Traveling - Mid Coast Maine

Published in Ed Hitzel's Restaurant Magazine Spring 2006

Mention vacationing in Maine and images of windswept lighthouses, hearty fishermen and plump, juicy lobsters invariably spring to mind. Those journeying along the Mid Coast of Maine, though, will find much more than rugged seafarers and fresh seafood. Art, outdoor activities, historical sites and natural beauty abound in this stunning coastal region.

Exiting off Interstate 95 to Route 1, one of the first Mid Coast towns encountered is the village of Wiscasset. Dubbed “the prettiest village in Maine” and filled with stately Federal and Georgian-style homes, Wiscasset teems with tourists from spring until mid-fall.

Along with its elegance, several sites draw travelers to Wiscasset. Two majestic sea captains’ houses, the Nickels-Sortwell House (207-882-6218) at 121 Main Street and Castle Tucker House (207-883-7169) on Lee and High Streets offer glimpses into the lives of Maine seafarers. At the 1852 home of sea captains Henry and George Wood joyful music fills the air. Now called the Musical Wonder House, the captains’ former mansion at 18 High Street holds a vast collection of refurbished antique music boxes and player pianos. Guided tours and demonstrations are available. (800-336-3725)

At the 1811 Old Lincoln County Jail and Museum (207-882-6817) on Federal Street visitors step back into the 19th century to experience the desperate lives of prisoners in this former state penitentiary. The jail remained in operation until 1954 and has not been altered since that time. Graffiti from 150 years ago still decorates the thick, stone cell walls.

What lures many to Wiscasset is not its history but a small, unimposing lobster shack specializing in lobster and mayonnaise on toasted hot dog buns a/k/a lobster rolls. In business since 1938 and once featured on the Travel Channel as well as CBS’s Sunday Morning, Red’s Eats sells fresh lobster rolls, fried clams, haddock sandwiches and drinks. On any given afternoon customers line up along Main Street, standing in the hot sun for up to an hour to order one of Red’s fast food treats.

A quicker, tasty alternative sits across the street in yet another small, weathered shack adjacent to the Wiscasset Bridge. Sprague’s makes delectable lobster rolls, along with chicken fingers, clam fritters, fresh cut fries and lobster dinners. Picnic tables and waterfront views are plentiful.

Moderately priced lodging in Wiscasset can be found at the Wiscasset Motor Lodge (800-732-8168). For more upscale accommodations, consider either the seven-room, Fodor’s rated Snow Squall Inn (207-882-6892) or the two-room Marston House Bed and Breakfast (207-882-6010). All are located on Route 1.

Seven miles north of Wiscasset the picturesque town of Damariscotta rises up from the grassy banks of the Damariscotta River. This bustling, onetime clipper ship-building community of 2,000 possesses a plethora of historic buildings and shops. Some of the more notable stores include the diversely and well stocked Maine Coast Book Shop, the department store R. H. Reny, and the environmentally-friendly Green Store, all situated along Main Street.

Those looking for unique souvenirs will want to bypass the t-shirt and tchotchke shops and instead pop into Sheepscot River Pottery at 34 Main Street or into Damariscotta Pottery on Courtyard Street. Local artisans handcraft the functional porcelain and majolica pottery carried at these galleries.

In addition to beautiful views and abundant stores Damariscotta provides a host of activities for nature lovers. At the Dodge Point Preserve (207-289-3061) on River Road sun worshippers and hikers share 506 acres of pebble beaches and shore and inland trails along the Damariscotta River.

Walkers and history buffs will appreciate the three-mile Salt Bay Heritage Trail. The trail traverses the Salt Bay Preserve (207-563-1393) and detours into Glidden Midden’s, a Native American feasting ground bordering the Damariscotta River. The mounds of ancient oyster shells at Glidden Midden’s date back 2,400 years and are the remnants of the summer oyster feasts held on the riverbank for 1,500 years. The site is on the National Register of Historic Places.

More adventurous outdoorsmen will want to drop by Sea Spirit Adventures (207-563-5732) on Schooner Landing, Main Street. Here experienced kayakers can rent or purchase kayaks and then glide off through the blue-green waters of the Damariscotta River to view osprey, loons, herons, seals and eagles. Lessons and a variety of guided tours, including sunset, night, and gourmet lunch tours, are also provided.

Damariscotta dishes out an assortment of delightful restaurants, including the casual, moderately priced Salt Bay Cafe (207-563-3302) at 88 Main Street and the seafood-oriented Damariscotta River Grille (207-563-2992) facing the river at 155 Main Street. The Backstreet Restaurant (207-563-5666) at 17 Elm Street whips up such delicious entrees as Worcestershire-glazed steaks and grilled rare tuna with roasted pepper-tarragon butter.

Those wishing to spend the night should check out the Oak Gables Bed and Breakfast (800-335-7748), a secluded, 11-acre estate on the bank of the Damariscotta River, or the Pioneer Motel (207-882-9281) on Route 1.

The seaside hamlet of New Harbor, 12 miles north of Damariscotta, is home to one of Maine’s most photographed sites, the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Commissioned in 1826 by John Quincy Adams, the lighthouse sits atop a craggy, granite cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the islands in the Gulf of Maine. Now automated, the lighthouse and its tower are open to the public and contain a small but fascinating museum devoted to the lives of local fishermen. Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is featured on Maine’s commemorative state quarter, an honor noted in the museum’s collection.

