Welcome to the Vassalboro Historical Society
About Us
Founded in 1963, the Vassalboro Historical Society’s purpose has been to:
“…bring together people interested in history, particularly the history of the Town of Vassalboro…”
“…discover, collect, preserve and make available to the public any material…which may…establish or illustrate the history of that area…”
“…disseminate historical information and…arouse interest in such matters…”
“…co-operate with other historical societies in preserving and making available material of any sort, particularly things of more than local interest.”
The Town of Vassalboro
Vassalboro Historical Society
P.O. Box 43
East Vassalboro, ME 04935
The farms and villages of Vassalboro have seen a broad range of endeavors, agricultural, industrial and academic. Two railroads – the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington and the Maine Central – had stations in Vassalboro, making it possible to ship hay and farm produce to markets as far as Portland and Boston.
In many parts of the Town, water-powered mills ground grain and turned native wood into lumber and a range of items for farms, mills and homes. The latest and largest, in North Vassalboro, produced woolen fabrics.
The
Oak Grove School was a landmark in secondary education for a century and
a half, and after Waterville’s Coburn Classical Institute burned, it
found a new home in Oak Grove’s imposing Vassalboro buildings. The
campus now serves as the home of the Maine State Police Academy.
If you are interested in helping the Vassalboro Historical Society “celebrate and protect the heritage of our community” please send your name, address, contact phone number and payment to:
Vassalboro Historical Society
P.O. Box 43
East Vassalboro, ME 04935
We have much to offer everyone, whether long-time residents or newcomers to the area – everyone can contribute to the Society’s work. You are all welcome!
The Museum
The Vassalboro Historical Society Museum is maintained year-round in the former East Vassalboro Grammar School located on State Route 32, just north of the Town boat ramp on China Lake.
The Society’s Library houses items including old account books and ledgers, day books and diaries, family Bibles, scrapbooks, etc. A large collection of Vassalboro photographs is arranged in albums and kept on display for visitors to peruse.
The Museum houses an extensive collection related to Vassalboro’s Oak Grove Seminary and Oak Grove-Coburn School; it includes yearbooks and catalogs, as well as other memorabilia.
In the two large rooms on the main floor, changing displays illustrate aspects of Town life at various times in the past.
In 2010, a life-long resident of East Vassalboro bequeathed her home and all of its contents to the Historical Society; several displays feature part of this collection.
Also available for public consultations are the tax assessors’ books covering most of this century which were given to the Society by the Town.
The basement affords storage rooms for the Museum’s collection and space for working on items being prepared for display.
