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A new nonprofit organization is seeking to preserve the future of three local newspapers in Down East Maine.

The Acadia Newspaper Trust is looking to raise $1 million to transition The Ellsworth American, the Mount Desert Islander and the Bangor Historian from private to nonprofit stewardship. The money will be used to purchase the papers and cover initial operating costs, according to a news release from the trust on Wednesday.

“We want to make sure these newspapers remain firmly rooted in the communities they serve for generations to come,” Chris Crockett, the newspapers’ publisher, said in a statement. “Local journalism is facing enormous economic pressures, and this effort is about building a sustainable future while preserving what has always defined our newspapers: local ownership, local voices and a commitment to the communities we serve.”

The Ellsworth American was founded in 1851 and the Mount Desert Islander in 2001. The Bangor Historian, a weekly publication focused on the region’s history, was launched by The Ellsworth American earlier this year.

“A community newspaper is one of a town’s most important institutions,” said Alan Baker, former publisher and owner of The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander. “Its responsibility is to inform, to hold government accountable, and to tell the stories that define who we are.

“The creation of Acadia Newspaper Trust is an investment in that mission, assuring these newspapers will continue serving their communities with independence and integrity for future generations.”

The trust is aiming to acquire the publications by next summer.