AUGUSTA — The Kennebec Historical Society has received a $2,000 Community Grant from the Maine Bicentennial Commission for projects that honor and celebrate Maine’s 200th anniversary as a state, according to a news release from Scott Wood, KHS administrative director.

The society will use the money to extend honorary bicentennial memberships to the Maine Legislature, supplement the purchase of new software to replace the current membership and collection databases, and to augment the KHS schedule of lectures that celebrate Maine and its rich history. The society would be unable to pursue these projects if it were not funded in part by the grant from the bicentennial commission.

The idea of offering honorary bicentennial memberships to all members of the Legislature was a suggestion by KHS Membership Committee Co-chairman Glenn Adams as a way for KHS to celebrate, reflect on the state’s past and future, and reach out to friends and neighbors in the spirit of optimism and pride. Legislators have been invited to visit the historic 1836 headquarters and to familiarize themselves with the KHS holdings. The complimentary memberships are effective until the end of 2021, the 130th anniversary of the society’s founding.

Kennebec Historical Society logo. Image courtesy of Kennebec Historical Society

After exploring conversion of its complicated collection and membership databases (currently in Access) to a commercially produced, user-friendly software program called PastPerfect, the society decided to buy and install it. Designed by museum professionals, PastPerfect software combines the ability to catalog collections with the ability to manage relationships with members and donors.

The software is used by more than 11,000 collecting institutions nationwide. More than 60 museums and historical societies in Maine use the software, including the Maine Historical Society, the Waterville Historical Society, and the Vassalboro Historical Society. Using PastPerfect, volunteers will be able to digitize, catalog, and provide more clarity about records of the lives of those who lived in Kennebec County.

As for the lectures, in the days leading up to the March 15 anniversary of Maine statehood, KHS was co-host of a Kennebec County Trivia Night with Cushnoc Brewing in Augusta and had several lectures planned. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, however, the March and April programs were postponed and are expected to be rescheduled.

In a recent letter to grant recipients, the Maine Bicentennial Commission chairman Sen. Bill Diamond recognized that many bicentennial events and programs must be postponed but said he hopes the funding would be used for such events when it becomes safe to do so.