History of the Preserve
Discover key moments in the history of the Langlais site, including the unique partnership between the Colby College Museum of Art, Kohler Foundation, Inc., and Georges River Land Trust that enabled the creation of the present-day preserve.
“1956
Bernard and Helen Langlais, then living in Chelsea in New York City, purchase a cottage on 20 acres on the St. George River in Cushing and begin spending summers in Maine.
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“Summer 1965
The Langlaises learn that the 70-acre feral farm across the road from their cottage is for sale. Bernard approaches the Veterans Administration about securing a home loan.
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“March 1966
Photo: Martin Leifer
The VA home loan falls through, but the Langlaises purchase the house using $7,500 in savings from art sales.
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“Spring 1966
Photo: Martin Leifer
Langlais constructs his first three-dimensional outdoor work, the Horse, on a ledge overlooking River Road. He also creates a sculpture of a gutted deer and positions it near the edge of the woods as a deterrent to trespassing hunters.
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“1967–69
Langlais designs and constructs a nearly 70-foot-tall representation of a Wabanaki Indian in his front yard, a widely-publicized commission for the Town of Skowhegan’s Tourist Hospitality Association.
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“1968
Photos: Jane Woodruff; Peter Vandermark
Langlais adds Local Girl to the yard, among other sculptures. He creates the piece as a memorial to Christina Olson (1893–1968), the local woman who modeled for Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s World. He also constructs a massive, multi-figure Noah’s Ark, which he situates atop a wooden mold for a yacht hull, salvaged from a nearby boatyard.
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“1970
A sports-lover, Langlais adds several sports-themed constructions to the yard, including a football scrimmage, a dunking basketballer, and a quarterback.
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“1972–75
At least fifteen large-scale works are added to the environment, including numerous animals, a mermaid, a playground piece for children to climb on, and Nixon. By this time, word of Langlais’s art environment has spread widely. Tourists and locals alike flock to the property. Langlais happily endures the curious public, often relegating his work to the morning when he is less likely to be disrupted by visitors.
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“1976–77
Photo: David Heiser
Langlais completes more than 20 monumental works despite rapidly declining health. These include several compositions of bears and lions; a magnificent Shore Bird, which provides a bird’s eye-view of the property from a height of almost 30 feet; and a pair of nude Bathers, installed in the pond adjacent to River Road. Studio assistant Bill Coyne provides significant support in the construction of outdoor pieces in these years.
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“August 1977
The daughter of close friends, 17-year-old Melanie Wissemann, creates a short Super8 film of the Langlais farm. This footage, which was rediscovered in 2010, is the most extensive documentation of the art environment during Langlais’s life.
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“December 26, 1977
Photo: David Heiser
Bernard Langlais dies at the age of 56.
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“1978
Helen Langlais completes an inventory of her husband’s art, accounting for over 100 outdoor works, installed on the land, in ponds, or on the exteriors of buildings and sheds. She puts up “No Trespassing” signs to deter uninvited visitors.
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“1979–2008
Helen hires assistants to help with ongoing maintenance of outdoor sculptures. She gifts several pieces to Maine museums, gradually moves smaller works indoors, and relocates a few sculptures on the grounds. This includes the 18-foot Standing Bear, which Helen has crane-lifted then driven by flatbed truck from its position behind the house barn to a location several hundred feet away, near the edge of the woods.
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“October 1991
The Perfect Storm, a devastating nor’easter, destroys several outdoor sculptures.
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“February 22, 2010
Photo: Sandy Onat
Helen Langlais dies at the age of 80. Her death prompts bequest of her estate, including the Cushing property and approximately 2,900 works by Bernard Langlais, to the Colby College Museum of Art.
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“2011
The Colby Museum begins conversations with Kohler Foundation, Inc. (KFI) of Kohler, WI about preservation of the Langlais homestead. KFI specializes in the preservation of artist-built environments. LEARN MORE
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“2012
Colby and KFI approach Georges River Land Trust about long-term stewardship of the Langlais land.
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KFI purchases the property from Colby with the intent to donate it to Georges River Land Trust after art conservation efforts are complete. In turn, Colby gifts over 2,500 Langlais artworks to KFI for eventual donation to other non-profit institutions in Maine and beyond.
“2013
KFI conservation technicians begin work on outdoor sculptures under the management of Maine-based conservator Ron Harvey.
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KFI donates Langlais artworks to over 50 institutions, mostly in Maine, including schools, libraries, and museums. This charitable distribution enables KFI to focus resources on the conservation of a key group of sculptures that will remain in situ and to equip the Langlais property for public use.
“2014
Art conservation continues. Maine Preservation oversees repairs and upgrades to Langlais house, barn, and workshop.
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Launch of LANGLAIS ART TRAIL WEBSITE, an interactive map of Langlais art across the State of Maine, produced by Colby Museum with support from KFI, the Maine Bureau of Tourism, and Trail member institutions.
The Boston Globe publishes cover story on Langlais Art Trail and preservation partnership. READ THE ARTICLE
“2015
Georges River Land Trust accepts gift of 90-acre Langlais property from KFI, and Colby Museum commits to 15 years of annual maintenance on selected outdoor sculptures retained at the Preserve. Art conservation work continues.
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“2016
Art conservation work continues.
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Georges River Land Trust purchases a half-acre property adjacent to the Langlais Preserve, owned and occupied since 1965 by Robert and Tessie Montgomery, enabling the creation of a parking area for visitors.
“Summer 2017
A quarter-mile ADA-accessible trail is created on the property, echoing paths established by Helen Langlais during her years maintaining the art environment.
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“September 16, 2017
Langlais Sculpture Preserve officially opens to the public.
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“2021
The Langlais Preserve is the subject of an exhibition, BERNARD LANGLAIS: LIVE AND LET LIVE ON at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI. Commissioned for the exhibition, Melanie Essex (neé Wissemann) makes a 13-minute film of the present-day Preserve, 43 years after creating “At Blackie’s,” her Super8 film from summer 1977.
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“November 2022
Langlais Preserve is awarded a ‘Legacy’ grant from the Ruth Foundation for the Arts.
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“February 2023
Georges River Land Trust hires first director of the newly renamed Langlais Art Preserve, Hannah W. Blunt, and establishes a dedicated Board of Advisors to oversee the daily operations of the Preserve.
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