Join us at the Southwest Harbor Public Library on Tuesday, June 25th at 5:30 p.m. for “A History of Housing with Thoughts for the Future” with speakers Raney Bench from the Mount Desert Island Historical Society, and Susanne Paul and Noel Musson with the MDI Housing Solutions Initiative. The program is offered in-person and online via Zoom. Registration encouraged.

Our history sheds light on how housing has kept pace with population growth and what changes brought about the current crises. Knowing the facts from our past adds context to the debates taking place today and provides models for community decision-making. Learn more about development and community growth over the past two centuries and explore how island residents and visitors resolved challenges in the past, followed by a conversation about our community values and how we can come together to solve problems. This talk is inspired by Eliza Bryant Warrick’s 2024 “Chebacco” article, “The Influence of the Seasonal Economy on Mount Desert Island’s Year-Round Housing Patterns”

The program is a collaboration between the Southwest Harbor Public Library and the MDI Historical Society and co-hosted by Jesup Memorial Library and Northeast Harbor Library.

Raney Bench is the Executive Director of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Native American Studies from Humboldt State University and a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from the University of Nebraska. She lives in Southwest Harbor with her family and several furry companions.

Click here to register to join in-person or online

For questions or for more information, call the Library at 207-244-7065, visit www.swhplibrary.org, or email programs@swhplibrary.org.