BETHEL – A replica of an office/library that belonged to Dr. Moses Mason is getting closer to completion.

The project, which started in early July, was inspired by an 1874 stereo photograph, which revealed the exact location of the building. The Historical Society was aware of a building being in the area, but never knew the exact location until viewing the photograph.

The photograph showed a small building located between the Robinson House and the Moses Mason house. The photograph also gave the society a good idea of the buildings exact height, width and pitch of the roof.

From there, the society hired Scott Campbell of Maine Mountain Post and Beam of Fryeburg to come construct the frame of the building. Campbell and his crew finished the most of the framing in one day. Carpenter Dan Gibbs took over once the framing was finished and began to side the building as well as putting a layer of roof on. Gibbs hopes to return before snowfall to add wooden clapboards to the sides and wooden shingles to the layer of roofing.

Executive Director of the Bethel Historical Society Randy Bennett is getting excited with all the progress being made on the replica.

“Our goal is to make the building look as much like a building from the late 1830s,” Bennett said. It’s pretty rare to bring a building back that disappeared years ago. We’ve returned a building to the historic district that was here for a good part of the nineteenth century.”

The building is believed to have stood there from 1830-1897. Bennett said the last known photograph of the building was in the winter 1896-97.

Other additions to the replica were six windows the society got from the Bethel Library. According to Bennett, the windows are 81-years-old. The windows were the original ones installed in the newest section of the Bethel Library. The newest section was designed by John Calvin Stevens, who is considered one of Maine’s most famous architects.

The original windows were replaced in the library a couple years ago.

The society also added a small window to the front section of the building facing Broad Street. That window, according to Bennett, date backs to the 1880s.

Bennett said the replica will be a “warm weather building.” It will not be insulated and will be in use from mid-May to mid-October.

Two granite steps will be placed at the entryway. Bennett said loam will be spread near the building and lilacs may be planted too.

The replica was opened to the public for view last Saturday.

Bennett said the project should be completely finished by spring of 2019.

The replica of Dr. Masons library. Carpenter Dan Gibbs and his crew were back working on the project on Monday.