Founded:
The Scarborough Historical Society was founded in 1961 to collect, preserve and exhibit items of historical significance to Scarborough and make them available to the public. Many of the town's historic artifacts were being sold or removed, oftentimes out of state, and the Society was determined to reverse this trend.
Mission:
The mission of the Scarborough Historical Society is to inform the community of its history by collecting, preserving, and exhibiting materials associated with its past.
Collections:
Our collections are extensive. There are farming equipment and tools from bygone coopers and cobblers, quilts and clothes from past eras. There are class pictures and other objects from early school days, as well as photographs of people, homes, buildings, and related documents including bibles and family genealogies.
History of the Building:
The Museum building was built in 1911 as a generator house for the Portland Railroad Company. It was one of three buildings on the site to service trolleys. Later it was used by the Dunstan Fire Company. After being vacant for a few years, the building was used by the Police Association. Finally, in 1961 it became the home of the Scarborough Historical Society and Museum. Renovations throughout the years have been carefully planned to maintain the historical character of the building. On March 22, 1961 the Museum building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hours:
Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. to noon; 2nd Saturday each month, 9:00 a.m. to noon; and by appointment