The Madawaska Historical Society was organized and incorporated August 7, 1968. The society was organized to ring together interested citizens in the preservation of the history of the Madawaska Territory and for the 100th birthday of the community of Madawaska, Maine. 
    By 1970 the society had bought a "log cabin" which would serve as its headquarters and was the first museum in the Upper St. John Valley. In 1977 the Society purchased land just east of the St. David Church to serve as its museum grounds and to allow for a space to erect a large white cross which would become known as the "Acadian Landing site" and which would be placed on the National Register of historic places. In 1978 in conjunction with Town officials and the Maine State Legislature, Maine declared June 28 would be recognized as "Acadian Day" in Maine. The first year the Acadian Flag flew over the State Capitol in Augusta. The first Acadian Festival was also held that year, revolving around Acadian Day. 
   Within the next few years the Festival would begin to host reunions of families whose names helped found the Town. Later years would have some of the larger families with Quebecois names also hosting reunions, to celebrate their contributions to the development of the area. 

   Through the years the Society has sponsored many books on local history, and maybe more significantly, has allowed for the "reunion families" to produce volumes of genealogical information, invaluable to researchers. 

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