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| Sunset on Route 9 (The Airline) in Wesley, Maine |
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| Sculpture at UMaine Machias |
On the campus of the University of Maine at Machias stands a sculpture called the "Islands of Maine" placed here during a rather unique event that takes place in Maine every other year. It is a stunning reminder of the 2009 Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. This fascinating event brings in artists from throughout the world every two years to produced sculptures that are then permanently placed in Downeast Maine communities. A sculpture trail map is available on the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium's web site. The trail map is your guide to a kind of sculpture scavenger hunt through the communities of Washington and Hancock Counties.
While in Machias, we had breakfast at the iconic Helen's Restaurant right on Route 1. It is one of those places with home cooking including renowned blueberry pies.
Machias also happens to be the home of the Burnham Tavern where a group of citizens and Veterans of the French and Indian War plotted to kill the captain of the British vessel that was anchored in the harbor, forcing them to provide wood for British soldiers' barracks in the Boston area. The townspeople eventually chased the ship down the river in what is often referred to as the first naval battle of the American Revolution.
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| University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor |
While Portland gets all the big national press about being a liveable city, a foodie city and many other kudos, The Queen City of Bangor is quietly working its way up the food chain to a point where it might soon rival Portland for some of these honors. The American Folk Festival was the catalyst for the new waterfront concert series that now brings some big name entertainment to the banks of the Penobscot River. Names like Snoop Dogg, Dave Matthews Band, Boston, Cheap Trick, Foreigner, ZZ Top, Brad Paisley,Willie Nelson and many others.
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| Franciscan Friars brew and sell their own beer |
There's a great Children's Museum with three floors of interactive exhibits that my son thoroughly enjoyed when he was younger, and professional theater at the Penobscot Theatre Company in the Bangor Opera House, both on Main Street. Just off I-395, flanked by an army tank on one side and helicopter on the other, is the Cole Transportation Museum. With its trucks, trains, cars, bikes and many other historic modes of transportation, I think it is a hidden gem. Add to these, Hollywood Casino and the Cross Insurance Center, and you will see this is a thriving little city with lots to keep you occupied. Next time you're in the area, don't pass it by.
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| The city common in Waterville |
The National Trust for Historic Preservation manages a program called The National Main Street Center and Waterville, Maine is one of the cities that has received this honor. Waterville works hard to hold events that bring many people to the city. Every year, on the first Wednesday in August, they close off part of Main Street for the Taste of Greater Waterville. Many of the local restaurants offer up samplings of foods they serve. It's a great time to bring the family out for food, live music and fun activities.
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| 2 Cent Bridge in Waterville |
If you're there, take a short walk across the 2 Cent Bridge. It's a pedestrian footbridge that was built in 1901 as a short cut for workers in downtown Waterville to get to work at the mill across the river in Winslow. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, but don't worry, you no longer have to pay 2 cents to get across.
Art lovers should not miss Waterville. The Colby College Museum of Art just underwent a multimillion dollar renovation making it the largest art museum in the state. There is no admission, so there is no excuse not to visit.
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| Main Street in Belfast looking east towards the harbor |
Belfast
Much like Bangor, Belfast is another up and coming little city. Although not as big, it definitely has a lively downtown and funky vibe.
We stopped for lunch at the deli in the Belfast Co-op. With homemade breads and other fresh, healthy foods, it is a tasty place to get a great meal and support local food producers.
It has all the usual downtown stores and restaurants, including the Colburn Shoe Store which claims to be the "Oldest Shoe Store in America," but with all the popular brands. There's the Chocolate Drop Candy Shop offering sweet treats including ice cream to cool you down on a hot day, and the Marshall Wharf Brewing Company down on the waterfront. While you can't buy their beer on site, you can purchase it next door at the 3Tides or up the road at the aforementioned Belfast Co-op.
In the 1800s, Belfast was a thriving shipbuilding community. In the 1900s it became a prosperous port exporting things like hay, ice, apples and fertilizer. Eventually poultry, sardine and potato processing plants crowded the waterfront and Belfast was called the Broiler Capital of the World. In 2011 it became one of 10 nationally designated Main Street communities within the state of Maine.
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| Sculptures overlooking Rumford Falls |
Although it is best known for the huge New Page paper mill, looming over the banks of the Androscoggin River, Rumford is starting to find new ways to attract more visitors. Since the late 1800s the mill has been the lifeblood of the town, but if you slow down and take a little time to explore the town, you'll find a couple of tourist attractions as well.
On the north side of town is Black Mountain, a big, little ski mountain. This community ski area has a vertical drop of more than 1,300 feet with a nice variety of trails for beginners and intermediate skiers. Their ski school program is great for kids, I should know as my son took lessons there for three seasons, and their cross country ski facilities have held world-class events, including the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships in 2011. Even better is the price for a day ski ticket, just $15 last year. Believe me, it is well worth the price.
Rumford Falls is the highest falls east of Niagara with a vertical drop of 176 feet. By comparison, the American falls (Bridal Veil Falls) is 176 feet high and the Canadian Falls (Horseshoe Falls) is 167 feet, so a vertical of 176 feet in Rumford, Maine is pretty impressive. Granted, the water flow is less magnificent, but it's still a pretty impressive statistic. You can picnic at the park next to the river overlooking the falls while taking in the Native American sculptures produced by Eugene Boivin.
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| Ashton and Paul Bunyan in Rumford |
Lots of places claim Paul Bunyan and I won't enter into a debate about where he originated, but in Maine you can view two statues of the famous lumberjack. One in Bangor and one in Rumford.
There's also 49 Franklin, a reception hall and Mystic Theater run by Scot Grassette who also happens to be a magician. Scot is part of a grassroots effort to raise awareness of the local arts in the Rumford area. One of the programs he's trying to get up and running this summer is an outdoor art walk at Hosmer Field, the local recreation field in town. The vision is to have people walk the paved path enjoying visual artists and performing artists along the way. They're shooting for Sunday, August 17th, so check it out if you're in the area.
Well, that's all for now. My family intends to explore more Maine towns and hidden gems throughout the state that perhaps I can share another time.
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