BETHEL — As one of the foremost attractions in a community that markets itself as “Maine’s Most Beautiful Mountain Village,” the Bethel Historical Society provides more than a dozen period rooms and exhibit galleries where visitors can discover and explore the area’s colorful past year-round.

For those interested in knowing more about the area’s (or their family’s) past, the historical society maintains extensive museum, library and archival collections that include a broad range of materials documenting the rich heritage of western Maine and the White Mountain region of Maine and New Hampshire. In addition, the society provides lectures, courses, craft demonstrations and educational activities for people of all ages throughout the calendar year.

In order to operate its facilities and to offer high quality exhibits, programs and publications on a continued basis, the society depends on income from a variety of sources, not least of which are membership dues, museum admission fees and donations, and museum shop sales.

To supplement those sources of revenue, the society regularly applies for grants to carry out special projects and to sponsor special purchases. As a highly active nonprofit organization, the society also depends on the generosity of foundations and granting agencies to provide unrestricted funds to cover some of its annual operating expenses.

In the former area, the society has recently received grants from the William Bingham Foundation, the Betterment Fund and The Bingham Trust for the research, writing and publication of a formal and comprehensive biography of William Bingham II (1879-1955); from the Davis Family Foundation for facilities upgrades in both the Dr. Moses Mason House and the O’Neil Robinson House; and from Franklin Savings Bank for the purchase of metal shelving for the second floor collections workroom at the Robinson House.

In 2011, supporters of the society’s “Annual Fund” — which supplies just over 30 percent of the society’s operating income — were joined by the Sunday River Charitable Fund and Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust, both of which provided grants to help sustain the society’s operations.

Founded in 1966, the Bethel Historical Society is western Maine’s largest and most comprehensive historical agency. With more than 1000 members, the society collects, preserves, displays and interprets historically significant artifacts and documents for residents, visitors, students and scholars. For more information, call 824-2908 or 800-824-2910 or visit info@bethelhistorical.org.