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Let Captain D
help you discover Downeast Maine, Acadia National Par
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 IN THE
PAST DECADE, Rockland has become one of Maine’s most
attractive cities. Yahoo picked it as
being among the ten coolest small
cities in the country. Historically, it has been a working man’s town,
Maine’s second major
fishing port. City
fathers still host the Maine Seafood Festival, a major
summertime happening. In recent years, the city has become a Mecca for
artists and intellectuals as well. The Farnsworth Museum, which
has long had an intimate relationship with the Wyeth family, is a
major
draw. On Main Street, the Farnsworth Museum Shop carries prints
of many paintings found in the museum’s extensive collection. A few
blocks away, the Shore Village Museum offers an intriguing
collection of lighthouse-related items and nautical gear.
Just outside of Rockland on Rte 73 is the OWLS HEAD
TRANSPORTATION  MUSEUM.
Housed in a series of multicolored hangers
at the regional airport, the cavernous 65,000-square-foot exhibit space
is filled with an array of vintage automobiles, planes, bicycles, and
motorcycles. Most weekends see special events
in
which special pieces
are brought out for a drive or a flight. For the mechanically
inclined, there is a room called the Engineerium displaying an
impressive collection of internal combustion engines
According to Yahoo, in Rockland "You'll find
just enough
sophistication to balance the saltiness of mid-coast Maine... where
regional mainstays are reinvented every day."
After honing her skills working for Perry Ellis in New York City, Beth
Bowley was lured back to Maine four years ago. "Rockland is filled with
folks who've seen what the world has to offer and want to be here,"
says Bowley, who opened the boutique FourTwelve, which she
stocks with clothing and accessories like Sea Bags, made from recycled
sails.
Down the street at SUZUKI'S SUSHI BAR,
Japanese-born chef Keiko
Suzuki Steinberger infuses freshly caught lobster, shrimp, and crab
with modern Japanese flavors.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation
named Rockland
as one of its 2010 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. The working
waterfront, rich history, world famous festivals and first-class dining
- especially the seafood - were all cited as reasons for the honor. For
the past ten years, the trust has been naming communities across
America that differ from typical vacation destinations. The sites offer
unique Main Streets, compelling architecture, a commitment to
historical preservation, sustainability, revitalization and other
characteristics.
Near Main Street in Rockland look for the Park
Street Grill, Red Jacket Lobster & Seafood, Maine
Lighthouse Museum.
On Main Street, look for Camden National Bank, Brass
Compass
Cafe, Audubon Project Puffin Visitor Center, Pastery
Garden, Planet Toys, Rustica Cuisine Italiana, Rock
City
Books
&
Coffee, Key
Bank, MacGregor, Art
Space Gallery, Doug's Haircuts, Strand Theater, Atlantic
Baking
Co., Harbor Square Gallery, Jewelry By George, C.M.
Pollack
&
Sons, Maine State Ferry
Service, Coastal Communications, United Home Furniture,
Dunkin Donuts, Home Kitchen Cafe, Good
Tern Natural Foods,
CAFE MIRANDA at 15 Oak Street is
"incredibly
cheap and incredibly good," according to"The Insider's Guide to Maine's
Mid-Coast" This eatery, the editors go on, is also "incredibly popular."
The editors of "The Insiders' Guide to Maine's
Mid-Coast" suggest you
try the Lobster Fral-Diavio, the lasagna or any of the paellas or
cioppinos at CONTE'S FISH MARKET RESTAURANT at the Public
Landing. This rustic, memorable and venerable eatery migrated
to
Rockland from New York City, where it had operated since 1894.
According to the editors of "The Insiders' Guide to
Maine's Mid-Coast"
suggest that JESSICA'S EUROPEAN BISTRO at 2 S. Main
Street is
"pretty fancy" for Maine. One mainstay dish, for example, is lobster
ravioli in a sherry, garlic, coriander and terragon sauce. Still, they
continue, prices are reasonable considering the high quality, and there
is considerable variety, some dishes quite inexpensive.
 WASSES HOT DOGS, which
has held sway at 2 N. Main
Street. for more than 30
years, was the start of what might be called a
hot dog empire. Other Wasses Hot Dog stands are on Park Street in
Rockland and in Camden, Belfast, and Thomaston. All of the pre-cooked
hot dogs have natural casings and are fried in peanut oil on the same
grill as the onions. Toppings cost extra, and include your choice of
cheese sauce, chili, bacon and sauerkraut.
Cheryl Gibson, owner of the BLACK PARROT at 328 Main St.,
Rockland, is an artist known for using fleece and fabric in unique
color combinations. The editors of "The Insiders' Guide to Mid-Coast
Maine" said her functional but fashionable clothing is "so cheerful it
makes you smile."
The FARNSWORTH MUSEUM SHOP at 356 Main Street stocks many prints
of paintings in the museum's collection, especially those by the Wyeths.
Leaving Rockland on Route One, you'll come upon a
McDonald's, Bangor Savings Bank, Prompto, Tumarino,
University College at Rockland, Xpress Lube,
Texaco, VIP, Irving, Littlefield
Memorial Baptist Church, Tim Horton's, Pizza Hut, Fuller
Certified, Goodwill, Machias Savings Bank, Store,
China Coast Buffet, Home Depot, Bar
Harbor Bank & Trust, Walmart, Penobscot Bay
Chiropractic, Woodsound Studio, Coastal Medical
Clinic,
Hoyt Eye Care Center, KFC, Nicole's Hair Studio, The
Willow
Bake
Shoppe, Super Shoes,
Club House Grille, Glen
Cove Professional Building, Claddagh Motel, The Ledges,
Maine Coast Eye Care, Island
View Inn, Strawberry Hill Seaside Inn, Glen Cove Inn
& Suites, Dead
River Convenience, Penobscot Bay
Medical Center, Oakland Commons, Cedar Works, Oakland
Seashore
Motel
&
Cottages, Coastal Hobbies, Oakland
Park Bowling, Rockport Professional Building, Downeast
Rehab, Oakland Seashore Cabins, Spruce Ridge Inn, White
Gates
Inn, Down East Enterprises, Megunticook
Campground
By the Sea, Plants, Pen Bay Health Care, Pen Bay
Veterinary Associates, Yankee Clipper, Fresh Off the
Farm Natural Foods, State of Maine Cheese Co., Rockport
Market Place, Chickadee Photography, Crestwood Kitchens,
Dorr Wood Carving & Sign Co., Cody's
Roadhouse, Cottage Consignment, Family Eye Care, 7
Mts.
Motel, Schooner Bay Motor Inn, Fuller Chevrolet,
Look for
the turn to Samoset
SAMOSET
is perhaps Maine's finest golf course; it has been
called Pebble Beach East. There are ocean views from 14 holes. Golf
Digest placed it among the top ten most beautiful courses in the
Country. Marcel's, the fancy restaurant here, has several
specialties, including Salmon roasted on a cedar plank, steak Diane,
and rack of lamb.
 Since 1983, the STATE OF MAINE CHEESE COMPANY
has been hand-crafting fine cheeses using cow's milk from local
farms. Selections
include a mild and sharp Cheddar, plain and flavored Jack
(Monterey), Caerphilly, Colby, Derby, Mozzarella, Gouda, Tomme and
Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curd.
