Bridgton has a rich and varied past as a farming community, a center for trade and industry, and, with the coming of the narrow-gauge railroad and the automobile, a destination for thousands of summer visitors. The former fire station on Gibbs Avenue in downtown Bridgton houses the Bridgton Historical Society's Museum collections, archives, and research facilities. Special exhibits change every other year. and programs on Bridgton history and related topics are held throughout the year.