Upcoming event:

Mill Brook Craft Series
Thursdays in August, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
10 Broad Street, Bethel, ME 04217

Hello, friends!

August is nearly here, which means it’s time for one of our favorite annual events: the Mill Brook Craft Series! Join us every Thursday at 1:00 to learn from one of your talented neighbors. This fun, free series of workshops and demonstrations features a different local artist or craftsperson every week!

The 2026 schedule is as follows:

• August 6: Floral Arrangements with Margaret Manbeck

• August 13: Rug Braiding with Karen Bean and Lida Iles

• August 20: Mending Clothes with Sophie Drew

• August 27: Charcoal Drawing with Sara Hemeon

All presentations take place in the Twitchell Education Center (that’s the small building on the lawn between the Robinson House at 10 Broad Street and Mason House at 14 Broad Street.)

We hope to see you there!

As many readers will fondly remember, for many years the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bethel Citizen teamed up to sponsor an annual medallion hunt with the search running for several weeks leading up to Molly Ockett Day.

It’s been several summers now since a medallion hunt competition took place, but this year, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society has partnered with the Bethel Area Business Association (BABA) to bring the medallion hunt contest back with an extra-special Independence 250 medallion hunt in commemoration of the United States 250th anniversary!

If you’ve been following MBHS or BABA on social media or listening to WOXO, you may have seen or heard the first two clues, but for those who missed it, here they are:

Clue #1:

Everyone loves a good story;
We know one that could hold your attention.

Clue #2:

We’ll begin with the end:
A great separation, made official, at last.
(Six decades later, another—
This one a much less bloody affair!)

Stay tuned for Clue #3, which will be announced on the morning of Monday, July 20, on WOXO radio and posted to the BABA and MBHS Facebook pages on Wednesday, July 22. Happy hunting!

Please review the rules below before setting out, and especially take care to be safe and respect property.

Rules

The Medallion Hunt will help commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and bring back a beloved Bethel tradition. The Bethel Area Business Association and MBHS will be offering a $599.99 cash prize (generously donated by Western Maine Supply & Clean Cut Painting Company) to the person who finds the medallion.

The object of the hunt is to decipher a series of clues and locate the medallion hidden on public land within the town lines of Albany, Andover, Bethel, Gilead, Greenwood, Grafton, Hanover, Mason, Newry, Riley Plantation (Sunday River area), and Woodstock.

The finder of the medallion may claim the cash prize on Molly Ockett Day.

Clues:

• Clues, each different and more revealing, will be published once a week for five weeks leading up to Molly Ockett Day on August 8, 2026.

• The first clue will be revealed at MBHS’s July 4th Celebration.

• All clues will be announced on WOXO radio on Monday mornings, starting July 6th, and then published on the Bethel Area Business Associations & Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Facebook pages on Wednesday mornings at 8:15am, starting on July 8th.

• If the medallion is not found by the fireworks on Molly Ockett Day, the hunt will be terminated.

Treasure Hunt Rules

• Anyone is eligible to join the thrilling hunt for $599.99 except for MBHS staff, trustees, Independence 250 committee members, and their immediate family, as well as Bethel Area Business Association Officers and immediate family members.

• To claim the prize money, you must be 18 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian.

• The finder of the Molly Ockett Treasure Hunt medallion must immediately return the medallion to Bethel Area Business Association by calling 207-890-3617.

• The finder will receive the cash prize of $599.99 on Molly Ockett Day August 8th.

• BABA reserves the right to discontinue the hunt if public property is destroyed, or if reports of private property trespassing are discovered.

• The medallion will be in a clear container, and is generally hidden in or attached to something else. The medallion is not buried below ground and as the rules state, searchers do not need to destroy property to find it, this includes digging up the ground.

• Searchers also do not need to risk personal injury to find the medallion.

• All contestants agree that BABA, MBHS and WOXO will have no liability whatsoever and will be held harmless of any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly from acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of the prize or participation in this contest.

• The winner grants permission for Bethel Area Business Association (BABA) and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society (MBHS) to use his or her name and photograph.

Upcoming event:

Fourth of July Community Celebration!
Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Main Street (Parade) and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
10 & 14 Broad Street, Bethel, Maine

We’re now just three days away from Fourth of July! We hope you will join us on Saturday for fun, family-friendly celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence!

Here’s a full schedule of what’s happening:

Parade!

🚒 10:00 a.m. - Independence 250 Parade on Main Street! (Participants assemble at 9:00 a.m. at River Lanes.)

Concert!

🎺 11:30 a.m. - Patriotic picnic and concert by the Portland Brass Quintet at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. (📜 Preceded by a presentation of the colors and a reading of the Declaration of Independence!)

Party!

🎉1:00 - 3:00 p.m. - Party! Food, music, and games at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, including:

• 🎻 Zim Zam Jam: Open music jam! (All voices and acoustic instruments welcome.)