A turn
to the right leads to downtown Rockport.
Rockport is one of Maine's more sophisticated and
attractive small communities. Check out Prism Restaurant &
Gallery, Resource, the Maine
Photographic
Workshop
Store, and Maine Coast Artists Gallery.
 At PRISM RESTAURANT & GALLERY, Chef
Lisa Sojka has created a wonderful blend of casual elegance and
intimate hospitality. Surrounded by peaceful gardens and an airy patio,
guests can leisurely browse the hundreds of colorful blown glass pieces
by over 80 artists, then enjoy world-class cuisine in a surprisingly
familiar atmosphere.
The MAINE PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKSHOP STORE serves
students and
faculty as well as the general public. Here you'll find rare photo and
film books along with more routine postcards and t-shirts.
MAINE COAST ARTISTS is one of the few galleries in the state you
can depend on to present cutting-edge, innovative work.
The SAIL LOFT snuggles close to Rockport
Harbor. The
editors of "The Insiders' Guide to Maine's Mid-Coast" say the food
walks "a delicate balance Between highbrow and down-home". The lobster
is fresh off the dock, and the clam chowder recipe hasn't been changed
in decades. But you'll also find wonderful duckling and sophisticated
pasta dishes.
On Rte 1, L.E. LEONARD is an intriguing import
store full of furniture, decorative accents and jewelry from China,
India, and the Spice Islands.
The HELM on Route One is a pleasant French-American
restaurant and full bar. The editors of "The Insiders' Guide to Maine's
Mid-Coast" recommend the French stew, buillabaisse or Cajun chicken
sandwich.
Back on Rte 1, look for Hoboken Gardens, the Sweet
Sensations Pastry Shop and the 3 Dog Cafe.
A summer home for many wealthy people, Camden has many upscale
shops. Downtown you'll find Maine Gathering/Finest Kind Candles
stocking fine Maine crafts, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Indian baskets,
and dipped chocolates. The Foreside Company sells imported
gifts and household accessories, while Starbird specializes in
American and country decorative accessories.
In downtown Camden, look for Cappy's Chowder House, Atlantica
Gallery & Grille, Voyager
Restaurant, Frogwater Cafe, O'Neil's Wood Fired Restaurant,
Peter Ott's, Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Lobster Roll, French & Brawn, Windward
House, Whitehall Inn,
CAPPY'S CHOWDER HOUSE on Main Street
is heavily decorated with
nautical paraphernalia outside and in.
The ATLANTICA GALLERY & GRILLE at 3
Sharp's Wharf is a
small, intimate restaurant that offers an innovative menu. Try the
seafood puff pastry.Oil lamps, fresh flowers, and views of Camden Harbor
make this place pleasant in the evening. On nice days, check out the
deck.
The FROGWATER CAFE at 27 Elm Street has staked out a
position
midway between fine dining and good ol' burgers.
 FRENCH AND BRAWN
is Camden's only full service grocery store. Featured are custom-cut
meats, a complete deli counter and bakery, fresh produce, beer and fine
wines, daily lunch specials, prepared entree specials, live and cooked
lobsters, off-site catering and daily delivery. Open seven days a week.
O'NEIL'S WOOD FIRED RESTAURANT at 21 Bayview
Street
boasts a real wood-fired brick oven and turns out an incredible lobster
stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat.
PETER OTT'S at 16 Bayview Street, named for an old colonial
tavern,
is one of Camden's most popular restaurants.
At THE WATERFRONT on Bayview St., the emphasis is on seafood
with a Mediterranean slant. The editors of "The Insider's Guide to
Maine's Mid-Coast" recommend the mussels with white sauce, shallots and
butter, or crab cakes with remoulade sauce.
B AYVIEW LOBSTER is a wonderful meeting spot right
on the wharf in
Camden Harbor for dining, relaxing, having fun and enjoying a fantastic
view of one of the finest harbors and bays in the world. Open
seven days a week, Bayview Lobster serves three meals a
day year round. There is a full bar. There is no better experience in
waterfront dining than Bayview Lobster.
MARINER'S on Main Street takes great pride in its
lack of pretension. "Down Home, Down East, No Ferns, No Quiche" boasts
a sign. Mill workers and millionaires find themselves on an equal
footing here. Try the baked stuffed haddock or grilled fish.
ZADDICK'S at 20 Washington Street serves traditional New
York-style,
thick-crust pizza with Mediterranean and Greek toppings., including
artichokes, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
Down East Magazine's readers chose the OWL
AND TURTLE as Maine's best bookstore. Now in two
locations, the Owl and Turtle has been serving Maine bibliophiles
for almost
50 years.
Out on Route One, you'll come to Norumbega and Camden
Hills
State
Park.
NORUMBEGA, now an inn, is a real
castle. This historic architectural landmark sits atop a rise
overlooking Penobscot Bay. Norumbega's unique Victorian characteristics
have attained it as the most photographed structure on the coast of
Maine. Built in 1886, a castle of stone and wood nestled into a
four-acre slope of Mt. Battie; Norumbega offers 10 deluxe rooms and 2
incredible suites.
CAMDEN HILLS STATE PARK
provides 26 miles of hiking trails through
more than 5,000 acres.
Keep going on Route One into Lincolnville Beach. Look
for the Maine State Ferry Terminal, McLaughlin's Lobster
Shack, a U.S. Post Office, Maine Artisans, the Beach
Store, Lobster Pound Restaurant, Jane Alden, Beach
Inspirations, Goose River Exchange, Chez Michel,
the Whale’s Tooth Pub, Beach Cottage Inn,
Lincolnville Family Dentistry, H. Swanson Gallery and Studio,
Windsor Chairmakers, Bayshore Baptist Church,
Ducktrap Decoys, Mike's Align & Repair, Ducktrap
Motel, Roger's Art Gallery, Ducktrap Basket Shop, Painted
Lady
Antiques, Northport Antique Shop, Copper Pine Cafe,
Point Lookout, Maine Coast Animal Rescue, Blue
Dolphin
Antiques, Copper Pine Cafe, Swans Island
Blankets, Findings.
 SALT WATER FARM KITCHEN teaches
cooking classes in an old barn in a farmer’s field overlooking
Penobscot Bay. Highlights include a wood-burning brick oven, an open
hearth, and an outdoor kitchen including a meat and fish smoker. There
is a vegetable garden providing stock for the kitchen. In hands-on
classes, guests are guided through working with local, fresh
ingredients, creating full menus from what is available seasonally.
THE LOBSTER POUND on Rte 1 is
a favorite with both locals
and tourists looking for standard American restaurant fare: roast beef,
ham, steaks, and, especially, lobster.
The atmosphere at CHEZ MICHEL pleasantly casual, light and
airy, upscale enough so you can dress up if you feel like it, but
downhome enough to let you feel unobligated.
The real specialty at the WHALE'S TOOTH PUB on Rte 1 in
Lincolnville Beach is British-style fish and chips served in
newspapers with malt vinegar.
