The Maine Acadian Heritage Council is a regional organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Acadian culture, language, and history throughout Northern Maine’s St. John Valley. Its members include representatives of: all the municipalities, chambers of commerce, historical and cultural societies, and sponsors of the Upper St. John Valley. It also includes a representative of: the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, the University of Maine System, Congressman Bruce Poliquin, and Senators Susan Collins and Angus King.

President - Lise Pelletier, Acadian Archives acadienne

Vice President - Ken Theriault, Town of Madawaska

Secretary - Susan Tardie, Greater Area Fort Kent Chamber

Treasurer - Anne Roy, Héritage Vivant Van Buren

Lois Muller - Greater Madawaska Chamber of Commerce

Marilyn McBreairty - Allagash Historical Society

Lisa Michaud - Centre Franco Américain UMO

Alice Carpenter - Frenchville Historical Society

Anne Roy - Le CLub Français

Percy Thibeault  - Town of Frenchville

Don Raymond -  Town of New Canada

Pat Lyons - Town of Portage Lake

Don Cyr - Assoc. culturelle et historique du Mont Carmel

Nancy Troeger - Van Buren Area Chamber of Commerce

Gerald Soucy - Grand Isle Area Historical Society

Terry Ouellette - Ste Agathe Historical Society

Marilyn McBreairty - Allasha Historical Society

Jim Thibodeau - Ft. Kent Historical Society

Paul Vaillancourt - Acadian Village L'Héritage Vivant

Maine Acadian Heritage Council History

Ex- Officio Members

Maine Acadian Heritage Coucil

Conseil d'héritage

acadien du Maine

Board of Directors

What We Do

Who We Are

In 1990, the United States Congress passed the Maine Acadian Culture Preservation Act establishing a role for the National Park Service to recognize the important contribution to American culture and history by the Acadians in Maine.  In 1991, the Maine Acadian Culture Preservation Commission, led by Senators George Mitchell and Bill Cohen, and Maine Speaker of the House John Martin, was developed to provide advice on the selection of sites for interpretation and preservation.  In 1997, the National Park Service implemented the Maine Acadian Heritage Council as an umbrella organization coordinating the regional network of partnerships by which Maine Acadian culture is to be preserved and interpreted.
Since 1998, the MAHC has been fortunate to receive financial support from the National Park Service (NPS) on an annual basis, allowing the people of the St. John Valley to continue their work in preserving and promoting the Maine Acadian culture and its historic treasures. 

MAHC, in partnership with the National Park Service, annually provides the following grant opportunities to qualified groups or individuals: Preservation funds are used to preserve and protect historic buildings, documents, and objects; Trail Guide funds are used to hire and train employees as guides at local historic sites and museums; Speakers and Performers funds are used for experts in specific fields related to Acadian culture; Educational Resources funds are used for the study of Acadian history and culture, for the purchase of teaching materials, and for special projects.

MAHC has also sponsored the following eight publications: St. John Valley Welcome Guide (1999); St. John Valley Cultural Directory (2000); Traditions d’icitte (2002);Heritage Sites of the St. John Valley (2007); Voici theValley Cultureway (2007); Revue de la Société historique du Madawaska (2008);The Land In Between (2009); Destination Madawaska (2009).

Darlene Coltart - Madawaska Historical Society

​Betty Dumond - Portage Historical Society

Gene Perreault - St. Francis Historical Society

Trisha House - Senator Susan Collins Rep.

Dr. Paul Buck - UMFK

Sharon Campbell - Senator Angus King Rep.

Barbara Hayslett - Congressman Jared Golden

Dan Nicolas - Maliseet Nation of Viger

Meg Scheid - National Park Service

Scott Thompson - Aroostook State Park

​Betty Dumond - Portage Historical Society

Wayne LeBrun - St. Francis Historical Society