The Campobello Library was founded in 1887 by Kate Gannet Wells and Mary Otis Porter, originally from Boston, who opened their homes as a library to island residents and summer visitors alike. The library building was built with money raised from private subscriptions and opened in 1898. A second room was added in 1899, and a third – the children’s room – in 1967.

The library was incorporated in 1916 and included Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) as a founding member. FDR remained a member until his death in 1945. In 1946 the National Sites and Monuments Association of Canada erected a cenotaph in memory of FDR. His wife Eleanor and their son James dedicated the cenotaph at a ceremony later that year.

The Campobello Island Museum was started in 1971 by a group of islanders concerned about preserving their heritage, and artifacts collected were moved into the second room of the library, where they remain to date.

Over the years, islanders as well as summer residents, donated items to the Museum, growing the collections. These include the Admiral Owen Collection, the Tomah Joseph Passamaquoddy Indigenous Collection as well as items related to Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR). Other artifacts highlight historical events such as the Fenian Raid, the Campobello Company Hotels, the fishing industry, boat building and sail making, and the Quoddy Dam Project as envisioned by Dexter P. Cooper and supported by FDR. The Museum is also home to island genealogical records and photographs. A collection of artifacts dedicated to local history spans the period from the first native occupants who brought us weir fishing, to iconic characters such as Benedict Arnold, various pirates, and rum runners, and the island’s own militia to protect against the Fenian raids.

The Museum offers guided tours and admission is free. The Museum operates from donations, small grants, and help from many volunteers.