NORTHPORT
Look for Classic Imports, Northport Bath, the Canine
Country Club, Crowley, Suydam, Northport
Diner, Northport Motel and Cottages, Temple
Heights Spiritual Camp, Saturday Cove, New England
School of Clinical Hypotherapy, Overnight R.V. Parking, Ordained
Minister
Weddings
Performed, Michael's Motel, Jim's
Sales & Service, Northport Music Theatre, Northeast
Boat, Northport Campground, Northport Marine, Cornerstone
Kitchen
Showroom, Family Tradition Restaurant, Gallery
981,Grace Tabernacle, Outdoor Sportsman, Rocky
Point Statutory, Ray's Homes, Antiques, Blue Goose,
Northport Golf Club, Maine Energy, Maine
Coast Boathouse, Eagle Real Estate, Hideaway Diner,
Country Charm Furniture, Northport Landing Gallery, Camden
Hills
Realty, Bayside Store, Dos Amigos, Northport
House, Little River Veterinary Hospital, Mainely Used
Cars, Aubjuchan Hardware, Parenteau's Flooring, Little
River
Baptist
Church, Dye Team, Moss, the Beetle
Shop, United Auto, United Realty, Irving, NAPA,
Belfast Veterinary Hospital, Penobscot Bay Inn.
 Since
the late 1800s, spiritualists from around the world have sought healing
and learning at TEMPLE HEIGHTS
in Northport. Spiritualists believe that spirits of the
dead reside in the spirit world and can be contacted by mediums. During
the summer, weekly sessions feature different itinerant pastors, many
of whom also offer psychic readings, table tippings, and
séances.
The food at the HIDEAWAY DINER on Rte 1 is
homey,
inexpensive,
and made from scratch. including the outstanding bread and biscuits.
The "H" in the H. SWANSON GALLERY AND STUDIO stands for
"Harry," its gregarious artist/proprietor. Harry keeps the place open
year round and loves to show folks his work.
A turn to the right will take you to downtown Belfast. You'll
pass Janis Stone Interiors, the Belfast City Park, New
Wave
Salon, Waldo County General Hospital, Jack's Grocery,
Belfast Computer, Stone Soup, the Republican
Journal, the Belfast Dance Studio, the Belfast
Co-op Store, Out on a Whimsy, Jumbo Shop, Wild
Rufus, First Light Community Midwives.
The BELFAST CO-OP STORE is an
all-purpose health food and
deli/cafe that's been providing local, organic, and natural foods since
1976. Maine's oldest food cooperative, this place offers everything
from produce to hand-spun housemade sausages. On hand are over 5000
health and beauty aides. Included are supplements and homeopathics as
well as locally-made milk, artisan cheeses, breads, coffee, pastries,
groceries, fair trade gifts, bulk foods, beer and wine, lunch, weekend
brunch and much more.
Go to OUT ON A WHIMSEY for great gifts and collectibles.
Not too many years ago, BELFAST was
known for
processing vast
quantities of chicken. So devotedly did it pursue this enterprise that
it touted itself as the broiler capital of the world and celebrated
this status with an annual festival. The chicken industry died—heating
big barns became too expensive—but, contrary to the prediction of many,
Belfast didn't. A lovely waterfront park with picnic tables now
occupies the slope near the City Landing where the processing plants
once stood, and Belfast is enjoying increasing popularity with sailors
and tourists.
This old port town was saved by the
counter-culturalists who
during the early 70’s had emigrated to Waldo County’s relatively
inexpensive boondocks. Many of them ended up coming to town—driven,  some say, by hoards of
blackflies÷and now this city may well be
the cultural capital of Maine.
Maine Times readers declared that
Belfast was Maine's "best
little-known town to walk around in for an hour" thanks to its "good
scenery, history, and many artsy nooks." Belfast is like Bar Harbor was
25 years ago. Things haven't gotten cutthroat here yet; rents are still
low enough to attract young entrepreneurs with original ideas and
wide-eyed enthusiasm for their enterprises. USA Today put Belfast on
its list of five "culturally cool small towns." Lately, Belfast has
been billing itself as a "City Full of Surprises." On Thursday nights
during summer, there's music and performing arts on the streets
downtown.
Belfast originally was known as Passagassawakeg—Indian for Place
of Many Ghosts. In 1873, fire claimed more than 20 acres of the city,
including 90 percent of the waterfront district. Fear of fire led to
most of the downtown being rebuilt in brick. In those days, Belfast was
a major shipbuilding center. The techniques that went into building
great sailing ships helped create many of Belfast's wonderful Federal
and Greek Revival houses. Two blocks of downtown buildings are listed
in the National Historical Register. On Market Street, just around the
corner from City Hall, is the local historical museum. Belfast's
streets are spaced so as to allow as many views of the bay as possible.
The REPUBLICAN JOURNAL, founded in
1829, is Maine's
oldest newspaper.
Turn right onto Main St. and you'll come to All about Games,
Brambles, Yarns, Beyond the Sea, Uptown
jewelry
and
Engraving, Out of the Woods, By the Bay, Dockside Restaurant,
Purple Baboon, a Thai
restaurant, the Lookout, Front Street Pottery, Belfast
CC, Wanderbird Expedition Cruises, Working Art
Gallery, Trust Worthy Home Supply, The Chocolate Drop
Candy Shoppe, Belfast Army Navy, Downtown Jewelry &
Engraving, Arabus Gallery, The Upper Cut, Roots
& Tendrils, Revival Salon, Scoops & Crepes,
Rollie’s Bar and Grill, public parking, Alliance
Gallery, Delvino's, Coyote Moon, Delvino's,
Good Table, Beyond the Sea, Raven's Nest Gallery, Traci's Diner,
Image Box Photos, Brambles, Thirty 9 Main, Aine Moja Shop, Coburn's
Shoe Store, Green
Store, Town
& Country Real Estate, Traditional Acupuncture, Belfast
Bay
Inn, Molly Amber Gifts, Aarhus Gallery, Laan Xana Cafe, The Cool Spot.
 Instead of seeing
how many books she can stock,
Nanette Gionffriddo of BEYOND THE SEA
tries to see that
each book she stocks is in some way very special. She invests an
incredible amount of personal time to reading books, perusing reviews,
and preparing evaluation sheets for each of her books. We have never
seen a more caring book shop. We doubt there is any.
SPEAKING ROSES and In The Dog House
Wood Products
can print your message on live roses and elevate your dog's dish with a
custom-made wooden stand.
The Working Art Gallery shows work of regional artists. They’re
a member of a group called Belfast Art Galleries; other members
have been Art Alliance, Bay River Gallery, Belfast
Framer & Gallery, Indigo Gallery, Parent Gallery, Shamrock, and Thistle
&
Rose.
Hungry for old-fashioned candies? You’ll find these
downtown at THE CHOCOLATE DROP CANDY SHOPPE. Here you’ll find a
huge selection of
jelly beans as well as Haven’s Chocolates.
How can the military organizations of the world be so culturally vulgar
while sartorially cool? We don’t pretend to know the answer, but we do
know that if you’re into military garb, you’ll like the stuff at the
BELFAST ARMY NAVY STORE. Owner Ronald Mullen says that at least 60
percent of his stock is military surplus--compared to less than 10
percent in many other so-called Army surplus stores. The emphasis is on
authentic international military surplus, both new and used, at very
reasonable prices.
Also in the main business district, in the DOWNTOWN JEWELRY &
ENGRAVING you will find fine jewelry as well as several
brands
of watches and repair service. Also estate jewelry, giftware, Zippo
lighters, Italian bracelets, Hot Diamonds, engravables and engraving
service. A family-owned and operated hometown store since 1959. Call
207-338-2663 or 1-877-338-0700.
