magnificent environment that residents identify as the heart and soul of Camden, "always providing a visual delight at the head of the harbor," said the committee.

Dress comfortably and be prepared to walk a quarter of a mile over paved areas, as well as some grassy stops. If the weather is dry, handicapped access is available.

Starting and ending locations:
The group will meet at the upper level of Camden Public Library, 55 Main Street, Camden, by the gazebo, and will finish the walk alongside the Montgomery Dam at Harbor Park, behind the Smiling Cow.

Accessibility:
Attendees should dress comfortably, wearing walking shoes. The steps at the Library and the Amphitheater have railings. Harbor Park has ADA approved paths, with some grassy areas along the way. Public parking along Atlantic Ave, the upper parking lot of the Library, Main St, Christian Science Church parking lot on Central St, and Mountain Street.

For Additional Info:

Email: SaveTheDamFalls@gmail.com