Collections:
The museum's collection focuses on the Revolutionary War, with special emphasis on General Henry Knox and his family; artifacts relating to the history of the Town of Thomaston, especially its seafaring past; and the area's extentive involvement in the Civil War. The Thomaston/Rockland area was the home of the 4th Maine Infantry Regiment and 1st Maine Calvary Regiment that played such pivotal roles in the success of the Union Army.
The museum has an excellent collection of photographs, pictures and drawings of many of the wooden ships made in Thomaston and an extensive collection of photographs depicting the growth and development of the town.
Facilities:
The Thomaston Historical Society is located in a red brick building that is the only remaining structure from the General Henry Knox estate. The structure was built between 1793 and 1795 as one of seven outbuildings of the estate, and was used to house male workers for the farm. When the mansion was razed in 1871, this building was the only to survive.
After the dissolution of the estate the outbuilding saw use as the Thomaston Railroad Station, a role which it fulfilled from 1872 until 1956, when the railroad went out of business.
The station building was gifted to the Thomaston Historical Society in 1972. It was restored to house a meeting room and archives suite on the first floor and a museum and book depository on the second.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Hours:
Summer Hours:
Monday: closed
Tuesday - Thursday: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: closed
Activities:
The Thomaston Historical Society is known for its "home for the Holidays" program, in which certain historically renovated houses are opened up to the public for a few days during the winter holiday season.