Look for paper artworks by Belfast’s Robinsunne Postcard at COYOTE
MOON downtown. Shop here for funky, natural-fiber clothing
for
women.
 The
GOOD TABLE, whose mission it is to outfit the
gourmet chefs
among
us, has a wonderful assortment of cookbooks along with everything
you need for preparing a delicious feast. Pans,
roasters, basters, recipes, you want it, they have it. When your meal
is
prepared they have tablecloths, placemats, glassware and all the
ingredients to set a beautiful table. On hand also are hostess gifts to
take if you are visiting someone for the holidays.
On weekends, TRACI'S DINER
is
open 24 hours, the only restaurant in the area to provide full
menu meals around the clock. The folks here handcut their own fries, and they are good!
New to town is the BELFAST BICYCLES, owned by Mike McDonald, a
recent transplant. He has a good mix of really affordable and truly top
quality bikes.
 Lots
of people
doing relatively minor things to make the world a more
livable place could finally make a big difference. This is the
philosophy behind the GREEN STORE, which sells environmentally
safe, energy-efficient products at affordable prices. Casting itself as
a general store for the 21st century, the Green Store stocks a wide
variety of environmentally benign products, including recycled papers,
energy efficient lighting, organic clothing, chem-free lawn-care
products, environmental test kits, and energy sipping appliances.
On Main Street, check out COLBURN'S, which is
said to be the
nation’s oldest, continuously-run shoe store. Folks have been
outfitting their feet here since 1832. Besides being a historical
curiosity, Colburn’s sells quality shoes at outlet prices.
 Since time immemorial
man has struggled with life's great questions:
why am I here? What is my purpose? Chocolate or Vanilla? Although we
at THE COOL SPOT can't help
with the first two, the third is right up our alley. Come in
and try our local Stone Fox Farm Creamery ice cream with over 14
flavors, as well as special concoctions from the classic banana split
to our cappuccino sundae.
Down towards the waterfront look fosr Off the Beaten Path
Gallery and Belfast Bakeshop and Deli.
Down on the waterfront, look for Harbor Chic, Three Tides
Brewery, Purple Baboon, and the Ship to Shore Store.
Downtown, there is a nice Salvation Army store.
Turning right back onto High Street, there is a pizza place
on corner, Hawkeye Computer Repair, Darby's, Fiddlehead
Artisan
Supply, High
Street Studio and Gallery, Phoenex Gallery, Colonial
Theater, Aunt Judy's Uniforms, Fox & Ginn,
Downeast Dental Center, Belfast Signs and Design, Edward
Jones Investments, Heavenly Bean Bags, Our Town Belfast,
Harbor View House of 1807, Audubon Expeditions,
and Belfast Center.
DARBY'S, 105 High Street, has been the site of
a
restaurant/pub since 1865. These days you'll find an extensive wine
list with at least 25 choices.
If you kept going straight on Main Street, you'd pass
Parent Gallery, Naturopath, the Galerie
Dufour, Chase's Daily, the Old Professor's Bookshop,
Maine Farmland Trust Gallery, the Fertile Mind
Book Store, Baywrap, Weaver's Bakery, City
Drawers, Yo
Mamma's Home, Speaking Roses, John's Handmade, Susan
A. Cooney Fine Arts Studio, Kat Walk, Bangor
Savngs
Bank, Hobbledchoy Toys, Realty of Maine, Shades
and Lamps and Old Stuff, and Suntan City, Family Dollar,
Oriental Cuisine, Verizon, Camden National Bank in Belfast
Plaza.
At GALERIE DUFOUR, photographer
Charles Laurier Dufour brings new meaning to Natural Beauty with his
stunning photos of both Nature and Nudes. Tastefully presented, his
photos are something not to be missed. Located at 94 Main Street in
Belfast . Call 207-338-6448.
At the OLD
PROFESSOR'S BOOKSHOP, George Siscoe has a nice
selection of scholarly books, new, used, and rare.
YO MAMMA'S HOME at 96 Main Street has cool stuff for you
and your home. It's a unique Retro Style gift and home décor
store that is as diverse as it is colorful. Look for the bright Yellow
Awning with the Yo Mamma’s sign.
Down on the waterfront, look for Off the Beaten Path Gallery, Belfast
Bakeshop
&
Deli, Harbor Chic, Three Tides Brewery,
and Ship to Shore Store.
On the other side of Route 1, you'll see McDonalds,
Dutch Chevrolet, Reny's Plaza, in which are Reny's,
Mr. Paperback, Bell the Cat Cafe, Makin'
Waves, Curves, and Olympia Sports Attire. Nearby are
Damariscotta Bank & Trust, Bangor Savings
Bank, Wasses Hot Dogs, Good Will, DQ, PIzza Hut, Camden
National
Bank, EBS, and Bank of America.
BELFAST TO BUCKSPORT
BACK ON ROUTE ONE, it is 17 miles from Belfast to Bucksport. There
are no fast food restaurants along this stretch and no all-night gas
stations.Just across the bridge spanning the Passagassawakea River,
look for Wins Mor Garage Door Co., M Stylin', Sun Services, Inc., Flora Creations and Gifts, Cherished Home
Gift Shop, Book Lover's Attic,
East Side Garage, J.A. Black Printers, The Gazebo,
Perry's Nut House, Jamie's Miniatures, Bennett's Gems
& Jewelry, Captain Jed's Treasure Chest Antique Mall,
Shipmaster's Ocean Front Condos, Yankee
Clipper Motel, and Shipmaster's
Ocean
Front Condos.
The BOOK LOVER'S ATTIC has several
specialties, including
children’s books, maritime, military, music, and modern first editions.
There are roadside
attractions and ROADSIDE
ATTRACTIONS!!! PERRY'S NUT HOUSE on
Route One in Belfast is definitely the latter. Since 1927, Perry's has
been entertaining visitors with its fascinating museum-quality displays
of stuffed animals, unique selection of fresh roasted nuts, silly
practical jokes and comic t-shirts. Perry's is also famous for its
fabulous fudge of many flavors. There is fun for all at Perry's Nut
House.
 BENNETT’S GEMS
& JEWELRY offers an
interesting and varied assortment of gemstones, minerals, and fossils.
Open year round, Bennett’s is the place to find affordable gemstone
jewelry from Maine and the world. Here you’ll find Maine’s largest
assortment of polished stones. There is always a good selection of
Maine tourmaline appealingly priced. You can spot the place by the pink
dinosaur out front. Owner Kim Dunn is both knowledgeable and friendly.
Visit her on FACEBOOK
Nearby
is a turnoff to Young's Lobster Pound.