• 🎩 Historic games and dress-up activities for children

• 🏛️ Regional History Fair: Information tables and activities from area historical societies

• 🏆 Lawn games: Croquet, cornhole, and more

• 🧵 Grand opening of the “Connected by a Thread” quilt exhibit

• 🇺🇸 Chronicle of Colors: Flags of the United States exhibit

• 🥂 Centennials Past and Present exhibit

• 🏠 Mason House Museum period room tours

• 🛍️ Museum Shop specials

• 🌭 Hot dogs and sweets available for purchase from the “Mt. Zircon Bottle” lunch stand

• 🍋 Fresh-squeezed lemonade stand

Around Town!

🎨 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - 22nd Annual Shy, Novice, and Closeted Art Show - Local artists (18 High Street)

🖼️ 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. - Bethel Area Arts and Music Summer Art Market (Philbrook Place, 162 Main Street)

🦞 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Lobster Fest & Boil (Bethel Resort & Suites)

Fireworks! (Sunday, July 5th)

🎆 Sunday, July 5th, 9:00 p.m. - Fireworks Show! (Bethel Resort & Suites)

Prelude

Waponahkik, Undivided

Brett Ciccotelli, Stephen Engle, and Bryan Wentzell

We in the land conservation community love our maps—maybe even as much as we love the outdoors itself. Modern mapping software lets us layer hundreds of different data sets from bedrock to soil, land use, forest carbon, ownership, town lines, tree cover, conserved lands, trails, and now cellar holes and old forest roads. We anticipate some greater understanding of our world from adding more layers to the map. Maybe some yet unknown combination of layers or new data will point to the next most valuable property to protect. But how does our understanding shift if we actively remove layers from the map?

To be clear, maps have helped society make important land use and policy decisions, highlighting critical resources, showing disease patterns, or revealing injustices. Maps have also aided in the taking and exploitation of land and resources. A good map can simply capture our imagination, connect us to place, and more importantly depict the lands and waters that are the basis for all life. But many things that are often shown on maps—political boundaries, highways, dams, railroads, and cities—can also be barriers between us and the natural world.

This map strips away what is commonly on many maps and shows the landscape and waters as they are—or maybe as they want to or should be— unbroken by imposed political boundaries. We see more clearly the rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds and how they are connected, and how they have nearly always been.

This is a map of Waponahkik—Wabanaki Territory. Hundreds of generations of Wabanaki People have been in relationship with these lands and waters as depicted on this map. These lands and waters are the basis for Wabanaki culture and lifeways today.

We often view the landscape literally from the perspective of roads, towns, and political borders. How does our perception of this landscape change without these features?

As we consider this map let us ask ourselves:

• What new insights about place do we gain when more familiar administrative boundaries and modern transportation corridors are removed?

• Do we learn more, not by adding more layers, but by stripping away those data sets to then contemplate the landscape that remains?

• If all maps draw us in, does this representation of the landscape pull us in further and offer greater understanding....to appreciate the barriers that we’ve erected for creatures, to understand Wabanaki Territory and impacts of colonization, to contemplate our own positionality in a natural world that is not cut up by surveyors’ straight lines, to read the features that were carved into the landscape by ice sheets cutting, grinding, and shaping the geology and geomorphology of the region?

• Do we feel unmoored because familiar, common landmarks are erased, challenging us to ask ourselves how well we actually know this region’s mountain ranges, shorelines, and waterways? What is my home (if there are no town, state, or federal boundaries showing?)

• How can we turn our feelings of confusion and disorientation into deeper knowledge, appreciation, connection, relationship, and repair?

Upcoming event:

Goose Eye No. 6 Launch Party
Saturday, June 20, 2026, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Intervale Gateway
Bethel, ME 04217
(Optional walk at 5:30 p.m., party begins at 6:00 p.m.)

They’ve arrived!

The print copies of Goose Eye No. 6, “Lines on the Map, Part One,” were delivered to us last week and will soon be en route to members and supporters!

Want to get your hands on one early? We invite you to join the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and the Mahoosuc Land Trust for a party at the Intervale Gateway (the triangular piece of land between Intervale Road and Route 26 as you enter Bethel Village) on Saturday, June 20, to celebrate the launch!

We’ll be kicking off the evening at 5:30 p.m. with a guided walk around the historic Intervale Gateway. (Meet at the corner nearest Davis Park.) The Intervale Gateway was the Mahoosuc Land Trust’s first conserved property and offers a lovely short walk with views of Bethel village. MBHS Executive Director William Chapman will provide a few general historical notes on the area and MLT leaders will discuss the organization’s history with the property.

Following the walk we will congregate under the tents beginning at 6:00 p.m. (Feel free to join us at this time if you want to skip the walk.) Light refreshments will be served and you’ll have a chance to pick up or purchase a copy of the new issue. At around 6:30 p.m. we’ll hear remarks from Goose Eye editor William Chapman, and contributors, Kirk Siegel and William B. Krohn.

Upcoming event:

“Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin” with William Huntting Howell
June 13, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Hello friends!

