In 1889, preacher, professor, and social progressive George W. Hinckley opened the Good Will farm school for needy children, emphasizing faith, education, and work. He also acted upon a childhood dream and created a museum displaying his collections from the natural world. The museum, says Deborah Staber, its director, began with three rocks: a stalactite from a Kentucky cave, a fossil, and a lump of sulphur, all given to Hinckley when he was 8.
Hinckley encouraged donations to his fledgling museum, and the collection grew. Friends, fans, and even the Smithsonian Institute sent gifts such as taxidermy specimens and mineral collections. By 1904, in Hinckley’s own words, the museum owned “225 birds, 40 quadrupeds, and 650 specimens of minerals. Smaller collections illustrate entomology, botany, history, and foreign missions.’’
In 1920, Lewis Carlton Bates, former president of Paris Manufacturing in West Paris, Maine, financed the renovation of a former training center into a museum to house the growing collections. Little has changed since it opened; displays are simple and without technological improvements or enhancements. The result is a quirky collection of curiosities reflecting Hinckley’s fascination with the natural world and the curatorial techniques of the era.
Although Hinckley’s original three rocks were lost to a fire, the collection of rocks, minerals, and gems fills a downstairs room. Another is packed with oceanic treasures, including an 800-pound tuna and Hemingway’s marlin, as well as a claw from a 33-pound lobster. Cultural artifacts are in another room.
