READFIELD — The Readfield Historical Society annual wine and cheese social will kick off and celebrate 40 years of Readfield Heritage Days on Friday, Aug. 8, from 5-7 p.m. The annual RHS Volunteer Appreciation Award will be presented to an unsuspecting and deserving person at 6 p.m. Refreshments will include wine, sangria, non-alcoholic beverages, cheeses, and an array of delectable appetizers and sweet treats.

The RHS Museum will be open for tours, and several books and items of a historical nature will be available for purchase in the gift shop. The event is for new and established RHS members to gather with others who have like interests. Summer and year-round residents are encouraged to attend! Dues can be paid at the door: $10 annual, $5 for seniors, and $100 for lifetime dues.

On Saturday, Aug. 9, from 10-11:30 a.m., there will be a history walk on Dudley Plains, where Stephen Dudley and his invalid wife settled in East Readfield about 1770. The couple had one child, Eliphalet, whose progeny was very much responsible for populating the part of town then known as Dudley Plains and is known today as the Plains Road. RHS historian Dale Potter-Clark will lead this history walk. Meet at 582 Plains Road by 10 a.m. For more information about the history walk, contact Potter-Clark at (207) 441-9184 or [email protected].

The RHS museum and archives will be open on Thursday, Aug. 8, and Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and every Thursday and Saturday during the same hours until Labor Day weekend. RHS is celebrating its 40th year in existence this year, having been founded in 1985 to preserve the rich history of Readfield and its people. RHS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization; all donations are very much appreciated and are tax deductible as allowed by law.

For more information about RHS or to make an appointment, contact (207) 377-2299 or [email protected]. Visit RHS on Facebook for updates and posts of local historical interest.