Back on Route One, look for Lupine Cottage,Amore, the Belfast
Harbor
Inn, Amore, Jerry's True Value Hardware, Th'
Barn, Wentworth Event Center, Seng
Thai Restaurant, Getaway Salon
& Day Spa, Tire
Warehouse, PC Medix, Ocean's
Edge
Restaurant, Comfort Inn, Maine Coast Welcome
Center, Scoops East, Funky Junk, Maine Coast Cafe, Mainely
Pottery, Funky Junk Art, Ming’s Restaurant,
Papa J's Lobster Bar, Moorings
Oceanfront
Camping, Bay Area Fitness, Gull Motel, Colonial
Gables, Seascape Motel, Indulgence Day Spa, Maine
Country
&
Coast
Real
Estate, Wonderview
Cottages
on
the
Ocean, Admiral's
Ocean
Inn, GRK
Real
Estate
Company, Searsport Auto, Searsport Agway,
Used Books, Searsport Veterinary Hospital, Oceanside
Chiapractic, Moose Point State Park, Frazee's Furniture,
Crosspatch Farms, Searsport Shores Camping, Watchtide by the Sea,
Penobscot Books, Inn Britannia B&B, Old
Glory
Antiques, Gaul's Antiques, Pumpkin Patch Antiques, Clothing
Outlet, Chamber of Commerce
Information Center, Searsport Flags, Nahme Fine Art Gallery, Public Boat
Access, Rollie's, Bangor Savings Bank, Dino's Pizza,
Searsport Laundry Center, Sundog Solar Store, Tozier's
Market.
 Finding
ourselves with four tread-thin tires
on a car needing an inspection sticker, we began searching around for a
deal. It took several tries, but we finally found one—at the TIRE WAREHOUSE on Route
One in Belfast. The price was right, the service speedy. (They promise
to beat anybody else's price, no matter how low.) We couldn't have been
more pleased.
You
can
see the work of more than 20 Maine potters at MAINELY POTTERY.
Included is stoneware, porcelain, earthernware and raku. Some of the
work is quite expensive; much of it is priced quite modestly. Out
front, there is a table of seconds at reduced prices. At the adjacent
studio, you can see the work of master potters in progress.
At FUNKY JUNK
ART, Judy Judkins (who says her name should be "junkins") turns
discarded floatsum and jetsum into fascinating objects of art. She just
hates to see anything go to waste and is awfully good at showing why
most things shouldn't. She'll teach you her secrets at a reasonable
price.
PENOBSCOT
BOOKS has a really fine selection of books
pertaining
to  architecture
and
the
fine
arts
as
well
as
a good general
assortment. There
are
both
new
and
used
books,
all
in
excellent
condition.Howard
LaRue,
a
retired
minister,
collected
books for many
years before going into the business. For Howard, it's a labor of
love. Now there are seven rooms with some 40,000 books, over 5,000
monogrpahs, and 750 architecture and 600 photography books. Prices are
reasonable. For a wonderful visual experience, visit the new Asian
Room. Call 207-548-6490.
There is no camping at MOOSE POINT STATE PARK,
but it’s a good
place for picnicking or hiking along Penobscot Bay. The views from here
are spectacular.
Searsport's greatest days lie behind her. Between
1770 and 1920, Searsport was an important shiping town, launching more
than 3,000 vessels. In the 19th century, she was home to 286 ship
captains, evidence of which can be found at the PENOBSCOT MARINE
MUSEUM.
Look for a turnoff to Cathy's Collectibles, the turnoff to
Poppy's Lobster & Crab Wagon and the Town Dock.
 POPPY'S LOBSTER &
CRAB WAGON has great
prices—like lobster rolls for less than ten dollars and and
crabmeat rolls for less than six. The cold
drink machine delivers liquid refreshment for a buck, a price we hadn't
seen in quite some time. There are grills nearby for people who want to
do their own cooking. Check the Daily Specials.
A road to the right goes down to a nice park by the ocean and
the Sea Captain's Inn. Mosman’s Park is a pretty spot
overlooking Penobscot Bay with picnic facilities and playground
equipment.
A road to the left goes to the Hidden Gardens and the Searsport
Pines
Golf
Course.
The SEARSPORT PINES GOLF COURSE is the
decade-old
dream of Bert Whitten. It took root
in his mind in the late eighties
when he was a professor at Michigan Technological University. Heir to a
300-acre family homestead, he was aware of stats indicating that Waldo
County golfers had fewer places to play than golfers anywhere else in
Maine. What he has created is a pretty 9-hole, par 35 course cut out of
a century-old pine forest. The layout has watered fairways, and most of
the tees and greens are elevated. Water comes into play on five holes.
In one of the ponds is a foot-long goldfish. Daily greens fees are just
$15 for nine holes and $20 for eighteen.
The HIDDEN GARDENS are, well, hidden and a little hard to find,
but if you’re into lovingly pampered flora, they’re worth the trek. You
head north out of Searsport for six or seven miles, following the
occasional signs. Just when you think you’re hopelessly lost, you’re
there. You’re welcome to browse to your heart’s content through the
huge variety of both perennials and biennials.
Back on Main Street look for Captain Tinkham's Emporium,
Davistown Museum Reading Room, Left Bank Books,
Coastal Coffee House, The Brick House Restaurant,
Frame by Frame, the Penobscot Marine Museum Store,
Penobscot Marine Museum, Camp, Cottage, and
Castle
Antiques, Pieces, Cromin and Murphy, Peek into the Past, Grasshopper
Shop, Shiloh's Gallery,
United Methodist Church, and Full Gospel Church.
CAPTAIN TINKHAM'S
EMPORIUM is the place to shop for
beautiful, old tools and other items of inerest. Also you'll want to
visit the Penobscot Marine Museum Store.
 THE BRICK HOUSE RESTAURANT
is acquiring a reputation
for great fried clams. There is usually live entertainment on weekends
along with homecooked specials. Located in an historic Searsport brick
block, the restaurant is reminiscent of a comfortable neighborhood bar.
Call 207/548-6550 for hours and daily specials.
The PENOBSCOT MUSEUM STORE features reproductions of
maritime,
China trade, and Victorian items.
The
newest GRASSHOPPER SHOP, located on Searsport’s Main Street,
stocks women’s clothes, housewares, gifts, cards and all the rest of
the neat stuff that’s made the other Grasshopper Shops so popular.
At the PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM, you can see one of the
country’s finest collections of
marine paintings and artifacts. Located
on Rte 1 in Searsport, collections and special exhibitions are housed
in eight historic structures, including the newly renovated Capt.
Jeremiah Merithew House (1816). Here you’ll find a new permanent
exhibition, "Working the Bay: Ports and People of Penobscot Bay". The
Merithew House also contains the museum’s collection of 25 marine
paintings by James and Thomas Buttersworth. Open Memorial Day thru Oct.
15. During your visit, you’ll want to check out the Stephen Phillips
Memorial Library and Museum Store. Call 207-548-2529 for more
information.
Leaving downtown Searsport, look for the United Methodist
Church, Searsport Full Gospel Church, Hamilton's Seine
Loft, By the Bay, Bouchard Insurance, Carriage
House Inn, The Homeport Inn, Mermaid Restaurant & Pub, A.V.
Nickles Inn, Searsport Self Storage, Searsport Antique Mall,
Hamilton Marine, Treasures & Trash Barn,
Dunkin Donuts, Blimpie Sub & Salad, Chester Fried,
BlueJacket Ship Crafters, Fillmore's Wash Tub,
Yardarm Motel,
Searsport Flea Market, Maine Fuels, The Rhumb Line
Restaurant, Such Things, Silkweeds, Irving,
Angler's Restaurant, Bait's Motel, Parenteaus Floor Covering, Cook's Crossing, Waldo County
Craft Co-op, Searsport Motor Company, Safe Harbor Church, Bowditch
Cemetery, Downeast Auctions & Antiques, Custom
Spiral Stairs, Griffin's Antiques, Hobby Horse Antiques Flea
Market, Primose Farm Antiques, Greg's Auto Sales, Red
Kettle
Antiques, RC's Auto-Marine Upholstery, O'Donovan
& Dole Wooden Boat Works, Stoney Knoll, inc., Baxter
Cook
House
and
Building
Movers, The Rug Rat., old cemeteries,
and Just Barb's Restaurant,.
