Moosehead Lake Region Museums & Historical Tours

When visiting our region, be sure to check out the Moosehead Historical Society & Museums!

Take a trip back in time!

Visitors call us “The best small-town museums in New England.”  The Moosehead Historical Society & Museums offer a surprising breadth of facts, fun, and lore about the lake region’s history and heritage, on two campuses. Travelers are offered guided tours, programs, and events that celebrate this famed North Woods, and a staffed research center with an extensive public archive for the curious at heart.

The Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan Historical House & Museums, 444 Pritham Ave., hold professionally guided docent tours. Also on campus are Moosehead’s Outdoor Heritage and Lumbermen’s Museums. See: www.mooseheadhistory.org. Tours run late June to mid-October. Lumbermen’s Museum is opened year-round.

The Center for Moosehead History

Located at 6 Lakeview St., Greenville. The Center for Moosehead History showcases one of the largest Native American tool exhibits in Maine and tells the stories of Moosehead’s Native American families. It is home to the annual July Thoreau Wabanaki Trail Festival. The Center also houses The Moosehead Lake Aviation Museum, B-52 Crash Exhibition, and the stories about the region’s people, places, and things, past and present.

The Depot

The Depot, with its signature architecture, known as the witches hat, played an important part in the economic and social history of Moosehead Lake. This portion of track, known as the “Short Line,” connected Montreal with the Port of St. John New Brunswick. The Depot was a stop for travelers and celebrities coming to enjoy the vacation amenities of Moosehead Lake, as well as the loggers and woodsmen working the vast forests.The 1889 Victorian Canadian Pacific Depot is undergoing a transformation from the Most Endangered Historical Building to a Community Event Center. It is also listed on the National Register of Historical Buildings. Visit The Depot online!

The B-52 Memorial

In January of 1963, a B-52 bomber crashed during training maneuvers. All but two crew members perished, and those two survivors spent a cold night in blizzard conditions on remote Elephant Mountain before being discovered. The people of Greenville have preserved the site and the wreckage in honor of the men aboard this flight. Each year in January, a group snowmobile ride and a memorial service is held at the site. In the warmer months, this is also a brief, low-impact walk and takes place on a level manicured path. The B-52 Tragedy and Crew Members permanent exhibition is located in The Center for Moosehead History. – a great rainy day activity!

The Steamship “Katahdin” and Moosehead Marine Museum

Travel Moosehead Lake, the largest lake in Maine, and enjoy its natural beauty and history aboard a National Historic Landmark, the steamboat Katahdin. More than any other remaining piece of Moosehead’s history, the ”Kate”, as the boat is lovingly called by the locals, truly reflects the many eras, interests, and businesses of the region’s past and present.

Built in 1914 by the young shipyard Bath Iron Works, the Katahdin was later converted to diesel. Now in her second centennial, she is the final link to a bygone era.

“Kate” once carried livestock, equipment, supplies, passengers and in her later years, she towed log booms as well. She was retired in 1975 and sold to the Moosehead Marine Museum which has spent years devoted to sprucing her back up to her former glory as a living museum.

The “Katahdin” has spacious decks with ample indoor and outdoor seating. Onboard a full galley serves beverages, sandwiches and snacks and the vessel is ADA compliant. Be sure to set aside time to visit the shoreside museum and gift shop. Reservations are only required for special events and special cruises.

You’ll find her berthed right in the center of Greenville where she sails from June through October. While onboard, guests will steam smoothly over the waters of Moosehead Lake as they listen to the Captain narrate the surrounding history and scenery.