72 Oak Street

P.O. Box 272

Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538

(207) 633-0820

brhs@gwi.net

Hours 10-2 Wed-Sat

                                                                                        Drawing by Alden Stickney

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Boothbay Region Historical Society is located at the 1874 Elizabeth F. Reed house (sketched above by Alden Stickney) and its grounds, Fullerton Park. Many of the furnishings in the house were Reed family heirlooms. The society has traditionally represented the three towns in the region: Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, and Southport, though Southport is now ably represented by its own society.  It displays local historical mementos and houses documentary collections. The society is governed by a board of trustees and has a part-time director. It is supported by membership dues, book and map sales and donations. Among the benefits of membership are newsletters and a reduction in the cost of purchases. We encourage people to consider membership in the society and join the effort to preserve the past.

EXHIBITS

The museum's seven display rooms contain artifacts and memorabilia that reflect the region's colonial and coastal origins. The Fresnel lens from the Ram Island Light in the front room catches the sun's rays and the imagination. Relics of bygone vessels - the ship's bell from the five-masted schooner the Courtney Houck and the wheel and compass from the ferry Richard T. II, later used on the excursion boat Holiday, are reminiscent of seagoing days. Lobstering and fishing are richly illustrated with pictures, boatmodels, nautical instruments, vintage traps and tools used in the trade. An elegant model of the Gulf of Maine shows varying depths of water and where fish were caught.

Tools tell the stories of early industries - a spokeshave for making barrels, saws and groovers for cutting ice, paraphernalia for making sails and milling equipment. Indian stone tools and arrowheads and prehistoric artifacts are evidence of life before the colonialists. Mingled throughout the rooms and halls are antique furnishings, china, paintings and photographs of long-gone buildings. Clothing from early times is displayed, along with a World War I uniform in mint condition. The collections are added to continually as descendants of early settlers empty their attics and bring in their treasures.

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*The photographs below serve as examples of our displays which include some temporary exhibits on loan.  They do not necessary reflect what is currently on display.