Searsport is antiquing
heaven. In a five-mile stretch, there are no
fewer than 15 dealers. There are also three regular summertime flea
markets.
HAMILTON
MARINE is the largest discount ship’s
chandler north of Boston. It’s a good source for much traditional,
hard-to-find hardware and gear.
The
truth underlying the expression "one man's trash is another man's
treasure" is  nowhere
more
apparent
that
at
the TREASURES
AND TRASH BARN. This place is loaded to the gills with both
treasures and trash. There must be more than a million individual
items here, every one of which could strike somebody as well worth
treasuring. "Hard to know where to begin, isn't it?" I said to a lady
who
appeared frozen by indecision. "Boy, I'll say it is," she replied,
shaking her head as she started tentatively down an isle. It would be
very easy to spend an entertaining afternoon separating wheat from
chaff here.
Searsport is a  Mecca for serious modelers of historic ships.
It is the home of BLUEJACKET
SHIPCRAFTERS, manufacturers of the world's finest ship model
kits. In terms of accuracy, attention to detail, and quality of
materials and instructions, no other ship model kits are comparable.
The company is the oldest modeling company in the US, founded in 1905
as the official ship modeler to the US Navy. BlueJacket's models are
found in museums worldwide, with over 70 in the Smithsonian alone. In
their showroom at Lighthouse Place on Rte. 1, you'll find the largest
selection of ship models anywhere, with over 100 models on display and
available for sale. Also in the gallery are nautical gifts, ship model
fittings, tools, books and supplies. If you wish, they'll build a
custom finished model, do restorations, build cases, and everything
else to do with ship models. Open year around. Call 1-800-448-5567,
email info@bluejacketinc.com
Visit their FACEBOOK page.
In busiess for over a quarter-century, SILKWEEDS has expande d to become a major gift emporium—three
two-story buildings providing 7,000 square feet of floor space. Things
you’ll find include wreaths, jams & jellies, braided rugs,
Maine-made Castine Candles, silk flowers, country/ primitive home decor
and much more. Try Silkweed's famous homemade fudge. This is mid-coast
Maine’s largest gift emporium where "it's always worth the trip." Call
1-800-711-1136.
 COOK'S CROSSING, a small
restaurant, gift shop, and mini-railroad museum, is housed the original
Bangor & Aroostic Railroad station circa 1905. In 1999, the station
was fully restored and opened to the public for the first time in 63
years. Great place to experience a piece of Maine’s rich railroad
heritage while eating a delicious lobster roll. Recently, they added a
vintage railroad car that's been converted into a diner, allowing a
major expansion of the menu. Served now, 7 days a week in season, are
baskets, subs, pizza, and lobsters cooked outdoors. They're open for
lunch and dinner. Call 207/548-2005.
The
WALSO COUNTY CRAFTS CO-OP features the work of
over 25 Maine crafters.
The SAFE HARBOR CHURCH on Route One is home ot nine
stained
glass windows by the noted glass designer Louise Comfort Tiffany. This
is one of only ten buildings in the country with all-Tiffany windows,
which depict both religious and pastoral tableaux.
At A TOUCH OF COUNTRY, you’ll meet Colleen York, who says she
has been preparing jams and jellies for the last 50 years. She still
makes all her own, keeping overhead low, allowing her to charge less
than other shops. "I have customers who have been coming back for 25
years," she boasts.
Baxter Cook of BAXTER COOK
HOUSE AND BUILDING MOVERS says he is equipped to move
just about anything. He uses something called a unified hydraulic
jacking machine that can lift the haviest load with amazing ease.
For many years, Baxter has been president of the New England
Association of Structural Movers. Call
207/548-2994.
 Sarah Nickerson uses hooked rugs
as the medium for her folk art. Creating the rugs from wool scraps and
burlap bags, she treats them as canvasses to describe many incidents in
her life, such things as former residences and stages of her children’s
growth. She shows them at her shop, THE RUG
RAT, on Rte 1 in Searsport. The setting is humble, but her work
has been attracting some major collectors. Her prices — $70 per square
foot — are well below most comparable creations.
There are three old cemeteries along this stretch and a scenic
overlook providing a view of the Penobscot River.
If you take the right fork at Just Barb’s Restaurant, you’ll
head into Stockton Springs, a sleepy little town by-passed by
most visitors. Here is one of the safest harbors on the Maine
coast. Look for B&A Antiques, Wyman's General Store, Safe
Harbor
Massage, Community Library /
Historical Society, Stockton Springs Municipal Offices, Main
Street
Market, Purple Fleece, Fort Point Light, and
the Book Barn.
B
&
A
ANTIQUES
&
COLLECTIBLES
is an attractive, little, family-run
antiques shop. The folks here
stock some really nice pieces and always keep their prices reasonable.
Situated just a bit off Route One, this is a great place to spend an
hour or so poking about.
At Cape Jellison, Fort Pownall (1759) once defended
upper Penobscot
Bay. Now you can see the pyramid-shaped bell tower of FORT POINT
LIGHT. For recreationists, SEARS
ISLAND is something of a well-kept
secret. It’s a great spot for hikers, swimmers, and picnickers. Parts
of the island are a state wildlife sanctuary. There is an access road
near the Searsport-Stockton Springs line.
If you stay on Rte 1, you'll come to Just Barb's Restaurant
and Wyman's Seafoods.
Look for the Junction of 1A, which will take you to Winterport
and Bangor.
Staying on Rte One in Stockton Springs, watch for The
Good Kettle, Maine Marine Service, Mid-Coast Self Storage,
Perry's Store, Russel Marine, Central Maine Satellite, Red's
Automotive, Mark's Garage, Rocky Ridge Motel, Sandy
Point
Congregational
Church.
 How do you please the locals, summer people,
and tourists all at the same time? The folks at THE GOOD KETTLE have found
a way. They combine simple, good, home-style cooking with high-quality
ingredients to provide nutritious, wholesome, delicious food.
Home-grown produce is combined with wines, Maine brews, and cheeses
from all over the world. On hand are Maine-made ice cream, baked goods,
entrees, soups, and cheesecake. The folks here pack picnics for
daytrippers (call ahead, 207/567-2035). All of this is pretty much
guaranteed to please the pickiest palates of any and all.
PERRY'S STORE generally has the least expensive gas in the territory. There are those who say they also have the best crab rolls.
 The folks at RUSSELL'S MARINE are
happy to help new sailors. If you're a novice, they know you have many
questions. Well, consider them your boating answer source. They'll
answer your questions in a low pressure, friendly way. They can help
you select the right sailboat for the type of sailing you're
envisioning. To them, you're not a one-time potential buyer. Instead,
you're a fellow sailor and a potential lifelong customer. They want you
to return again and again because you were treated so well with each
and every interaction.
