BETHEL – In this centennial year of the Wright Brothers’ aviation feat at Kitty Hawk, it seems appropriate to take a brief look at the role of the airplane in Bethel’s past from early sightings in the 1920s to the development of airfields at West Bethel (1930s) and Northwest Bethel (1945) to the dedication of the Bethel Regional Airport: Col. Dyke Field (2003).

Bethel Historical Society Director Stanley R. Howe will survey the role of aviation in Bethel’s past in the final lecture of the 2003 series focusing on Maine transportation history on Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Dr. Moses Mason House meeting room, beginning at 7:30 p.m. This series of lectures was made possible in part by a grant from the New Century Community Program and the Maine Humanities Council. There is not admission charge and everyone is welcome.

On Nov. 8, Howe led a workshop at the fall workshop and annual meeting of Maine Archives and Museums at Colby College in Waterville with Marie Curcio, programs coordinator at the Abbe Museum on “Communicating with Your Community: Walking Tours and Other Public Programming.” Howe described ways of making waking tours enjoyable, educational and memorable and Curcio outlined a series of programming elements to raise public awareness of museums and historical societies.

Further information about the society and its activities may be obtained by calling (207) 824-2908 or (800) 824-2910 or e-mailing: [email protected]. The mailing address is P.O. Box 12, Bethel, ME 04217-0012.