BETHEL  —  A replica of an office/library that belonged to Dr. Moses Mason (1789-1866) is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Randy Bennett said he hopes the project is finished by the Fourth of July.

The building is called the “Twitchell Educational Center.”

Bennett said the building will be open before and after the Portland Brass Quintet concert, which is on Thursday, July 4 from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Twitchell family have a long line of family that have lived in the area. The family played a major role in helping settle Bethel. In the mid 1770s, they constructed the first sawmill and gristmill in the area.

The project was inspired by an 1874 stereo photograph, which showed where location of the building once was. The historical society was aware that a building once stood there, but was never sure of the exact location.

The photograph showed the house being between the Robinson House and the Moses Mason House. The photograph also gave the historical society a good idea of what the dimensions of the building were.

Scott Campbell of Maine Mountain Post and Beam in Fryeburg built much of the replica and provided all the authentic timber frame toward the project. Once Campbell finished his framework, longtime carpenter Dan Gibbs took the over the remainder of the work.

As an education center, the building will be used for children’s activities, workshops, lectures, demonstrations and other programs, according to Bennett.

According to the Historical Society, Mason was one of Bethel’s most renowned citizens. The office/library belonged to Mason for 36 years. Mason worked as a businessman and physician and served in many offices of public trust, including two terms as a United States Representative to Congress from Maine.

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