CENTRAL MAINE SATELLITE, which shares office space
with Russell's Marine, brings fun back into TV viewing.
Watch
for the sign to FERN HILL FINE ART.
A short drive up Meadow
Road brings you to William H. Landmesser’s studio. Highly original, his
oils and watercolors are for those who have grown weary of mainstream
art aimed at tourists. "I don’t do lighthouses," he points out.
Back on Rte One, look for a turnoff to Sandy Point Beach.
There is a real boardwalk leading down to SANDY
POINT BEACH.
Asha Fenn of asha fenn Pottery, Art & Writing Studio insists
that Sandy Point Beach is a highly magical place.
Back on Rte One, look for the asha fenn Pottery, Art &
Writing Studio and Perry's.
PERRY'S is known far and wide for its crabmeat
sandwiches, a full half-pound of meat for under $10. (This place is
said to have the lowest gas prices in the territory.)
Next on Rte One comes an old cemetery, a scenic
outlook, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory, Fort Knox,
and the Waldo-Hancock Suspension Bridge leading
onto Verona Island.
 At
420 feet, the PENOBSCOT NARROWS BRIDGE
OBSERVATORY is the
world's tallest. For five bucks (three for kids) you can
shoot to the
top in Maine's speediest elevator. (It travels at 500 feet per minute.
Do the math. It'll get you there in less than a minute.) Once there,
you'll be treated to one of the world's grandest views. This is one of
the best deals you'll find Downeast. Your five dollars gets you free
parking and a tour of Fort Knox in addition to your trip up the tower.
 Construction on FORT KNOX
began in 1844 and continued for 20
years. The project never was completed. As has always been the case
with military projects, cost over-runs ran rampant. It was manned, but
never attacked, during the Civil War and the Spanish-American War.
Today, it is a great place for kids to play; there are underground
stairways, brick archways, and other ramparts of master stone masons.
In an inspired marriage of art and architecture in the 1950s, Macbeth
was staged here for two summers. Twice yearly, the 20th Maine Company B
Civil War Re-enactment Regiment stages authentic Civil War-era
exercises; visitors can see how infantrymen of the period lived. Daily
tours of the facility are conducted at 1 p.m. Admission: adults, $2;
children, 50 cents; children under 5 free. It's a good idea to bring a
flashlight.
 Once you cross the
Waldo-Hancock suspension bridge,
you’re on VERONA ISLAND. It was here that in 1905 Adm. Robert E.
Peary had built the
Roosevelt, the vessel he used as a base for his successful dog-sled
dash to the North Pole.
On Verona Island, you'll find Island Pool & Spa, a picnic
area, American Country Antiques, Unique Rock Shop,
E. Marie Arnberg Acupuncturist, Worcester
Granite, Downeast Community Acupuncture, Fort View Variety, Wo's
Wicked Fine Barbecue, JD's Island Market, Island
Automotive, Life's Treasures, Island Rise and Shine Restaurant,
and
public boat access.
The UNIQUE ROCK SHOP stocks
all sorts of rocks, minerals, semi-precious stones, fossils,and
what-nots. This is among the most interesting shops on the Maine Coast.
At WO'S WICKED FINE BBQ, you'll
experience Wo's award-winning fresh garlic and chipotle pepper sauces
which he makes and bottles at his nearby home. This is a family-run
business that takes great pride in everything it does.
`
If you
turn left into Bucksport, you'll come upon a public fishing pier,
waterfront walk, and the Bucksport Marina, Ming’s
Garden, Black Sheep Tavern, Bob Hoffmann Real Estate &
Insurance,
H&R Block, NAPA Auto Parts, Radio Shack, Sign
Language, Chamber of Commerce Information Center,
Bucksport Depot Museum, Harbor View Restuarant, Classic
Cuts, Commnity Pharmacy of Bucksport, Talk 'n' Shop,
Maine Bytes, Magpie Pet Whimseys, Sun
Kissed Tanning Salon, Stranz Hair Salon, Blind
Faith
Tattoos, Camden National Bank, Bangor Savings Bank,
MacLeod’s Restaurant, Fort Knox Park Inn, Rosen's
Department
Store, Bookstacks, Sheehan's Florists,
Alamo Theatre,
Sun Kissed Tanning Salon, Waterfront Day Spa, Community
Pharmacy, Dairy Port, Studio 83 Salon & Day Spa, ATA Martial
Arts, Bangor Harbor Cruises, Bucksport Fitness Studio,
Belfast Soup & Sandwich Shop, Bucksport Gunsmiths, Bucksport Marine Services, Leon's
Auto
Repair, Sawyer's Auto Sales, Vineyard, Bucksport
House
of
Pizza, Bucksport Redemption Center,
Banner City, Gold Star Cleaners, Seaboard Federal Credit Union, Verso
paper
mill, and Vance’s
Tropical Fish and Exotic Pet Shop.
 The BUCKSPORT
DEPOT MUSEUM, housed in
an old railroad depot, has artifacts dating back to the days when
Bucksport was a seafaring settlement. Admission is free, although
donations are accepted. Near here, Bucksport has developed its
waterfront with benches providing nice views of Fort Knox and the
bridge. Much work has been completed on Bucksport’s waterfront,
including a new marina.
Richard Rosen of ROSEN'S is carrying on a family tradition
that goes back for over a century. Great clothing and footwear and
sensible
prices and situated on Bucksport’s beautiful waterfront.
Also on Main St., check out the floral displays at SHEEHAN'S. These
guys
have
won
awards
for
their
designs.
The BELFAST SOUP AND SANDWICH SHOP uses Italian Straganona bread
for its nice selection of hearty sandwiches. These go well with the
homemade soups and seafood chowders served here.
Also downtown, there’s a theater that just won’t quit. Built in 1916,
the ALAMO  was a popular movie house for
40 years before
entering
in a period of considerable TV-induced degradation. It was, at times,
an A&P, a health clinic, a bar, and a video store. By 1992, things
had become grim; the structure faced foreclosure. This was when NORTHEST
HISTORIC FILM —a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving
films of the Northeast—came riding onto the scene. Acquiring the place
for a headquarters, this group began a struggle to replace the original
600-seat auditorium with a more intimate 120-seater. A major part of
the project includes climate-controlled storage vaults for
three-million-plus feet of irreplaceable historic film. NHF intends to
be the country’s premier regional moving image archives. Open at
present is the Theatre Store, which stocks Hollywood films relating to
Northern New England and unusual movie-related gifts and toys.
Heading north out of town, the Silver Lake Road leads to the William
Pond
Lodge.
IT IS 18 miles from Bucksport to Ellsworth.
Leaving Bucksport, you’ll see Bucksport Physical Therapy
LLC, Wilson's Express Tire & Lube, Hannaford
Super Market, Buck Monument, Bucksport Barber Shop,
Bucksport Motor Inn, Wanning Tree Service, Dunkin’
Donuts, Family Dollar,
McDonald’s, Landmark Properties Ocean Edge Realty,
Vancil Vision Care, Bittersweet Gift Shop, Roland Grindle Agency,
Two
River Realty, Spring
Fountain
Motel, Tozier's Bar and Grill, Homemade Pies, Jerry's
True Value Hardware, Rite Aide Pharmacy, Subway, a State
Liquor
Store, Shady Oaks Campground, EBS Building Supplies.
