Submission to the Winthrop, Maine 2025 Annual Report:

The most exciting event for the Winthrop Maine Historical Society in 2024 was the payoff of the loan on our building, the Winthrop History and Heritage Center, located at 107 Main St. This was possible through the generosity of many donors. A huge thank you to all who donated.
The Collections and Exhibits Committee continued to process the many items donated to the Society over the past two to three years. The committee meets once a month and works to identify whether donated items relate to Winthrop and how. Items are tagged and documented with as much information about each as we can ascertain. Once accepted and tagged, the items are then deemed appropriate for public display or to be placed in the permanent collection. Many of these items need to be stored in archival boxes and materials for safe preservation. The $1,500 we receive from the Town of Winthrop each year is used to purchase these archival materials for Town records now stored in the WMHS building.
Throughout the year we have rearranged and replaced some of the original displays with new artifacts from our collection. While we continue to seek ways to encourage more visitors to the Center, our flow of visitors remains low. If you have not yet visited or perhaps haven’t been to the Center for a while, please drop in to explore the exhibits and the gift shop. The Center is open 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.
One of our board members continues to scan old pictures and news articles to our database for easier access when the public asks
us for something specific. This is an ongoing process.
Lastly, WMHS has a new slate of officers for 2025 to 2027: Penny Jackson Pray, President; Lynda Pratt, Vice President; Natalie
Weise, Secretary; and Bob Faucher, Treasurer.
WMHS appreciates the continued support from the town. If you have ideas you wish to share, if you would like to become a member or volunteer, or if you just want help with historical information about the Town of Winthrop, please contact us at (207) 395-5199 or winthropmainehistorical@gmail.com. We are here to help … and would love to have your help with our many tasks and to see an increase of visitors throughout the year. Please stop by, take a look and enjoy some history.
Thank you,
Penny Pray, President

One of the many events the Historical Society sponsored, the Center hosted members of the Squire Town Squares on August 8, 2024. The local square dance club began in 1972. Dancers gave a demonstration and presented a short talk about square dancing in Maine.