Capital Campaign

The Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage located in Union on the Union Fairgrounds, has launched a Capital Campaign to raise funds for a new building. The new building will house the Moxie Bottle Stand.

The Museum, organized in 1965, houses thousands or artifacts relating to Maine culture and heritage since colonial times. The Moxie Bottle Stand reflects a true Maine tradition and local history. The inventor of Moxie, Dr. Augustin Thompson, was born in Union.

The Moxie Bottle Stand was built in 1906 as an advertising display for use by the Company for food expositions around the country. After several years of use it found a permanent home at the Pine Island Park in Manchester, New Hampshire being utilized as a refreshment stand. It was later sold, moved and became a summer cottage, on the pond across the park, with several additions. In 1999 it was purchased to save it from destruction. It was the only remaining bottle stand of three built for the purpose. Funds were collected by the New England Moxie Congress and given to the Museum for its purchase. It has since been in storage.

The Moxie Bottle Stand is 32 feet tall and has a diameter of 10 feet at the base. The Museum is unable to display the bottle stand without a special structure. The proposed building will permit display and allow for the largest public Moxie memorabilia display in the country. The Moxie collection is currently displayed in a corner of the Museum's main building. Current estimates for the structure exceed $80,000 and local phase has raised over $45,000 as of November, 2006.

Anyone contributing $50 or more will receive, by mail, a special edition embroidered patch especially made for this campaign. All contributors of more than $100 will be permanently posted in the new building for recognition, as well. Any contribution of $25,000 or more will permit the individual or company to name the building.

Matthews Museum is a tax exempt organization and all contributions will be appropriately recognized when the building is completed. The Museum is also eligible for matching gift status in most corporations. Additional information is available by writing to the Matthews Museum at P.O. Box 582, Union, ME 04862 or by email to George Gross.

Contributions may be mailed to the above address payable to the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage. Giving levels are as follows: $1000 Benefactor; $500 Supporter; $250 Contributor; $100 Donor; and $50 Donation. See Donation Form where you can print out the form and mail it. No Donation is too small and all contributions are tax deductible. Or you may want to purchase a Moxie related item, the museum is tax exempt since the museum is a 501(c)(3). See Moxie Bottle Stand and Moxie related Merchandise..

All donations should be mailed to: Matthews Museum, Box 592, Union, ME 04862.