We’d like to remind you all that the next event in our Independence 250 speaker series is coming right up! This Saturday, June 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. we will welcome Professor William Huntting Howell of Boston University to share his research and analysis of an unusual Revolutionary War memoir. Joseph Plumb Martin’s A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier is a rich, first-hand account that tells the story of the American Revolution from the perspective of an ordinary enlisted soldier rather than a famous general or statesman. Howell writes that Martin’s Narrative, first published in Hallowell, Maine, in 1830, “offers both a counter-record of the facts of the War and a counter-method for relating them.”

If you want to get a taste for the narrative, check out Howell’s article “Starving Memory,” which appeared in Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life.

A celebration of the life of Dr. Stanley R. Howe will be held this Saturday, June 6, at the Lower Meeting House (East Bethel Church) located at 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel, Maine. Beginning at 2:00 pm, there will be special remarks by family and friends, followed by music, and memories/comments from those attending.

Dear friends,

By now, most of our readers have heard the sad news already, but for those who have not yet received word, it is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of Dr. Stanley Russell Howe, Executive Director of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society from 1974-2010 and Director of Education and Research from 2010-2012.

Every member of the Society probably has a Stan Howe story. My own begins in the summer of 2014. I had recently graduated from the University of Maine at Augusta with a degree in information and library studies. Throughout my studies, I had worked as a reference assistant at the Auburn Public Library and I had recently accepted a second part time job as a project archivist in the Shaker Library at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village. Working at Shaker Village had proved an absolutely wonderful experience, but it was one that was destined to eventually end when I finished scanning and cataloging the community’s extensive photographic collection, and so I had my eyes peeled for future opportunities.

A former teacher spotted me at Molly Ockett Day, pulled me aside to ask me what I had been doing, and then promptly marched me over to talk with Randy Bennett, Stan’s good friend and successor as executive director of the Bethel Historical Society. It turned out that the Society was just months away from breaking ground on a new facility. The Huntoon Center, an addition to the Robinson House, would eventually house the Society’s extensive library, archives, and museum collections, and would also include an office for library personnel and reading room for public access. The facility was a gift from supporter Charles R. Huntoon and it was expected that there would be enough funds to provide for a new part-time staff person to manage the transition.

In the meantime, I began regularly attending BHS programs and got to know both Randy and Stan. Stan was particularly enthused because he found out that I had an interest in political history. While Stan and Randy shared many interests, Randy is given to quote Artemus Ward creator Charles Farrar Browne (“I’m not a politician and my other habits are good”). Stan, on the other hand, never shied from controversy, and, indeed, seemed to revel in whatever the political scandal of the day was.

But while he followed the news closely, his true passion was always for the history of the nineteenth-century Republican Party and, in particular, Abraham Lincoln. In the fall of 2014, the historical society showed a documentary about Lincoln and Stan brought over a selection of his books about the sixteenth President, which easily covered an entire table.

A week later, Stan invited me over to pick up some duplicate books that he had found in his collection and thought I might be interested in. I drove up to Stan’s house on a Sunday around noon, expecting that I would pick up the books, chat for a bit, and be back in a couple hours. Instead, I didn’t arrive back home until evening. In the meantime, Stan had given me an entire box of books, showing me them one at a time and explaining the merits of each one, toured me through every room in his house, told me the entire story of his life and career, and taken Randy and me out to eat at Kowloon Village.

By now, many readers, I’m sure, are nodding, having lived through the full Stan Howe Experience themselves. For the uninitiated, the basic facts of Stan’s life are these:

Stan was born on August 25, 1943 to Rodney Kimball Howe and Geraldine Alma Stanley Howe. At the time of his birth, millions of American soldiers were serving overseas in the fight against fascism.

(Stan’s first cousin, twice removed, Clarence Decatur Howe, known as C. D. Howe, was then serving as Minister of Munitions and Supply in the Canadian government. C. D. Howe was a controversial figure, but Stan was always proud of the fact that, for his work on wartime munitions, Winston Churchill had given Howe much of the credit for winning World War II. Stan heard much about Howe growing up, and his admiration for him sparked an interest in Canadian history, and eventually inspired him to write his dissertation on Howe’s political career.)

Stan and his four younger siblings, Greg, Sue, Allan, and Cathy, grew up on the Stanley family farm in East Bethel. Their family roots in this area extend back to the 1770s.

Stan began his education in a one-room school in East Bethel and later attended Bethel Primary (later known as the Ethel Bisbee School) and Crescent Park School. He graduated from Gould Academy in 1962 and from Gorham State College (now University of Southern Maine) in 1966. At first Stan wasn’t sure what he was going to do after receiving his undergraduate degree, but a classmate alerted him to the fact that the University of Connecticut was effectively free to attend for graduate students in the Department of History—even those from out of state. Stan was awarded his master’s degree in American history from “UConn” in 1967. He went on to earn a doctorate in Canadian history from the University of Maine in 1977.

