Museums of the Bethel Historical Society
Across from Bethel Hill Common, the society's campus comprises three buildings: the 1821 O'Neil and Betsey Straw Robinson House and the 1813 Dr. Moses and Agnes Straw Mason House, both on the National Register of Historic Places, and Twitchell Education Center, a replica of the small library Dr. Moses constructed aside his home in 1837. The O'Neil Robinson House has well-done exhibits about the region's history and a Maine Ski & Snowboard Museum display. One parlor room serves as a gift shop with a nice book selection. The Mason House has nine period rooms and many decorative items that are original to the home, whose front hall and stairway are adorned with Rufus Porter School folk art murals painted in the 1830s. Changing exhibits are in the barn gallery. Check the museum website for events such as children's programs in the library replica, also used for changing exhibits. In town when the museum is closed? Touch base as it does open by appointment.
Head out back to check out the Sunday River snow roller, pulled by a team of horses back in the day, and a giant Mt. Zircon Moon Tide Spring "Ginger Champagne" soda bottle lunch stand, a 1920s promotion for a defunct western Maine spring and soda water company.
