"Not to miss" stops in the following towns? (Old Town: school district, taxes)

[cathsnod]

Hey, what about Damarascotta and Wiscasset (spelling?). These are lovely, old Maine towns. Back, about 35 or so years ago, Wiscasset was actually voted the most beautiful town in America by National Geographic....just a thought.

[MsJL]

Really?

I need to see those towns. I thought I had already seen the best Maine has.

[chickadee]

Thanks for your responses --very interesting!

I am planning to return to Maine this spring to arrange rental of a place in northern Aroostook county, and then search for land for building a home. I will look further into the possibility of land in townships and plantations.

It will be my last move, hopefully. I miss the cold and snow, and the quiet stillness of winter.

[Acadianlion]

It will be my last move, hopefully. I miss the cold and snow, and the quiet stillness of winter. [/quote]

Ah, yes. "The quiet stillness of winter."

When my first wife suddenly announced that she fervently wanted me to move far away from her and our home on Cape Cod thirty years ago, I thought my life was ending. But the one bright spot was that I got to come to Maine and spend that summer, then the fall, then the winter in my family's little cottage on the bay here near Acadia National Park. In my family since the lot was created in 1906, I was the first (and only) family member to have attempted to live in the fragile little shell of a camp that my family enjoyed for summer picnics.

That was a tough winter. We had a lot of snow, and we had wind driven cold that I had only read about before. The wind came across the water from Surry Bay and raced unabated through the old camp, even though my father and I had wrapped the front of it in plastic from sill to eave.

But in the dark of night, when the winter winds had stilled, I clearly remember stepping outside into the little 'yard' that I had shoveled into 3 foot deep snow. I would step outside and just stand and look straight up into the most amazing blaze of stars that I had ever seen. Not even in the summer sky had the stellar display been so dynamic.

But mostly I remember the quiet. While I had been quite a lot of places in the world by then, I had never been anywhere that the silence of night was quite so profound. The only noise most nights was the sudden, sharp crack of the ice on the frozen bay settling as the tide went out.

I live in the same place today, but the nearby city of Ellsworth has sprawled and the entire area has developed with more and more houses in what was once woodland. When I step outside the house in the middle of the night, the display is still amazingly bright, and I still hear the sharp crack of the ice settling on the frozen bay as the tide recedes, but if I look across the bay toward the northwest, I see the halo of light that is Bangor, and further northeast I can see the glow of the burgeoning city of Ellsworth.

And the silence of the Maine night is punctuated by traffic travelling down the road toward Mt Desert Island, the occasional ambulance and if the wind is right, the even the flow of traffic into Ellsworth five miles away.

It still is quaint and rural here. But I remember the 'quiet stillness of Maine' as it was when I first came here, and which formed such a healing potion for me at that time. I want it back, and this year, we will sell this lovely piece of land, and seek new adventure in a more outlying area. We have located the land and although I will miss not seeing the bay when I get up the morning, I think the trade off in the serenity and quietude may well prove a fair trade.

[chickadee]

Originally Posted by Acadianlion

Ah, yes. "The quiet stillness of winter." . . .

But mostly I remember the quiet. While I had been quite a lot of places in the world by then, I had never been anywhere that the silence of night was quite so profound. The only noise most nights was the sudden, sharp crack of the ice on the frozen bay settling as the tide went out. . . .

"Profound" silence . . . yes, it is awesome. That experience of healing, quiet stillness stays with you forever. I want it back, too, and I will find that place once again.

My daughter liked to sleep with her window wide open all night, even in the winter. The snow would blow through the open window and be on her blankets in the morning. We heated with wood, so the rest of the house stayed warm.

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by Acadianlion

It would be helpful to know how much time you are going to take to explore. The itinerary that you have outlined will require almost two thousand miles of driving and two to three weeks IN MAINE, if you are going to get much of a flavor. Here's my "spin":

Cumberland: When my main office was located in Falmouth, my wife and I built a new home in Cumberland. I went back to see the "old digs" about a year ago and now best described as a suburb of Portland.

Yarmouth: Lovely Maine town just east of Cumberland, a bedroom community to the Greater Portland area. Waterfront development in the old buildings...cannery I think it was...I lived here in the early 80's. More suburbia than "Maine".

Freeport: Attractive village in the "modern upscale shopper" school of urban design. it is the home of LL Bean, the town center is dominated by the HUGE LL Bean outlet. Many manufacturers' and designers' "outlet" shops, a few restaurants and mega parking are there. The town has been turned into a tourist's shopping mecca, and if you are looking for "MAINE", stay far away. If you are looking to buy stuff, then go here.


Bath. This is a shipyard town. Bath Iron Works dominates the economy of the city. Bath Iron Works builds destroyers and frigates for the US Navy. The downtown area has had quite a bit of attention given to its revitalilzation in the past decade or though. This city lies beside the Kennebec River, which runs up all the way to Augusta, and beyond, to Waterville.

