Support the Bethel Historical Society with your Donation!

Founded in 1966, the Bethel Historical Society fosters a sense of place—centered in western Maine and the White Mountain region—by collecting, preserving, displaying and interpreting historically significant artifacts and documents for residents, visitors, students, and scholars.  Through its exhibits, programs, events, and publications, the Society makes the region's history meaningful, accessible, and enjoyable.

Donations made to the Bethel Historical Society in the form of funds to support its programs, general operations, and endowment, are always welcome, as are items for the Society's museum and library/archival collections.

For information about becoming a member of the Bethel Historical Society, please visit our Membership page.


Giving Opportunities

Annual Fund
Members and friends of the Bethel Historical Society can make tax deductible contributions to the Society's Annual Fund Campaign.  Such gifts help support the Society's special events, exhibitions, publications and other important programming.  Annual Fund gifts in any amount may be made throughout the year.  Acknowledgments for Annual Fund gifts will be promptly mailed to donors and listed in the Society's newsletter.  You also may pay online by credit card by clicking the "Donate" button below; please use the "Add special instructions to the seller" link on the last online page to indicate that this payment is for "Annual Fund."




Stocks, Bonds, or Tangible Property
The donation of stocks, bonds, or securities is an important and useful way of supporting the Bethel Historical Society.  If you are interested in making a donation of this type, please contact your broker and ask them to arrange the transaction.  Donations of real estate or other personal property are also welcome.  If you are interested in making a gift of tangible property, please call 207-824-2908 or 800-824-2910 to speak to Randall H. Bennett, the Society's Executive Director.  The Bethel Historical Society is a private, non-profit organization, and gifts such as those described above are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.


Charitable Gift Annuities
The Society is pleased to offer charitable gift annuities.  Under this gift arrangement, the Society will accept gifts of cash or investment securities in exchange for guaranteed lifetime income payments to the donor.  These gifts provide an attractive lifetime income payment for the donor, as well as an immediate charitable income tax deduction.  The Society will benefit by adding the remaining value of the gift to its endowment fund.  For more information, please contact Randall H. Bennett, the Society's Executive Director, by calling 207-824-2908 or 800-824-2910, by writing to us at P.O. Box 12, Bethel, ME 04217, or by sending a note via email to director@bethelhistorical.org.


Bequests and Trusts
Donors are encouraged to make charitable gifts to the Bethel Historical Society in the form of a bequest in a will, the establishment of a trust, or other similar financial arrangements.  Such gifts can be structured to support the Society's mission while, at the same time, assuring the security of the donor or the donor's family.  For more information, please contact Randall H. Bennett, the Society's Executive Director, by calling 207-824-2908 or 800-824-2910, by writing to us at P.O. Box 12, Bethel, ME 04217, or by sending a note via email to director@bethelhistorical.org.


Historic Items
If you are interested in donating items to the Bethel Historical Society's museum or library/archival collections, please contact the Society's Curator of Collections, Randall H. Bennett, by mail (P.O. Box 12, Bethel, ME 04217) or send an email to library@bethelhistorical.org to discuss this donation and its possible relevance to the Society's existing collection.  To eliminate any potential conflict of interest, and to comply with tax regulations, the Society cannot appraise donated items with a dollar value.  Donors seeking such an appraisal should consult an independent source.  The value of such gifts made to the Bethel Historical Society is deductible for federal income tax purposes within the limits of the Internal Revenue Code.