BETHEL – The Bethel Historical Society will hold its 42nd annual meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in the Dr. Moses Mason House meeting room. A 6 p.m. potluck dinner featuring roasted chicken breast will precede the meeting. Those attending the dinner are requested to bring a salad or dessert to share.

Committee reports will be heard as well as the report of the president. Honorary membership certificates will be presented to outstanding volunteers and the recipient of the 2007 Marjorie MacArthur Noll Volunteer Service Award will be announced.

There will also be votes on bylaw and dues structure changes. Any member desiring a copy of the proposed bylaw changes is urged to visit the society office at 10 Broad St. during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

William B. Krohn, Ph.D., USGS Biological Resources, Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Maine in Orono, will be the featured speaker following the annual meeting.

Krohn’s presentation will be on “Joshua Gross Rich (1820-1897): Western Maine Pioneer and Wildlife Writer,” who lived in a number of western Maine communities, including Bethel.

Rich was a prolific writer for local newspapers and hunting/fishing magazines and journals.

The lecture is one of the 2007 series on “Maine Character and Characters” made possible in part by a grant from the Maine Humanities Council.

As part of Bethel Harvestfest, the Bethel Historical Society is offering a tour of approximately a dozen area barns from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15. Tickets for $10 a person will be available from 9 a.m. on at the O’Neil Robinson House, 10 Broad St.

At 5 p.m. there will a roast pork supper at Alder River Grange in East Bethel (adults, $7; children under 12, $3) followed at that Grange Hall by a free lecture at 6:30 p.m. on Maine barns by Christi Mitchell of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

The day will end with an old-time dance ($5 a person) at the Alder River Grange Hall beginning at 8 p.m. with music provided by the Richard Felt Band. Inquiries for further information should be made to the society office at 824-2908 or (800) 824-2910.