You left out: Wiscasset. The next town center above Bath. This was home to Maine's only nuclear power plant which is now decommissioned. There are tremendous land values on the ocean side out the river from Wiscasset, and if I had two or three hundred grand lying around, I think I would try to buy a building lot somewhere outside of Wiscasset. In five years the value of waterfront in this area will quadriple. This is a NICE town, and my favorite southwest of Belfast.

Bootbay Harbor: My late uncle was the primary care physician here for many years, and visiting my cousins every year was the high point of our trip from Massachusetts to Ellsworth. Today, Boothbay Harbor is a touristy haven, overcroweded by tourist driven development. Once past Wiscasset on Route One, you will need to take (I think it is) Route 27 that will take you down the peninsular to Boothbay Harbor. In March it will be a pleasant ride, but in from May through October it will be far less so. I haven't been to the town in more than ten years at this point. I vowed that the last time was my last, and now that all my relatives who were there are gone, there is no need to go again. I have seen towns touristed up in other places, and I don't need to see one here.

Rockland, Rockport, Camden: I think of these three towns as one "area", although I think that only Rockport and Camden really have a lot in common. Rockland is an old Maine seaport, but there is very little seaport activity here, other than the local fishermen. A kind of pretty little city, and home to the Farnsworth Museum which is home to an enormous collection of Wyeth paintings. A visit to the museum is big enough reason to go to Rockland by itself. Rockland is the commercial center of this area, and there are many small towns within short distance to look at. Be sure to see the transportation in Owls Head (www.ohtm.org) (broken link).

Rockport: Rockport is a pretty little town between Camden and Rockland. A lot of seasonal residences here, and quite upscale as is

Camden: VERY upscale, and the quitessential Maine sea coast town. In the summer it is extremely difficult to get through Camden. Gridlock makes the Camden experience something to be avoided once the "people from away" arrive, until those folks go back to Connecticut or New Jersey or whereever they came from, along about October 30th.

Belfast: The former chicken broiler capital of the world...or at least that is what they claimed to be in the 1950's when there was a huge chicken business thoughout this part of Maine. A nice town center with all the accutrements of any small city, and most of the problems. A fine library.

Winterport: Why? Inland up the river toward Bangor.

Bangor is the third largest city in Maine, and everything is here, if you want "city". Big hospitals, big boxes, and old fashioned downtown, a bunch of big malls and chain restaurants. It is American Modern Ugly, and is a continuous exercise in sprawl. You can spend a week around and in Bangor, which would include Orono ten miles away, which is home to the main campus of the University of Maine.

When you have done all of this, you have toured the area of Maine known as "north Boston". Maine is only hinted at the closer you get to Portland. If you have two weeks more, you can begin to see wha tthe state is really about.

Acadianlion - Are you sure you're not confusing Bangor with New York City? You can spend a week around and in Bangor - in a wheelchair?

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by DavidoftheNorth

Acadianlion - Are you sure you're not confusing Bangor with New York City? You can spend a week around and in Bangor - in a wheelchair?

I'm not entirely sure what you mean. Bangor is a small city by most urban center standards, but it is still a "big city" in comparison to other places in Maine other than Portland and Lewiston. Bangor has become pretty well sprawled out, and I doubt that getting around the entire city in a wheel chair would be particulary easy, especially in the winter. As far as I know the buses in Bangor do not "kneel", so getting on and off isn't as easy as, say Portland and South Portland, where the busses do kneel to assist the handicapped.

[patsfan]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

I'm wondering due to the lack of response if I should skip over these towns altogether! Is there anything nice about any of them?

I'll have to disagree with one of the posts from (acadialion?) Bangor is a beautiful town and was named one of the top 10 places to live in the US. Yes, it lost some historic buildings in the 60's but many are still left. Stephen King never left, he loves his home town. When the waterfront project is finished it will be the finishing touch.
If you are vacationing to relax, I'd stay away. It would be hard finding your way around. But if you're looking for a great place to live, Bangor has alot to offer. I lived there for 50 years. Live in a coastal town now, but visit Bangor often.

Camden is also beautiful, but it is a little snooty, not a good place for children, just rich folks.

Belfast has lot's of Galleries and quaint shops, has a nice harbor. Haven't noticed any problems there accept the politics.

He didn't mention Searsport, The Marine Museum has 9 buildings to visit. The kids love it. Also lot's of fleamarkets, and antique shops.

[Submariner]

Folks should alwasy try to tiime their trips to Maine to swing by the hippy fair in Unity each year. It is great!

www.mofga.org

[patsfan]

Beekeeper I am curious, You have mentioned often that your taxes are 47.00 per year. Does the town of Old Town charge you for your son attending the high school?