BETHEL — The Bethel Historical Society will host its annual meeting and lecture Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Howe Exhibit Hall, according to Executive Director Randall Bennett.

Bennett said the annual meeting and lecture is open to the public and will begin at 6:30 p.m., with a potluck supper. Following the supper, the society will elect officers and trustees for 2013-14 and discuss revisions to the society’s bylaws.

“It’s pretty standard stuff we’re doing,” Bennett said. “We’ll be passing out a statement to those who attend summarizing any revisions we’ve made.”

Bennett added that they will not be handing out a Historic Preservation Award as they have in the past.

“We used to do it every year, but we’re going to make this an award that we give out every now and then or on special occasions,” he said.

After officers and trustees are elected, Bennett said Associate Director Stan Howe will give a “general update” on a biography he’s writing on the life of William Bingham II, a summer resident of Bethel from 1911 to 1955.

“Bingham was a well-to-do man who was very generous and assisted numerous causes in the area, including scholarships and the construction of hospitals,” Bennett said. “There have been many articles written about him, but Stan is writing the first biography on his life. Bingham was a very reclusive person, as Stan’s book will make clear.”

Bennett said he has “his fingers crossed that Stan’s book will be ready to put to print by the summer of 2014.”

mdaigle@sunjournal.com