Winthrop Maine Historical Society Board of Directors gather from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11, to celebrate the acquisition of Key Bank on Main Street in Winthrop for the future Winthrop History and Heritage Center.

For more than 10 years the society has been investigating and working to find a home for the many items that overtime have been donated to the society. In 2019, the Board of Directors began in earnest the task of actually finding a suitable home in downtown, according to a news release from Mary Richards of Winthrop.

The ultimate goal was to acquire a building within walking distance to Winthrop Grade School which would provide high visibility to the community and be in the center of town. Many possibilities arose but the Building Committee finally looked at three locations on Main Street and one location off Main Street. The committee finally keyed in on the Key Bank Building at 107 Main St. Thus the work of funding the purchase began.

A committee of five board members was established and a plan was formulated. The committee reached out to local businesses and financial institutions and a Gofundme page was implemented. The donations began to flow in and the committee. Key Bank and the Building Committee negotiations began with the help of Eben Thomas at Thomas Agency and Mary Denison of Lake and Denison. On Feb. 9 the actual acquisition was complete.

Renovations and some repairs are needed to accommodate public use of the Winthrop History and Heritage Center. Two vaults are available for safekeeping of the extensive collection of historical items but appropriate spaces are needed for displays, a gift shop and room for large scale functions.

To attend, the Zoom link is https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/81096636540. Meeting ID is 810 9663 6540.

For more information, contact Nick Perry at the Bailey Library at nperry@baileylibrary.org.