The Millinocket Museum, Our Story!

            Forty-seven years ago (1979), plans were underway to start a museum in Millinocket. Some funds from the 1976 Bicentennial festivities were designated by the state for this purpose. Committee members included some who had served on the Bicentennial Committee, interested citizens and delegates from town organizations.

It was hoped that a building would be donated to house a museum. Thirty plus years later, the museum was still housed, as it had been since 1979, in two small rooms on the top floor of the Millinocket Municipal Building. It wasn’t until July of 2014 that the move was made to the current location on Central Street, in what had been a two-story apartment building. Now, twelve years after the move, the historical society has grown to nearly 250 members spread across the country (from 22 states and Washington, DC. and from high school age to some members age 90+).

Currently, the museum houses various displays on the main floor (GNP, household, medical, signs, a history timeline, Native American, schools, businesses and a special display near the entrance with photos of early Millinocket. A small room houses local military memorabilia and a larger room displays many logging tools and other logging related items. Artifacts from other topics of interest are brought out and displayed at different times. Many, many interesting items are awaiting a turn in one of the display areas.

The collection features a very large collection of photographs (all sizes), of which some are displayed, but others can be brought out for viewing if a visitor asks.

Architectural plans for an addition to allow everyone access to the second-floor display space have been done for some time and currently we are involved with paperwork and awaiting arrival of the funding from the government grant we have been awarded. We are looking forward for construction to begin. The collection has many interesting items and photos waiting to become part of the second-floor displays when access to that floor becomes possible.

Since the museum opened on Central Street and we began the Paver Project, we are now nearing 300 pavers on display in front of the museum in memory, in honor, for an organization, business, individual and, yes, even a favorite pet!! Other fund raisers (past & present) have included on-line auctions of street signs and more. The museum depends a great deal on monetary donations from members and our supporters from all over the United States.

The museum has come a long way since its inception in 1979. The first item donated in 1979 was a calendar plate from 1909 advertising CJ Rush, Contractor & Builder, Dealer in Hardware & Building Materials. This is item #1 in the museum collection. Currently the museum has a total of nearly 11,000 accessioned photos and other artifacts and the collection continues to grow each week! Come on in for a visit!