BETHEL – An interactive exhibit created by community groups across the Maine Mountain Area are on display at the Bethel Historical Society’s Regional History Center’s Robinson House through Friday, Sept. 26.

Created by the Maine Mountain Heritage Network, the exhibit presents 18 stories and associated images that were submitted by local organizations from across the Maine Mountain Heritage Area (Franklin, Oxford, Piscataquis and Somerset counties and nearby towns).

Story subjects include natural history (moose and riverways), community origins (early immigration and community life), and local economies (logging and slate mining). The history of healing and tourism in Bethel is presented as one of the stories.

The Maine Mountain Heritage Traveling Exhibit is intended to raise awareness and deepen knowledge of the history and natural history of the Maine Mountains region.

Organizations that participated in the creation of the exhibit include Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, the Bethel Historical Society, Center Theatre of Dover-Foxcroft, Jackman-Moose River Chamber of Commerce, Katahdin Cultural Center of Millinocket, Millinocket Area Growth and Investment Council, Maine Mountain Counties of Farmington.

Also, Natural Resource Education Center of Greenville, Northern Forest Center of Bethel, Old Canada Road Scenic Byway of Solon, Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce, Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum, Rangeley Outdoors Sporting Heritage Museum, Skowhegan Heritage Council and the town of Skowhegan.

The exhibit was produced by Mountain Counties Heritage Inc. and designed by Insyt New Media. Funding was provided by the Federal Highway Administration and the Maine Department of Transportation through the National Scenic Byways Program through the Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway.

The exhibit is a project of the Knowledge is Power group of the Maine Mountain Heritage Network. The network is active on several fronts, looking for creative ways to bring new revenues into the mountain region.

Other network projects focus on investment in downtowns, planning for sustainable and productive use of natural resources and the development of innovative business clusters in signature industries.

For more information about the network, go to www.mainemountains.org.

The exhibit is open to the public during regular hours of the museum: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

More information about the society and its activities may be obtained by calling 824-2908 or (800) 824-2910, e-mailing [email protected] or visiting www.bethelhistorical.org.