Stan received numerous awards and honors in the field of history, including induction into the history honor society Phi Alpha Theta in 1974 and selection for the Seminar in Historical Administration at Colonial Williamsburg in 1980. He served on the board of organizations including the Maine Archives & Museums, the Maine Historical Society, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, and Maine Preservation, was book review editor for the journal Maine History, and taught history classes at the University of Maine, Westbrook College, and the University of New Hampshire’s College for Lifelong Learning.

In addition to his important role in preserving local and regional history, Stan was also a civic leader, serving on the Bethel Select Board from 1975-1983 and again from 2004-2015, including many terms as Chair. He served on boards and committees including the Bethel Planning Board, Bethel Bicentennial Committee, SAD44 Board of Directors, Gould Academy Board of Trustees, Project Opportunity, Bethel Library Association, Oxford County Republican Committee, Republican State Committee, Woodland Cemetery Company, East Bethel Cemetery Association, Alder River Grange, Oxford Pomona Grange, Maine State Grange, Middle Intervale Meeting House Society, and Oxford County League of Historical Societies.

For his many contributions, Stan was honored as the Alumnus of the Year at Gould Academy in 1982, received a special Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award, also in 1982, and was selected by the Bethel Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow in 2003. In 2005, he was presented the Henry H. Hastings Award for Citizenship by the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce “for decades of service to the citizens of Bethel, Oxford County and Maine.”

But it wasn’t any of Stan’s achievements that made the biggest impression on me that first long afternoon I spent with him. It was the immense gratitude, even amazement, with which Stan spoke about his life. Stan told me about how fortunate he had been in his education and career. He couldn’t believe that “a boy from East Bethel” had the opportunity to have the experiences and meet the people that he had. He had become friends with the most incredible and most wonderful people.

Stan would become especially nostalgic whenever mentioning his PhD adviser Alice Stewart, a powerhouse in the University of Maine’s history department, who had helped to found the Canadian-American Studies program. But this sentimentality would turn to excitement when recounting the story of how Alice and her circle of advisees had found themselves stuck when the door to one of the university library’s private study rooms jammed. “Move aside, boys!” Alice had commanded after several of the young men had tried unsuccessfully to force the door open. And with one large heave of her body, the door sprang open, releasing them.

The Making of a Public Historian

Many of Stan’s graduate school buddies had pursued more traditional career paths in the academic history field. But Stan was pulled in a different direction. Stan’s grandmother, Edith Kimball Howe, had nurtured his early interest in history, was good friends with Eva Bean, who had published the book East Bethel Road in 1959, and was the primary mover in the founding of the Bethel Historical Society in 1966. Stan had been a member of the society since the early days—several times he showed me his original membership card, personally signed by Eva.

Eva passed away in 1969, just three years after the Bethel Historical Society’s founding, so she never got to see the society fully flourish or even acquire a permanent headquarters. (In those early days, meetings were mainly held at the Bethel Library). A few years later, the Society’s fortunes changed dramatically when Sidney W. Davidson, a New York attorney who served as chairman William Bingham Trust for Charity, had the idea to restore the 1813 Broad Street home of Dr. Moses Mason and his wife Agnes Straw Mason, and to donate it the Bethel Historical Society for its headquarters.

The plans for the restoration of the house called for the creation of a modest apartment on the second floor where the curator would reside, and the Trust would provide the initial endowment funds to support this new position. For Stan, the timing could hardly have been better, and the trustees of the historical society were equally fortunate to have a well-qualified prospect with the local credibility to match. And so, when the Society opened the Mason House to the public in 1974, Stan was hired as the Society’s first employee.

Then as now, few local historical societies could afford to support any paid staff whatsoever. Stan was getting in at the ground floor of a growing organization, with the opportunity to help shape its future and to take on the role he seems to have been destined for: as the quintessential public historian.

He retained friendships with former professors and classmates who had entered academia, and he occasionally taught college courses himself. In his role as book review editor for the journal Maine History and as a committee member for several statewide organizations, Stan remained connected to the larger world of state and local history, and these connections would redound greatly to the benefit of the Bethel Historical Society.

At the same time, Stan never lost sight of what an organization rooted in community history should be. The minutiae of local history still interested him greatly, and he was as happy debating which house was the oldest in a particular neighborhood as he was discussing the historical theories and methodology of Richard Hofstadter (one of his favorite historians).

For many of our longtime members and supporters, Stan became nearly synonymous with the Bethel Historical Society. Along with Randy Bennett—the Society’s longtime curator and Stan’s eventual successor as director—a succession of dedicated trustees, and an active base of volunteers and supporters, Stan led a transformation of the Society. The organization’s mission, which was originally focused mainly on the history of the town of Bethel, expanded, and the Society began collecting a wider range of materials and sponsoring more regionally-focused programs, exhibits, and publications.

The Society became a leader in publishing books on regional history, such as Randy Bennett’s encyclopedic Oxford County, Maine: A Guide to Its Historic Architecture. In addition to popular community events such as Sudbury Canada Days, Heritage Days, and New Years’ Bethel, the Society organized ambitious gatherings—such as a 1985 conference on rural reform and a conference on the history of the Grange in Maine in 2008—and hosted a number of noted speakers such as Pulitzer-prize winning historian Alan Taylor.

