Bridgton Historical Society [iPad]

Explore the historic landscape of Pondicherry Park, 66 mostly wooded acres in the middle of downtown Bridgton, and learn about other historic sites in town with this app. In the park, by observing the way trees and other plants grow, as well as paths, stone walls, and other man-made features, you’ll learn to understand how human activity helped shape the landscape. The app contains audio, written text, and current and historic images. It will be updated to include other sites, including Bridgton Historical Society’s Museum and Archives, and “Narramissic,” the Peabody-Fitch Farm in South Bridgton.

The Bridgton Historical Society encourages an appreciation and understanding of the events, customs, and traditions of the Bridgton community by collecting and preserving historically significant material and making it available through programs, publications, and exhibitions. We operate and maintain a museum and archive downtown and “Narramissic,” the Peabody-Fitch Farm in South Bridgton. We provide research facilities and assistance, advocate for preservation, and consult with town officials and other interested parties on matters that effect the town’s identity and sense of place.

The museum and archives, located on Gibbs Ave. in the old firehouse (look for the white building with a tower in back), contains two large exhibition galleries and a research facility. Highlights include an extensive exhibit of material from the Bridgton & Saco River narrow-gauge railroad, a 1909 Sears Automobile, a spectacular paint-decorated sleigh, as well as early maps, fine art, photographs, and memorabilia from over two centuries of Bridgton history.

Narramissic sits on a 25-acre property in South Bridgton with spectacular views of western Maine and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The farm includes a house, barn, carriage shed and working blacksmith shop, and functions as a historic house museum as well as a venue for workshops, educational programs, and other events that emphasize early American life and crafts. Both the museum and Narramissic are open seasonally on a regular schedule, and the museum is open year-round by appointment. The Narramissic grounds are open year-round from dawn to dusk.