Harland Horace Eastman died in his home in Springvale

By Rory White, STAFF WRITER

March 29, 2024

SANFORD, Maine – Harland Eastman, 94, passed away at his home in Springvale on Feb. 29, 2024.

There will be a service for him June 1 at the museum in Springvale. “Harland would be thrilled everyone could visit the museum just once,” Paul Auger, a member of the Historical Society said, “Becoming a member is an inexpensive and very easy way to support local history.”

Eastman graduated from Colby College with a Bachelor’s degree, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Medford with Master’s, Massachusetts, and the London School of Economics. He served in the U.S Army from 1953-1955 before joining the United States Foreign Service. During this time he traveled for work to Washington D.C.; Paris; Israel, Vietnam, France, England, Saigon; Dahomey; Liverpool, and Tel-Aviv. Eastman’s final station was as United States Consul-General in Tangier, Morocco. 

Eastman retired in 1979 and returned to Sanford, volunteering in several groups including Rotary, the Springvale Library Board, Alfred Shaker Museum and the Sanford Historical Committee. Eastman had also served on the boards of Maine Historical Society, Maine Preservation, Portland Landmarks, Henrietta D. Goodall Hospital Foundation, The American Legation Museum in Morocco, and The American School of Tangier. He was the president of the Maine Antiquarian Booksellers Association and co-founded the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society which currently has a museum on Main Street. 

During the time, he founded the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society Museum (SSHS) he developed the SSHS Museum and the Park next to it. 

Eastman’s duties will be taken over by other board members although he had always handled the fundraising portion, so that will be a change. 

In his free time, he could quickly recall facts from the 1800s, publish books of photographs he’s taken, listen to classical music and keep the museum up and running. 

“Mr. Eastman lived the quintessential, purpose-driven life. The community will enjoy his legacy for many years,” Auger said.