Today, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society is a regional history museum, with an extensive research center, that collects, preserves and interprets the history of western Maine and the White Mountain region of Maine and New Hampshire.

By the time I joined the staff of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society in the spring of 2015, Stan had been retired from the regular staff for a few years, but was still a constant presence. Every morning, Stan would bring the local newspaper up to Randy’s office on the third floor, sit down in a chair and read it through. He would pick up and post the Society’s mail, clean up any sticks that fallen in the the yard, and give tours to anyone who stopped by (sometimes flagging down and pulling people in off the street). Stan made everyone feel welcome here and was always extremely generous with his time and eager to share his knowledge and stories.

Most recently, Stan oversaw the transfer of his Broad Street home, the Hastings Homestead, to a new nonprofit, the Hastings Homestead Museum, which plans to develop the property into a historic house museum chronicling five generations of ownership by the Hastings-Howe family.

Stan was thrilled to welcome me aboard the Bethel Historical Society, and took an enthusiastic interest in my professional development and in introducing me to people he wanted me to know and wanted to know me. When old friends such as Tommy and Charles, or Rich and Vic would come to visit, he would invite me over to his house to take part in the lively discussions that would be had over coffee and tea and muffins baked on his wood stove. Beginning in 2015, I would accompany him annually to the “Maine Town Meeting” event at the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, of which Stan had one of the longest unbroken streaks for attendance. I had the pleasure of working with Stan on several projects, including doing the formatting and design for his final book, William Bingham 2nd: A Life, a biography of Bethel’s greatest benefactor, published by the Bethel Historical Society in 2017.

Like Stan, I have always considered myself immensely fortunate for the circumstances and timing that brought me to the Society. Almost immediately, I felt a keen sense of awareness that I was becoming a part of something that was much larger. Stan and Randy both had a profound vision for what the organization could eventually become and their enthusiasm was infectious. The state-of-the-art new collections storage facility and research library that was being built—and which I would have the pleasure of working in—was just the latest development in the fulfilment of our longstanding goals.

When I took over as Executive Director of the organization, I understood my mission, in part, as carrying forward what my predecessors had already worked so hard to set in motion. And for as long as I continue to work here, one of my motivations will always be to do Stan proud.

Stan passed peacefully in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, February 22.

He was a giant of Maine history and will be greatly missed.

Upcoming event:

Goose Eye No. 6 Launch Party
Saturday, June 20, 2026, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Intervale Gateway
Bethel, ME 04217
(Optional walk at 5:30 p.m., party begins in barn at 6:00 p.m.)

Hello, friends!

We are excited to unveil the latest issue of Goose Eye, which has just been sent off to the printer! We invite you to join the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, our partners, the Mahoosuc Land Trust, and our gracious hosts, the Shepley family, for a party at the Intervale Gateway (the triangular piece of land between Intervale Road and Route 26 as you enter Bethel Village) on Saturday, June 20, to celebrate the launch!

We’ll be kicking off the evening at 5:30 p.m. with a guided walk around the historic Intervale Gateway. (Meet at the corner nearest Davis Park.) The Intervale Gateway was the Mahoosuc Land Trust’s first conserved property and offers a lovely short walk with views of Bethel village. MBHS Executive Director will provide a few general historical notes on the area and MLT leaders will discuss the organization’s history with the property.

Following the walk we will congregate under the tents beginning at 6:00 p.m. (Feel free to join us at this time if you want to skip the walk.) Light refreshments will be served and you’ll have a chance to pick up or purchase a copy of the new issue. At 6:30 p.m. we’ll hear remarks from Goose Eye editor William Chapman, and contributors, Kirk Siegel and William B. Krohn.

Goose Eye No. 6

Goose Eye No. 6 is entitled “Lines on a Map, Part One,” and is the first in a two-part series exploring some of the stories behind the many different kinds of lines that we take for granted when looking at a modern map. There those that represent natural features such as rivers, mountains, and coast line; those that identify physically real features created by human intervention, such as trails, roads, and railroad track; and still others that mark purely legal or political boundaries. The issues will seek to show how none of these are timeless or inevitable; they all reflect particular historical circumstances and contingencies. The lines on today’s maps encode a legacy of conflict and struggle by humans both against nature and against fellow humans.

Given the overlap between this topic and the work of our local land conservation organizations, MBHS asked the Mahoosuc Land Trust to partner on the production and release of this issue. Goose Eye No. 6 includes an essay by MLT Executive Director and co-founder Kirk Siegel, who reflects on how growing up roaming freely in the White Mountains formed a conservationist—and how our future depends on rebuilding relationships with land through deeper connection with Wabanaki communities and Indigenous ways of knowing.

Here’s a look at what else you’ll find inside!

• Brett Ciccotelli, Stephen Engle, and Bryan Wentzell reflect on a unique map they created which shows Waponahkik—Wabanaki Territory—stripped of imposed political boundaries.

