BETHEL – Barn Again! Celebrating an American Icon, a Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition, opened officially Aug. 19 with a brief ceremony hosted by Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Stanley R. Howe. The exhibit is on view until Oct. 22.

Howe thanked the Maine Humanities Council and the Smithsonian Institution and all the sponsors for making this exhibit available to the Bethel Historical Society as one of only three sites in Maine. This exhibition is the first time a Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit has been presented in Maine and Bethel is the final site in the state.

Howe acknowledged the presence of Diane Jackson, representing US Sen. Olypia Snowe, Sarah McCarthy of US Sen. Susan Collins’ Lewiston office, and Cathy Newell, Rep. Michael Michaud’s representative, at the opening and a former society president. He also praised Executive Director Dorothy Schwartz and the Office and Grants Manager of the Maine Humanities Council, Trudy Hickey, for all their help in making the exhibit’s arrival in Bethel a reality.

Two staff members, Randall Bennett, assistant director and Curator of Collections, and Danna Nickerson, office secretary and assistant treasurer, were congratulated for all their work in setting up the exhibit.

The exhibit, which explores the role of a variety of barns in the American past and examines a number of issues facing their future, is housed in the society’s Dr. Moses Mason House Exhibition Hall, which was once a barn built by Dr. Mason in the early years of the 19th century.

The exhibit is open to the public, each day except Monday from 1 to 4 p.m. through Oct. 22. The exhibit also includes wall panels highlighting the history of Maine barns, plus displays of farm implements from the society’s collection. There are also photos relating to the history of Dr. Mason’s barn from the 19th century until the present.

The exhibit is free and anyone interested is invited to visit. There will also be a number of other programming opportunities planned during the time the exhibit will be in Bethel. On Sept. 8, Christi Mitchell of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, will make a presentation on Maine barns. A barn tour followed by a barn dance will be held on Sept. 17. On Oct. 8, a special program featuring Maine Humorist Norbert Twichell preceded by a harvest supper at Alder River Grange.

Bill Bunting will make a special presentation on work on Maine farms at Pleasant Valley Grange in West Bethel on Oct. 13. On the last day of the exhibit, Oct. 22, Project Scholar Donald Cyr will discuss Aroostook barns.

For more information about the society and its activities, call 207-824-2908 or 800-824-2910 or email: [email protected]. Additional information can also be obtained by checking its Website: www.bethelhistorical.org. The mailing address is P.O. Box 12, Bethel, ME 04217-0012.