BETHEL — After 35 years as executive director of the Bethel Historical Society, Stan Howe will be moving to a different position in the organization.

The society’s board of trustees approved a staff restructuring plan with Howe being associate director and director of education and research. Randall Bennett, who has worked at the society as assistant director and curator of collections since 1986, will become executive director on Jan. 1.

“I’ll be doing a lot of things that I’ve done in the past, but hopefully will have more time for writing,” Howe said.

Howe will continue to communicate with donors, arrange events, write news releases, and edit the society’s quarterly publication, “The Courier.” He will be more involved in historical research activities.

Howe, who has written two books and contributed to several others, said he hopes to work on more books about the area’s history as well as personal memoirs. He is currently writing a biography of William Bingham II, a philanthropist who moved to Bethel in the 1920s and made significant contributions to Gould Academy.

Bennett will assume several of the administrative tasks of the society, including work with the board of trustees, oversight of exhibits, and general management. He will also continue to work as curator of collections.

Howe grew up on a farm in Bethel and attended Gould Academy. He received a master’s degree in American history from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D in Canadian history from the University of Maine. He has served as a trustee or consultant for several organizations, including the Maine Historical Society, American Association of Museums, and Maine Preservation.

Howe said he originally intended to be a teacher or professor, and returned to Bethel while working on his Ph.D dissertation. He said that in 1974, he was offered a curator-director position at the Moses Mason House, which was opening to the public that year. He accepted the position, intending to only serve for about a year.

“Thirty-five years later, I’m still here,” he said.

Howe said that the society, which was founded in 1966, had about 50 members when he joined the organization and that membership has grown to more than 1,200. The society has also hired three additional staffers, purchased the neighboring O’Neil Robinson House, established a research library, and hosted several events.

“It really became an interesting career, and I don’t regret taking this path,” he said. “It’s really been an incredible time, and I look forward to more adventures here in a different role.”

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Stan Howe, executive director of the Bethel Historical Society, will be stepping down as of Jan. 1 to take on other responsibilities with the organization and devote more time to writing.