A ten minute’s drive from the lighthouse on Snowball Hill Road, Colonial Pemaquid and Fort William Henry State Historic Site (207-677-2423) rests on settlement land dating back to the 1620’s. Pirates burned the first fort located along Pemaquid Harbor. The French and Indians destroyed the second in 1689. The current fort tower and outer walls have their origins in the 1730’s and were reconstructed in 1908.

In addition to the fort tower and walls Colonial Pemaquid possesses an 18th century fort house and cemetery. It also has a state-run museum on its grounds with artifacts from the “Lost City,” a settlement that may pre-date Plymouth. Over 40,000 objects have been unearthed here since the 1960’s. Visitors may walk through the excavation site, which contains the foundations of 14 buildings, and observe archeologists hard at work, searching for further evidence of the ancient community.

After touring the fort, fans of the beach will want to stop at the neighboring Pemaquid Beach Park. Mid coast Maine’s only sand beach, Pemaquid Beach is tucked away in a cove overlooking John’s Bay, up the street from Colonial Pemaquid.

In the center of New Harbor stands one of the region’s many artists’ cooperatives. The red, three-story building of the Pemaquid Craft Co-Op (207-677-2077) displays jewelry, needlework, prints and photographs by the co-op’s 50 members. Within walking distance to the lighthouse The Saltwater Artist Gallery (207-667-2490) at 3056 Bristol Road showcases paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glassware and jewelry by Maine artists.

Across from The Saltwater Artist Gallery sits the 19th century Bradley Inn (800-942-5560). Built as a gift for Captain H.C. Bradley’s wife, the inn offers both fine dining and accommodations in 16 guestrooms. Open to the public, the acclaimed restaurant serves such Maine favorites as Pemaquid oysters, lobster, house-smoked salmon and blackberry shortcake. Reservations are recommended.

Down the street from the Bradley Inn, the Seagull Shop (207-677-2374) doles out comfort food and spectacular ocean views. Situated atop the cliffs and adjacent to the lighthouse, the Seagull serves breakfast, lunch and occasional dinners.

At a family-owned lobster pound, Muscongus Bay Lobster Co. (207-529-2251) in nearby Round Pound, fresh lobsters, clams, crabs, and oysters are cooked to order and served on the weathered pier overlooking Round Pound Harbor. Picnic table seating is provided. Diners must bring their own drinks, sides, and desserts.

Fine food and breathtaking vistas can also be found 10 miles out to sea on the rocky, sparsely populated Monhegan Island. A 700-acre island renowned for its wild, rugged beauty and the absence of cars or roads, Monhegan has acted as an artist’s haven since the 19th century. Its towering ocean cliffs, 1824 lighthouse, busy harbor and wildlife have been captured on canvas by such American painters as Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, and N.C., Andrew, and James Wyeth.

Day-trippers to Monhegan often hike along the Headlands, 17 miles of trails with some of the tallest ocean cliffs along Maine’s coast. Some poke around the fish houses where island lobstermen store their gear. Others opt for bird watching at Lobster Cover where shore birds alight upon a1946 shipwreck, the D. T. Sheridan, rusting away on the jagged, southern shoreline. Animal lovers frequently take a cruise around the island where harbor seals sunbathe along the outcroppings at half-tide. Art aficionados may spend hours perusing the many artists’ studios and purchasing the works on display.

Although Monhegan only has 60-some year-round residents, it attracts enough tourists to support several quaint hotels, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants. The 1907 Island Inn (207-596-0371) sits atop a bluff overlooking the harbor. Depicted in innumerable paintings and photos of Monhegan, the inn has 34 lovely but pricey rooms and a full-service restaurant. In the center of the village the 33-room Monhegan House (207-594-7983) dates back to the 1870’s and offers views of the ocean, meadow, and lighthouse. Its restaurant is also open to the public for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Ferries to Monhegan can be obtained from Hardy Boat (800-278-3346) in New Harbor, Balmy Day Cruises (207-633-2284) in Boothbay Harbor, and Monhegan Boat Line (207-372-8848) in Port Clyde.

If a day on Monhegan sparks an interest in art and the Wyeth family, then an afternoon in Rockland at the Farnsworth Art Museum and Wyeth Center (207-596-6457) on Museum Street is a must. The main building of the Farnsworth exhibits 18th to 20th century American artists spanning the likes of Gilbert Stuart and Thomas Eakins to Louise Nevelson and Alex Katz. Across from the main museum complex the Wyeth Center, a remodeled 1890’s church, displays the works of three generations of Wyeths. The Center focuses on the art of illustrator N.C. Wyeth and his grandson James but also highlights various periods of Andrew Wyeth’s long, prolific career.

The Farnsworth owns two other historic buildings, the Greek Revival home of the museum’s namesake, the Farnsworth Homestead, and the Olsen House. The latter is the isolated, 1700’s, saltwater farmstead featured in Andrew Wyeth’s “Christina’s World.” Admission to both houses is available through the Farnsworth.

The final stop on this coastal journey is the quiet town of Thomaston. Situated on Route 1, Thomaston possesses a very unique, well-secured gift shop, the Maine State Prison Showroom (207-354-9237). Run by inmates and overseen by armed prison guards, the spacious store sells marvelous goods created in the prison’s woodshop. Items range from simple cutting boards and children toys to ornate bureaus and lamps.

As a drive along the Mid Coast proves, Maine is not merely a land of lobsters and lighthouses. Art enthusiasts, history fans, ardent shoppers and nature lovers will find much to enjoy on the Mid Coast of Maine.