Bowdoin College
Library / George J. Mitchell Dept. of Special Collections & Archives

The Medical School of Maine, 1820-1920

Just months after Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820, the Medical School of Maine was established at Bowdoin College to provide for health care in the new state.
During its 100 years of existence, the school educated physicians who not only served the state but also practiced medicine across the world. This exhibition celebrates the bicentennial of Maine’s first medical educational institution, while also considering its demise in 1920 and issues of health care accessibility and affordability that linger today.
Establishment of the Medical School of Maine
The Faculty & Curriculum of the Medical School
Medical Students
Tools of the Trade
Demise of the Medical School of Maine
Bowdoin and the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Dr. John Hubbard & His Medical Library

A Note on Sources: The materials in Bowdoin’s historical collections routinely reflect dominant perspectives due to historical collecting practices. It is the work of scholars, librarians, and archivists to build representative collections and to read through the absences to build a broader understanding of our history. Documents from the College Archives reflect the fact that Bowdoin College was an all-male institution until 1971 with predominately white students, faculty, and administration. 

This exhibition draws on the rare book, manuscript, and archival collections of the George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library and was curated by Marieke Van Der Steenhoven, Special Collections Education and Outreach Librarian with support from her departmental colleagues.

George J. Mitchell Department of
Special Collection & Archives
Bowdoin College Library
3000 College Station · Brunswick ME 04011-8421
207-725-3288 · Email Us