.
Gary Wilson of WILSON'S EXPRESS TIRE & LUBE knows
more
about tires than perhaps anybody else alive. He is positively
encyclopedic. After ten minutes of listening to him you'll know more
than you ever wanted to know, guaranteed.
Among the treasures found at the BITTERSWEET GIFT SHOP
are Maine-made items and home decor. This shop’s original tin walls and
ceilings make it a one-of-a-kind original.
BUCK MONUMENT has the outline of a foot and leg
said to be the result of a curse put upon Col. Buck by a woman he had
executed for witchcraft. Just before departing this world, she promised
to dance on his grave. Don’t try convincing locals she hasn't made good.
A left onto Rte 46 will take you to the Carrier's Mainely
Lobster, Masthead Family Campground, Cosby's Takeout,
the Triple Strike Sports Center, Kindred Spirits
Kennel, Bucksport Heritage Park: Razoni Stone, Waterworld
II, Union River Boat Co., We Store Inc., the Bucksport
Golf
Course and, eventually, to Holden.
 Ranked
as one of Maine's best, the BUCKSPORT
GOLF COURSE is a
beautiful, well-maintained facility offering
nine scenic holes, with a wide-open layout characterized by spectacular
views of surrounding hills and valleys. With three par fives (par 37),
it is Maine's longest 9-hole course.There is full-featured pro
shop, a driving range, and two chipping greens. This course is
a bit of a well-kept secret.
Back on Rte 1, a right onto Rte 175 will take you to
the Shady Oakes Campground, the Orland Historical Society
Museum, the Orland House B&B, Orland Pottery Studio
Gallery, and Dennnett's Wharf in Castine.
The ORLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY operates a small
museum
with military uniforms, a mineral collection, and local memorabilia on Main
Street
(Route
175). Open daily 2 to 4 p.m. July and August. The Orland
River was once call the Narranassic—Indian for "Hard to
Find."
Back on Rte One, you'll see the Penobscot Bay Yacht Exchange.
 THE PENOBSCOT BAY YACHT
EXCHANGE provides a full range of Marine Services including
sales, service, boat rentals, repairs, towing, salvage, and shrink
wrapping. We represent TowBoatUS in Maine. We have towboats ready to
respond in Portland, Boothbay, Rockland, Castine and Southwest Harbor.
Each boat serves a 50 mile radius from it's home port. This ensures
maximized coverage along the coast of Maine.
Further on the road to your left leads down to the Alamoosook
Lakeside
Inn.
Back on Rte One, watch for HOME Co-op, C&G
Growers, Pelican Seafood, Acadia Highway Dollhouse
Treasures, Freshwater Stone and Brick Work, Outback
Towing and Outback Auto Sales, Love Barn & Flea Market,
Acadia Highway Market & Redemption, Abby's
Attic, Pedalin Home Bicycle
Center.
On Rte One in Orland is H.O.M.E.
(Homemakers Organized
for More Employment), an organization that assists local people in many
ways. If you’re just visiting this area, you might want to
check out
H.O.M.E.’s marketstand with fresh produce, auto shop, lumber yard,
shingles mill, thrift shop,
and gift shop featuring work of Maine artisans. There are facilities
for pottery, woodworking, weaving, leather, and a greenhouse. During
the summer there is a non-stop flea market. In August, H.O.M.E. holds a
country and crafts fair. At one recent book sale, you could buy a whole
bag of books for a buck. Here there actually is free lunch—every day
from 12 til 12:30. Donations are welcome, but defiitely not required.
The good people here also run homeless shelters for men and women, a
day care center, and a summer day camp for kids 8 to 12. There is a
wide variety of classes for adults. Oh, and come Christmas they make
wreaths and center pieces. Talk about busy—call 207-469-7961.
At ACADIA HIGHWAY DOLLHOUSE
TREASURES, Mary Soper stocks a wide variety of dollhouses,
miniatures, and tiny furnitures.
.
In Orland,
the Love Barn & Flea Market sells neat used stuff
from 15
mini-barns. On hand also is a well-run lunch wagon. Open weekends.
THE ACADIA HIGHWAY MARKET & REDEMPTION
serves the area with fuel, food, drink, snacks, bottle redemption, and
neighborhood gossip. This place is famous for its breakfast sandwiches
and its pizza..
Rte 15 leads down to Deer Isle past the
Wild Blueberry Patch Gift Shop.
A right onto the Back Ridge Road
wil take you to Balsam Cove Campground
and Wandering Moose Campground.
 The good people at BALSAM
COVE CAMPGROUND say they take pride in being big enough to offer
the
amenities people want, yet small enough to provide a quiet, serene
camping experience. Facilities include a general store, modern
restrooms, free hot showers, laundry, and free WIFI. Fun features
include Friday night movies and twice-weekly hay rides.
Just a bit off the beaten path on Route 15 is the WILD
BLUEBERRY PATCH GIFT SHOP. Combined here are edible blueberries and
gifts with a blueberry motif. It is operated by the Allen family, which
has been in the blueberry biz for five generations. Check out their
giant wind turbine, the ecologically friendly way they freeze
blueberries.
On Route One, watch for the turnoff left to Craig Brook
National Fish Hatchery.
 CRAIG
BROOK NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY in East Orland
was established in 1871 and is the nation’s oldest salmon hatchery. It
is situated on the shore of Alamoosook Lake on a road that isn’t marked
very well, but it is well worth visiting. There is a Visitors’ Center
with aquaria, a picnic area, and boat-launching ramp, all free of
charge. Each year, Craig Brook produces upwards of half a million young
Atlantic salmon for Maine’s restoration programs. We visited the
hatchery on a lovely July day and had the place all to ourselves. At
the hatchery housed in an old ice house is Maine’s first-ever Atlantic
salmon museum. On display are intricately-tied flies of master
artisans, century-old flyrods , assorted reels, gaffs, tailers, and
other artifacts and memorabilia.
Back on Route One, there is a boat launch, Duffy's
Restaurant, WERU Community Radio, Whispering Pines
Campground, the Pine Shore Motel and Toddy Lakeside
Cabins, B.C. Burke's Fine Jewelry, Orland Antique Mall,
Great Pond Mountain Wildlands, and the Horsing Around
Flea Market.
If you feel like you're ODing on Limbaugh, switch over
to WERU
at FM 89.9. Amy Goodman and Jim Hightower are good juxtapositions to
the far right chatter that makes up most of talk radio. WERU is a
community, listener-sponsored, ad-free station providing a nice balance
of good music and public service (and most always politically correct)
broadcasting, now makes its home on Route 1.
B. C. BURKE'S FINE JEWELRY on Rte 1 in East Orland
offers diamonds and other natural gemstone jewelry as well as the
region’s largest selection of Tourmaline — all at very reasonable
prices. Most of the jewelry is created on the premises. Sizing of any
purchase is free. Also here is the EAST ORLAND ANTIQUE MALL, a
multi-dealer shop with estate jewelry, over 2000 pieces of costume
jewelry, books, doll houses and doll house furniture., Wade figurines,
and a wide variety of antiques and collectibles—all at prices even
other antique dealers find irresistible. Call 207-469-1000.
This trek continues in Chapter
Ellsworth Area.
Questions
or comments? Send them along to Captain D.
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