Our History

The Village Improvement Association was founded in 1878 "to improve and ornament the Town of Brunswick and to promote the sanitary conditions thereof by united and personal efforts." More specifically, members of the VIA were asked "to take an interest in matters of backyard beauty, cows in the streets, young boys climbing young trees, horses frightened by litter and bad places in the highway."

Almost 150 years later, Brunswick has solved the problem of cows in the streets, frightened horses and “young boys climbing young trees” but the VIA continues to perform a version of the work for which it was originally created.



Dues are still $1.00 a year. Membership fees and gifts, for instance, enabled the VIA to rid Maine Street of plastic decorations at Christmas and, every year since 1996, to decorate the same Maine Street with petunias.



Also, the VIA paid for the design and construction of the Gazebo as well as the plantings surrounding it (at the South end of the lower Mall) in the 1980’s using wood from the Bowdoin Pines. It financed the construction of the walled reading garden that ornaments the public library. The VIA is also responsible for the mahogany benches and chairs with which the garden is furnished and the rhododendrons with which it is planted.



More recently, starting in 2010, the VIA has awarded cash prizes to window boxes and floral decorations that enhance Brunswick businesses. Furthermore, the VIA is responsible for the trees and shrubbery of the new Veterans’ Plaza on the north end of the Lower Mall.



Also, the VIA has contributed to public art projects. The VIA was a donor for the Miles Chapn sculpture, Haven, at the Brunswick Transportation Center; and to the musical sculpture, The River’s Voice by Andreas von Huene of Arrowsic, installed halfway between the First Parish Church and the southern edge of the Lower Mall.