Alpine plant communities are sensitive to global climate change, which has been predicted to cause increases in woody vegetation, possibly at the expense of herbs. We studied a community in western Maine, comparing the frequency and abundance of alpine plants in 2009 with frequency and abundance recorded in 1976. During the 33 years between surveys, the most common tree became more frequent, and as a result, the frequency of trees as a functional group increased. Shrubs did not become more frequent but did become more abundant, driven by the increasing abundance of two Vaccinium species. Several species provided evidence of strong affinities for the north or south slope of the mountain, but in most cases such evidence was apparent in a species' frequency or its abundance, not both, indicating that different forces regulate dispersal and vegetative growth of alpine plants, which could have implications for understanding responses to changing environmental conditions. Total species richness of the community increased, with the addition of several lower montane herbs. The changes are consistent with predictions and with observations made in tundra communities elsewhere.