Welcome to the
Windham Historical Society
Maine became the 23rd State on March 15,1820.
Windham was originally settled primarily by farmers who came here in the middle of the 1700s. The agricultural lifestyle continued through most of the town’s history until the industrial age. Several wars and many societal changes have created the town we know today which is primarily residential and includes a large commercial center.
Windham Historical Society was organized in 1967 for the purpose of preserving the town’s rich historical past and providing opportunities for members of the public to learn about their heritage.
The Society owns four museum buildings, each of which was an important center for development in Windham.
The Old Town House Museum which was not only the Town’s original Town Hall, but also served as a school for many years, is now the Society’s headquarters building.
The Old Grocery, owned by the Hawkes family for many years, is now on its permanent location on the Society’s Village Green.
A grocery/cobbler shop, it had been a familiar sight at the corner of Windham Center Road and Route 202.The Windham Circulating Library, which is located next to the Old Town House Museum on the Society grounds on Windham Center Road.
The South Windham Library that was moved from the Little Falls section of Gorham onto the Village Green. It will become a museum featuring information about South Windham and the railroad that was once such a big part of the community back in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
We also own a house on the museum property that we are currently renting. We hope to one day make it a part of the Village Green. The Village Green is the Society’s vision for the future. Our plan is to open a Living History Center right in the heart of Windham Center. The Village School, our one-room schoolhouse, is the first building we have completed and it is open to the public by appointment.
Call 207-892-1433 if you’d like to arrange a tour.
Update April 2022: We are happy to announce that with COVID restrictions being lifted, the Windham Historical Society is open for visitation on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Stop by, take a look around, and have some fun with history!
We’ll look forward to seeing you soon.
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Have Fun with History!
schoolhouse
THe VIllage School
Step back in time at The Village School, our one-room schoolhouse on the Village Green. A visit will show you what it was like to be in a 19th century classroom complete with desks, blackboards, and a big wood stove. Old slates and McGuffey Readers are on display as well as information about all the one-room schoolhouses that used to dot the Windham landscape long ago.