• William B. Krohn writes about Kennedy Smith, the pioneering founder of three sporting camps in northern Franklin County, Maine, and constructor of many miles of buckboard trail.

• Larry Glatz recounts the many adventures of eccentric entrepreneur, relentless self-promoter, and transcontinental railroad advocate Josiah Perham, of Wilton, Maine, in the first of a two-part series to be concluded in Goose Eye No. 7.

• David Crouse discusses the long-running dispute between Massachusetts (and later Maine) and New Hampshire on the precise location of the Maine–New Hampshire border, focusing on the implications for a few Maine and New Hampshire communities in the White Mountain region.

• Larry Glatz explores the fragmented and confusing processes behind the naming (official and unofficial) and “unnaming” of Maine’s many areas of “unorganized territory.”

We would like to thank all of readers for their ongoing support which makes putting out a high-quality journal possible for our small organization. We are very proud of the latest effort and look forward to sharing it with all of you!

Hello, folks! We are just six weeks out from the Fourth of July, and the Independence 250 program series is in full swing! From programs, exhibits, and more, there is so much on the horizon that we wanted to share some updates about everything that is going on.

Upcoming event:

“Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin” with William Huntting Howell
June 13, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Memoir of a Revolutionary War Soldier

First up, on Saturday, June 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. we will welcome Professor William Huntting Howell of Boston University to share his research and analysis of an unusual Revolutionary War memoir. Howell writes that “Joseph Plumb Martin’s Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, first published in Hallowell, Maine, in 1830, offers both a counter-record of the facts of the War and a counter-method for relating them.”

Howell is the author of “Starving Memory,” an article on Martin’s Narrative which appeared in Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life.

“Connected by a Thread” Puzzles Available for Pre-Order

We are excited to announce that the remarkable “Connected by a Thread” quilt will soon be available as a 504-piece puzzle. The quilt was created to honor the 250th anniversary of American Independence with the collaboration of quilt guild chapters across Maine. This project was led by our very own Donna Gillis as part of the Independence 250 series! Expected availability is early July. Pre-order here!

Fourth of July Community Celebration

Let’s not forget about the big day itself! In honor of the 250th anniversary of American Independence, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s traditional Fourth of July Community Picnic and Concert will be expanded into a full day of festivities.

We’ll kick things off at 10:00 with a parade up Main Street. This will be followed by a reading of the Declaration of Independence on the lawn of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House (10 Broad Street, Bethel, ME), and the 33rd annual concert by the magnificent Portland Brass Quintet.

After the concert, we will have games and activities for both children and adults, refreshments available for purchase, and an informal music jam (open to all!) until 3:00.

Mornings at the Museum

July also means the return of our popular summer children’s program, Mornings at the Museum. Bring your children, grandchildren, or other little ones (ages 5-10) in your care to the museum grounds on Thursdays, July 9, 16, 23, 30, 9:30-11:30 a.m. to take part in some free, hands-on activities. In celebration of 250 years of independence, the theme this year will be “Happy Birthday, America!”

Book Discussion Series

The third event in our Independence 250 Book Discussion series was held on May 9. The series will resume this fall with a discussion of Gordon Wood’s Pulitzer Prize-winning analysis The Radicalism of the American Revolution to be held at the Waterford Public Library on Saturday, September 12 at 2:00. Copies of Radicalism are available for purchase at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society at the special rate of $10. You do not have to have attended any previous discussions or to have finished the entire book to take part.

Upcoming event:

Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community
A free walking conversation led by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and Mahoosuc Land Trust
Saturday, May 2, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Davis Park, Bethel, ME 04217

Our community walk, “Along the Andro” is tomorrow at 12:00 (following Green Up Day!) We hope to see you there! A reminder: this walk is part of the global Jane’s Walk event and will be held rain or shine.

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: My Dear Hamilton
Saturday, May 9, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Rumford Public Library
56 Rumford Ave, Rumford, ME 04276

Hello readers!

Our next book discussion in the Independence 250 series will take place on Saturday, May 9, at 2:00 pm at the Rumford Public Library. We will be discussing My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.

My Dear Hamilton is a fictional, but carefully-researched, interpretation of the life of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, wife of Founding Father and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Eliza was a revolutionary woman who, like her new nation, struggled to define herself in the wake of war, betrayal, and tragedy. Authors Dray and Kamoie used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right.

“Revolutionary Books” Discussion Series

This is the third in a series of five book discussions that will take place in libraries around western Maine this year. You can learn about the whole series here.

You do not need to have attended the previous discussion to attend this one, and please feel free to come and participate even if you aren’t able to read the book before the event.

Need a Copy?

If you need a copy of the book, they are for sale at the Rumford Public Library and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society at a reduced rate of just $10. The museum shop is currently open by appointment—just call (207-824-2908) or email (info@bethelhistorical.org)!

You can also borrow the book from the Bethel Library (as of this writing, the library’s copy is still available!) or grab a copy of the audio book on Audible!

