The Skowhegan History House serves as a repository for many of Skowhegan's unique historic records and archives. Some early town records and photographs exist only in our collections. Researchers find genealogical information in the family histories that cannot be found elsewhere. The History House offers assistance local and regional researchers including newspaper staff, family historians, and to town officials in need of local historic facts. History House is a destination for many tourists, who contribute significantly to the local economy. We also work with area schools in archival education. We strive to make local history come alive.
The 1839 Greek revival cottage is filled with antiques, furnishings, and other items of everyday life during the mid 1800?s. Everything in the house was used within the community of Skowhegan. Some of the collections include:
- The Philbrick Pottery Collection of Exeter Redware, milk settling dishes, pots, and a pitcher, were manufactured from 1799-1825 on the site of History House.
- The Regina Music Box, ca. 1895, uses perforated metal discs to play music of the period (i.e. Summer Wedding, The Sweetest Story Ever Told, The Mockingbird, and Hail Columbia).
- The Anadrosis steam bath cabinet, ca. 1880, was invented by Dr. Conant, a photographer in the community. Dr. Conant developed a process to expel poisons and banish diseases in the steam bath followed by a liniment consisting of alcohol and opium.
- Upstairs contains a collection of dolls, Civil War weaponry, and historic clothing plus other artifacts of the period.
- Also included are oil on canvas paintings, portraits of notable local people, including Samuel and Joseph Philbrick, the founders of the Philbrick Pottery.
- The Redington-McClellan collection, on permanent loan by the Redington-Fairview Hospital, represents some of the finest furnishings of that period.
The 1936 addition to the historic house serves as a museum to showcase collections (photographs, library, archival documents, and objects) accumulated at different times which are not part of the original historic house. Specific collections include:
- The town records collection has documents dating back to 1783: an original leather-bound journal kept by the town clerk at the time; cemetery, birth, death and marriage records; and a transcript of Joseph Weston?s second journey (1772) to what was Canaan, now known as Skowhegan. The Weston?s were one of the first families to settle in this area.
- The Alexander Crawford, Jr., Civil War Collection contains documents, letters, uniform, and personal items used by this Civil War soldier, a native son. This is one of the better Civil War memorabilia collections in the state.
- Collections of early Skowhegan newspapers (1828 ? 1900) include the Somerset Reporter, Skowhegan Sentinel, Democratic Clarion, Republican Clarion, and the Down East Screamer.
- Numerous updated family histories, user friendly and specific to local families, are prized by genealogical researchers.
Ornamental heirloom gardens, established in 2005, showcase examples of old-fashioned plant materials, which would have been available to New England gardeners during the mid 1800's. Signage, featuring both botanical and common names, offers visitors background information for each individual heirloom plant.