Our History

1970:  First Library established on Swan’s Island 

Wesley Staples and Ed Wheaton filled the small WHFM building at the foot of Lindsay’s Hill, “the Annex,” with over 2,000 books.

Mid-1970s: The “Captain Henry Lee” House

The library moved into the Capt. Henry Lee House (near the ferry terminal). The Swan’s Island Educational Society (SIES) incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.   

1986: SIES created a museum in the Seaside Hall. 

To celebrate the bicentennial of Swan’s Island, SIES set up a museum in the Seaside Hall in Atlantic.  The library expanded its book collections in the Lee House and maintained an antique bedroom upstairs.

1990s: Old Atlantic Schoolhouse to SIES

Minna Geddes, widow of noted playwright Virgil Geddes gifted her home, the Old Atlantic Schoolhouse, to SIES upon her passing. Major renovations transformed the space.

2008: Destroyed by Fire

Swan’s Island woke up on the morning of July 24, 2008 to an unfolding tragedy – a massive fire at the library. Started by a lightning strike, our firefighters contained the blaze, but were unable to save the building. In addition to 10,000 books, the library housed historical records from local quarries, weather data, and ferry logs. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was used as a school from 1903 until 1954.

2010: Groundbreaking for the “New Library” 

Sen. Susan Collins broke ground on August 20, 2010. Funds for the state-of-the-art, $1.2 million building and contents came from insurance monies, the federal Recovery Act, the “Burnt Pages” art auction, several foundations, and an outpouring of support from the Swan’s Island community.

July 2011:  Grand Reopening

2020: 50th Anniversary

As SIES celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Board of Trustees began developing plans for an endowment campaign. The endowment will ensure the future of our remarkable community asset by helping offset major building and operations expenses.

Spring 2022:  Launch of “Paving the Way to the Future”

Community members are invited support our endowment campaign, "Paving the Way to the Future," by purchasing engraved bricks that will replace the gravel path to the internet porch. The endowment will provide dividends to offset major building maintenance and operations expenses. The principal of the endowment will exist in perpetuity, to provide for generations to come.

2024:  Re-envisioning

Interested in expanding our role, the Board of Trustees began to re-imagine how we could better serve the community. Transitioning from a library with programs, we endeavored to become a community center with a library. With the support of an Island Institute Fellow, we began to realize this vision.

2026: Renaming

Recognizing our expanded offerings year-round, the board voted to become known as the Swan’s Island Library & Community Center.