On Wednesday, July 8 at 7 p.m. the Boothbay Railway Village will host the next installment of an illustrated lecture series on the foundations of outboard motor development in the historic 1847 Boothbay Town Hall. The series on the history of outboard motors is presented by West Boothbay Harbor summer resident Larry Stevenson.

This session concentrates on the story of the Evinrude brand including the love story of Bessie and Ole Evinrude. Ole, brilliant designer and engineer, was equally matched by his wife Bessie, considered to be the business genius in the family and credited as the first female chief executive officer (CEO) of an American business.

This presentation delves much deeper into their family life and the changing landscape of American business in the first half of the 20th century. Also discussed will be the impact of Evinrude on the Allied war effort in Western Europe.

The final two sessions on Johnson and Mercury are scheduled on Wednesdays, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26. Guests are invited to come to one or come to all.

Stevenson, a Navy and Coast Guard Auxiliary veteran, has lived in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany, and has a passion for art history, industrial design, sailing, history, and collecting old outboard motors.

The talk will take place inside the historic 1847 Boothbay Town Hall at the Boothbay Railway Village. A donation of $5 is suggested for admission and proceeds will benefit the Museum’s general operating fund. The Village is located at 586 Wiscasset Road, Route 27 in Boothbay. For more information, find Boothbay Railway Village on Facebook or visit the museum’s website at www.railwayvillage.org.