Upcoming event:

Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community
A free walking conversation led by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and Mahoosuc Land Trust
Saturday, May 2, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Davis Park, Bethel, ME 04217

Happy Saturday! We hope all of our readers in the Bethel area had a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful summer weather yesterday! While next week looks cooler, May is just around the corner and that means its almost time for one our favorite annual events. Jane’s Walk is a global festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Nearly 70 walks are happening just in the state of Maine!

This is our third year of participating in this great event, and this year we are excited to be partnering with our friends at the Mahoosuc Land Trust to lead “Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community,” a walk along the Androscoggin River on the Bethel Pathway!

We will begin at noon at Davis Park and conclude at the Valentine Farm Conservation Center. Along the route we will be exploring the history and ecology of the Androscoggin River, including indigenous people, the importance of the river to agriculture and early industries, the pollution of the river and subsequent efforts to clean it up, river ferries, bridges, floods, and the flora and fauna of the riverside. Participation and discussion is encouraged and we especially welcome the sharing of memories from when the river was more contaminated than it is today.

Green Up Day

Our walk is timed to immediately follow Green Up Day, a volunteer roadside cleanup event. If you are interested in participating in Green Up, meet at Davis Park at 9:00 am and wear glove and a safety vest if you have one. Lunch will be provided for all Green Up volunteers at 11:30, and the walk will follow.

If you just want to come for the walk, that’s fine too! Just plan to arrive at Davis Park a few minutes before noon.

Upcoming event:

“The Last, Best Hope: The 250 Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation” with Colin Woodard
March 21, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Bingham Auditorium, Gould Academy
39 Church Street, Bethel, ME 04217
Presentation & Signing: FREE!
Special Reception Tickets: 250bethel.org/woodard

Tomorrow is the day! Acclaimed Maine author Colin Woodard will be at Bingham Auditorium at Gould Academy on Saturday, March 21, at 2:00 pm, to discuss his work on regional cultures in United States history!

The presentation and signing are FREE to all!

Woodard will be discussing the thesis first put forward in his award-winning book, American Nations: that there’s never been one America but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. Thrown together in an accident of history, these regional cultures have fought over the meaning and purpose of the U.S. federation, testing Americans’ commitment to securing the natural rights ideals in the Declaration of Independence.

Since American Nations first appeared in 2011, Woodard has continued to develop this theme in later books such as American Character (2016), Union (2020), and Nations Apart (2025). His presentation will focus on the implications of his research for the United States today, in the 250th year of American independence.

Special Author Reception!

Following the presentation and signing the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society will also be hosting a special reception with the author as a fundraiser for the Independence 250 program series.

Reserve Tickets Now!

The reception will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. We’ll be offering light refreshments, behind-the-scenes tours with the Executive Director, and a preview of our upcoming exhibits. Tickets to the reception are $20 for Museums of the Bethel Historical Society members and $25 for non-members.

Just a few spaces remain, so please reserve your reception tickets as soon as possible to guarantee your spot!

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: Angelica
Saturday, March 28, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Norway Memorial Library
258 Main Street, Norway, ME 04268

Hello readers!

We would like to invite everyone to join us at the Norway Memorial Library on Saturday, March 28 at 2:00 pm, for the second installment in our “Revolutionary Books” discussion series! We’ll be discussing the book Angelica by Molly Beer, an engaging biography of socialite Angelica Schuyler Church.

Angelica is described in many historical narratives as Alexander Hamilton’s “saucy” sister-in-law, and is best known to modern audiences as a supporting character in the broadway sensation Hamilton. As you’ll learn from the book, the real Angelica was a thoroughly interesting and impressive historical figure. Smart, politically astute, well-read, and deeply connected on both sides of the Atlantic, Angelica moved through circles that included some of the most powerful figures of her time. Her transatlantic life, sharp wit, and intellectual partnerships reveal just how influential women could be—even when history tried to sideline them.

“Revolutionary Books” Discussion Series

This is the second in a series of five book discussions that will take place in libraries around western Maine this year. You can learn about the whole series here.

You do not need to have attended the previous discussion to attend this one, and please feel free to come and participate even if you aren’t able to read the book before the event.

Need a Copy?

If you need a copy of the book, they are for sale at the Norway Memorial Library and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society at a reduced rate of just $10. The museum shop is currently open from 1:00 to 3:00, Tuesday to Friday, but just call (207-824-2908) or email (info@bethelhistorical.org) if you need to arrange a different time for pickup!

You can also borrow the book from the Bethel Library or grab a copy of the audio book on Audible!

Upcoming event:

“The Last, Best Hope: The 250 Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation” with Colin Woodard
March 21, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Bingham Auditorium, Gould Academy
39 Church Street, Bethel, ME 04217
Presentation & Signing: FREE!
Special Reception Tickets: 250bethel.org/woodard

We are now less than two weeks away from welcoming celebrated Maine author Colin Woodard to Bethel! We hope you are as excited as we are!

As a reminder, the presentation and book signing will take place at Bingham Auditorium at Gould Academy on Saturday, March 21, at 2:00 pm, and will be FREE to all!

