Kingfield, Maine is the home of The Stanley Museum, dedicated to preserving the Stanley family history of art, photography, and steam car automobiles.

The building was originally designed in 1903 by the Kingfield-born identical twin brothers Francis Edgar and Freelan Oscar, and was known as the Stanley School through 1980. Later, when the aging school faced demolition, the townspeople with eventual founder and first director Sue Davis, organized to save the building. Raymond Stanley, son of Francis Edgar, became an ardent member friend and supporter, donating his family collection of photos, artifacts, and papers, as well as his great personal knowledge. More museum backers and steam car owners joined in, membership grew, and the museum's first newsletter was printed in 1983.

The Stanley family achievements include portraitures, the brothers dry-plate formula for photography, and of course the Stanly steam automobile, known for its power and reliability. In 1899, Mr. and Mrs. F.O. Stanley made the first automobile ascent of Mt. Washington. More than 10,000- to 11,000 cars would later be produced under the Stanley name, through 1924. Violins also figure prominently in Stanley history. with the twins lifelong interest in music and wood carving. When the steam car business ended in 1924, surviving twin Freelan joined nephew Carlton Stanley in violin making until his death in 1940; Carlton carried on until 1954. The twins sister Chansonetta, with her own innate artistic abilities, learned photography from her brothers, and her enduring images and hand-colored glass plate slides captured the rural scenes that were beginning to disappear. And Chansonetta's daughter Dorothy, the twins niece, became a highly regarded painter with her own passion for vanishing country life.

The Stanley Museum is committed to preserving the Stanley family achievements and vision. We are located at 40 School St. in Kingfield, ME 04947. 207-265-2729

Our hours:  April – May (Tuesday - Friday 11-4) and June – October (Tuesday - Sunday 11-4), and November - December, (Tuesday - Friday 11- 4).  https://www.stanleymuseum.org/