Islesboro Historical Society

TO BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF ISLESBORO, FOR THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTING, PRESERVING, PRESENTING AND PROMOTING MATERIALS RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN AND ITS PLACE IN LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL HISTORY. MATERIALS INCLUDE PRINTED AND MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, OBJECTS, ARTIFACTS AND BUILDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HISTORY OF ISLESBORO AND ITS RESIDENTS.THE SOCIETY ALSO SEEKS TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE AND INTERPRET AND SUSTAIN THE CULTURE OF ISLESBORO AND ITS RESIDENTS, BY HOSTING, SPONSORING, AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT CELEBRATE AND SUSTAIN THAT CULTURE IN ALL ITS VARIOUS FORMS.

MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE BUILDING AND MUSEUM: DURING 2022, NO SIGNIFICANT REPLACEMENT OR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WERE CARRIED OUT. $13,017 WAS SPENT ON ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, SECURITY AND OCCUPANCY COSTS, INCLUDING ELECTRICITY, AS WELL AS PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS, LECTURES, MUSEUM PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, GENEALOGY AND COLLECTIONS: PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS ARE CARRIED OUT IN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUILDING AND IN THE MUSEUM. IN 2022, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BEGAN TO REOPEN ITS BUILDING FOR EVENTS AS THE COVID SITUATION PERMITTED. THERE WAS ONE ZOOM PROGRAM RELATING TO WOMEN FARMERS OF PENOBSCOT BAY, FOUR OUTDOOR WALKING TOURS WHICH COVERED THE HISTORY OF THREE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE ISLAND AND ONE WHICH FOCUSED ON THE GEOLOGY OF ISLESBORO. THERE WERE ART SHOWS IN JULY AND AUGUST, WHICH GENERATED SIGNIFICANT REVENUE, AN OUTDOOR ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW FEATURING ISLAND ARTISANS, AND AN "EVENING WITH ISLAND ELDERS" AT WHICH FOUR ISLAND SENIORS SPOKE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THE ISLAND AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS. OF COURSE, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ALSO MAINTAINS, RUNS AND ADDS TO THE COLLECTION IN ITS MUSEUM.THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ALSO PUBLISHES AND SELLS SEVERAL BOOKS ON THE ISLAND'S HISTORY. IN 2022, ONE OF THESE, A HISTORY OF THE ISLAND COVERING THE PERIOD 1764-1892 WAS REPRINTED AT A COST OF $3,885.00 FOR 50 COPIES. IN 2022, THE SOCIETY RECEIVED A $1,000 DONATION FROM A PRIVATE DONOR TO HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF REPRINTING THESE VOLUMES. A GRANT OF $1,000 WAS ALSO RECEIVED FOR THIS PURPOSE FROM CHRIST CHURCH IN 2021.FINALLY, AN ACTIVE PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED IN THE SOCIETY'S GENEALOGY AND COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT, AND AN ACTIVE PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS OF THE ISLESBORO CENTRAL SCHOOL IN LEARNING THE ISLAND'S HISTORY.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN 2013 BY THE ISLESBORO HISTORICAL SOCIETY, CONTINUES WITH THE AWARD PRESENTED ANNUALLY TO AN ISLESBORO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE(S) INTERESTED IN PURSUING EDUCATION AT A SECONDARY SCHOOL/COLLEGE. THE STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE IN HISTORY COURSES IS ONE OF THE FACTORS CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE. NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THE AWARDEES MAY BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING THE ISLESBORO HISTORICAL SOCIETY. IN 2022, $2,000 IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS WERE PAID OUT.