(Please note that while previous communications stated that advanced registration was required for the talk and signing, we have moved the event to a larger space and this is no longer the case. Registration is required only for the special reception.)

Special Reception to Follow!

For those interested in continuing the conversation in a more intimate setting, following the presentation the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society will be hosting a special reception with the author as a fundraiser for the Independence 250 program series.

Reserve Tickets Now!

The reception will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. We’ll be offering light refreshments, behind-the-scenes tours with the Executive Director, and a preview of our upcoming exhibits. Tickets to the reception are $20 for Museums of the Bethel Historical Society members and $25 for non-members.

The reception is capped at 50 people and about half of the spaces are now sold, so please reserve your reception tickets as soon as possible to guarantee your spot!

About the Presenter

Colin Woodard is a journalist and writer who lives in Portland, Maine. He is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including American Nations (2011), in which he argued hat there’s never been one America but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. His most recent book is Nations Apart (2025).

If you would like to get caught up on Colin’s work before the event, several of his books are now available to borrow at the Bethel Library, or for purchase at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s museum shop.

Upcoming event:

“The Last, Best Hope: The 250 Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation” with Colin Woodard
March 21, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gould Academy
39 Church Street, Bethel, ME 04217
Tickets: 250bethel.org/woodard

Reserve Tickets Now!

The Independence 250 Committee and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society are pleased to invite you to a presentation, book signing, and special author reception featuring acclaimed Maine author Colin Woodard.

Colin Woodard is a journalist and writer who lives in Portland, Maine. Woodard argued in his award-winning book, American Nations, that there’s never been one America but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. Thrown together in an accident of history, these regional cultures have fought over the meaning and purpose of the U.S. federation, testing Americans’ commitment to securing the natural rights ideals in the Declaration of Independence. Since American Nations first appeared in 2011, Woodard has continued to develop this theme in later books such as American Character (2016), Union (2020), and Nations Apart (2025)

Woodard’s presentation and book signing at Gould Academy will be free. Following the presentation there will be a special author reception at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. The reception will feature the opportunity to chat more with the author, enjoy some light refreshments, and socialize in the museum galleries. Special behind-the-scenes tours will also be offered with the Museums’ Executive Director. Tickets to the reception are $20 for Museums of the Bethel Historical Society members and $25 for non-members. The reception is a fundraiser for the Independence 250 programs series.

Both the presentation and reception have limited capacity. Please reserve your free presentation tickets and reception tickets now.

Reserve Tickets Now!

Upcoming event:

“Ghosts of Centennials Past” with Will Chapman
February 21, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
14 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Happy Presidents’ Day Friends!

Today is the annual commemoration of the birth of George Washington and others who have served in our nation’s highest office. It is also the perfect day for a reminder of the fun program coming up this Saturday.

In “Ghosts of Centennials Past,” Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Will Chapman will be our otherworldy guide as we are visited by three spirits: the Ghosts of 1876, 1926, and 1976, who will transport us back in time to learn about how the the centennial, sesquicentennial, and bicentennial of American independence were celebrated both nationally and locally.

This program will begin at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 21, and will take place in the Howe Exhibit Hall in the barn of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House at 14 Broad Street, Bethel.

Upcoming event:

Live Book Reading and Discussion: The Age of Homespun
February 1, 8, 15, and 22, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Reading Room, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
10 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

Starting on February 1st, the Independence 250 Committee and the Bethel Library Association’s Yarn Hub are hosting a monthly long reading of The Age of Homespun by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. This book presents a fascinating look at how everyday objects—spinning wheels, cloth, clothing—shaped early American life, especially women’s work and experiences.

This book reminds us that history isn’t just made in grand moments, but in the quiet, skillful labor of daily life. In keeping with the theme of the book, please bring any handwork project you have going (knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, embroidery, rug hooking, quilting, hand piecing). And if you don’t have a handwork project going, come anyway.

You do not need to read the book, but if you want to, there will be a few copies of the book to borrow from the Bethel Library Association.

Upcoming event:

Book Discussion: American Scripture
January 31, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Bethel Library Association
6 Broad Street, Bethel, ME
Remote Option

We on the Independence 250 committee are busy finishing our read of American Scripture by Pauline Maier, and hope you are excited to join us! The discussion will take place on Saturday, January 31, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bethel Library Association and will be the first meeting in our Independence 250 Book Discussion Series.

Remote Option

A hybrid option will be available for those unable to attend in person. Please click here to join us via Zoom.

Reviews and Author Interviews

If you want to do some extra preparation for our upcoming discussion, here are some links to reviews of American Scripture and long-form interviews with Pauline Maier. Feel free to deep-dive into this content prior to our conversation on Saturday—or just focus on reading the book!

https://bit.ly/PodcastDiscussion

https://bit.ly/PaulineMeier

https://bit.ly/CSpanInterview

https://bit.ly/PaulineMaierinterview

https://bit.ly/AnotherAmericanScripturereview