Belgrade Historical Society (BHS)
The Belgrade Historical Society (BHS) was founded in 1976 by a dedicated group of local residents involved in that year’s Belgrade Bicentennial Heritage and Festival Committees. They were committed to preserving the rich history of Belgrade and its surrounding communities. As an all-volunteer organization, BHS is led by a board of directors who oversee acquisitions, curate our growing collection, and organize annual programs and events designed to educate, engage, and inspire.
Recently, we successfully completed a capital campaign to restore the Old Town Meeting House, a historic landmark now under consideration by the Maine Preservation Commission to be added to the National Historic Register.
Board of Directors
Sharon Young Nadeau
President
Dianne Dowd
Vice President
Thomas Dowd
Treasurer
Maureen Milliken
Secretary
Jane Bickford
Loyce Hayslett
Robert Lewis
Doris Mathias
Anne McCandlish
Christopher Raleigh
Cliff Young
MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to any person, family, organization, or institution that supports the mission and purposes of the Society. Members have the right to vote, hold office and serve on committees. Membership is not exclusive to those who live in Belgrade. Many of our current members are located reside in other states.
Dues are for the calendar year and an auto-renewal option is available on our site. Any dues paid after October 1 cover the remainder of the current year and roll to the following year. Members receive emails and/or USPS mailings of a Quarterly Newsletter and notice of upcoming events.
What We Do
History isn’t just about dates – it’s about stories, memories and the little treasures that connect us to the past. At the Society, we collect and preserve donated items like newspaper clippings, photos, films, artifacts, maps and genealogies, making sure they’re available for future generations of Belgrade.
One of our biggest projects was restoring the Old Town Meeting House on Cemetery Road (Route 135). It was a massive, multi-year effort, bringing the building back from serious disrepair.
We also scan donated photos to help bring Belgrade’s history to life and assist visitors looking for information about family members, places or long-lost memories. Our growing Family Files make it easy for people to access old pictures and documents.
Excitingly, we’ve just launched a new program to bring history into local grade school classrooms – making the past more engaging for young learners.
And most importantly? We have fun doing it!
When & Where We Do Things
There’s always something to do! Our members and volunteers stay busy year-round, whether it’s researching, scanning, organizing, cleaning, or restoring historical treasures.
Summer is our busiest season—that’s when we host most of our events, covering a variety of historical topics and happenings. We usually have at least one event each month, and we kick off the season by opening the Old Town Meeting House on Memorial Day Weekend, followed by open house events throughout the summer.
You’ll also find us hosting programs at the History Center or the North Belgrade Community Center, bringing history to life for the community.
How can we help you?
President Phone
Address
P.O. Box 36A
Belgrade, ME 04917
Belgrade History Room
1 Center Drive Route 27
Belgrade, ME 04917