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Now On Display
Windham Heroes
Beginning with the Revolution, Windham men and women have gone to war to preserve freedom. Visit our display of newspaper clippings, photographs and artifacts from many generations of local heroes.
New Acquisitions
Canal Boat Model
For 40 years, canal boats operated on the Cumberland & Oxford canal, providing transportation and shipping capability for people all the way from Portland into the interior of the Lakes Region. Boats, like the model shown here, had a small crew and at times were pulled along the narrow canal by horses on the adjacent “tow path”. The Society has a complete history of the canal, and this boat model, made by one of our members, graphically portrays the vanished boats.
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Welcome to the
Windham Historical Society
We thank you for visiting our website!
Located in the beautiful Lakes Region, Windham is in an area of Maine frequented for centuries by natives who fished and hunted in the forests and waterways.
Windham was settled by mostly farmers, beginning in the middle 1700s. The agricultural tradition continued through most of the town’s history, until the industrial age. Several wars and societal changes have created the town we know today, which is primarily residential and includes a large commercial center.
Windham Historical Society maintains a splendid herb garden each year. Located near the ancient stone steps, the colorful plants provide a refreshing and aromatic feature to the old building.
Windham Historical Society was organized in 1967 for the purpose of preserving the town’s rich historical past and providing opportunities for the public to learn about their heritage.
The Society owns three buildings. Each one, now a museum, was an important center for the development of Windham and its citizens. These include a library, a corner grocery which included a cobbler shop and the first town house, which was also used as a school.
We are open May through November on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors may come to the town house museum and volunteers will provide tours of the Old Grocery and Library museum buildings. Appointments may be made at other times by calling (207) 892-1433 and leaving a message.
Whether you want to find out about your Windham ancestors, get the history of your house, locate an old photograph or visit the museums, we welcome you, one and all!
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News |
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Society Receives Historic Records
In September 2009, the Windham Hill Club held its luncheon meeting at the Society's Old Grocery Museum and enjoyed a guided tour of the facility and a look at Windham's history.
Read more.
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Events |
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Sebago's Indian History
Monday, Sept. 28, 2009
7 p. m. at the Little Meeting House, Route 302, North Windham
Wabnaki, Abenaki, Sokokis, Presumpscot or Rockameecook? Did the native ancestors of the Sebago region bear a single
tribal name? Were they nomadic or settled? 10,000 years of culture and heritage gleaned from artifacts, European written history, and Indian oral history. Join Windham Historical Society researcher Raymond Philpot for this presentation. Learn about the first Americans in this area--their dwellings, dress, travel, food, and beliefs. Public welcome. Donations appreciated.
Annual Meeting
October--Oct. 26, 2009
Annual meeting for all members and their guests. Reservations will be taken
(more information to be announced as the date draws near). Annual reports of all activities and committees; election of officers.
Old Fashioned Christmas Fair--Nov. 14 & 15, 2009, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Society Headquarters
At the Society headquarters, shoppers will find dozens of hand-crafted ornaments and decorations, wreaths, unique household decor and delicious sweets and treats from our kitchens! Enjoy holiday music and visit displays of century old Christmas cards and perhaps a surprise or two! Crafting has been going on all summer for this special event. To find out more, call 207-892-1433 and ask for IIzzy.
November Program
Nov. 23, 2009 , 7 p.m. Society Headquarters
Don't miss our November history program at the Society Headquarters. John Manoush, past historian and president-elect of the Hawthorne Community Association, will join us with an absorbing presentation on the history of Raymond's Hawthorne house, boyhood home of famed American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.
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