Driving over the Penobscot Narrows Bridge never fails to stir a certain hard-to-define feeling, a mixture of awe and calm and anticipation conjured up by the span’s swooping lines, the sight of its namesake river slowly unspooling seaward, and the impression, however foggy, of crossing a threshold. Coming from the south, the midcoast is all of a sudden in the rearview, and the down east region lies somewhere ahead. But exactly where down east begins has long been a source of disagreement. Some people contend it starts halfway across the bridge, upon entering Hancock County. Others exclude Mount Desert Island, on account of its seasonal crowds feeling contrary to the area’s otherwise quiet vibrations. Another point of view holds that only Washington County, the state’s easternmost, truly qualifies (the “real down east” is a familiar refrain). Ask however many Mainers to define the region, get as many differences of opinion.
The Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Photo by Dave Waddell
The lack of consensus owes, at least in large part, to the fact that down east started out not as the name of a place but as an Age of Sail directional term. To reach Maine from Boston, a ship headed downwind and east, or down east for short. It was a purely relative concept (and that’s what inspired this magazine’s name almost 70 years ago). The notion of down east as a separate region within Maine seems to have developed both gradually and arbitrarily. But perhaps, finally, we can consider the debate over the boundaries settled. Last year, President Joe Biden signed legislation, supported by Maine’s congressional delegation, to designate a Downeast Maine National Heritage Area, which notably comprises both Hancock and Washington counties, in their entireties. So that’s that, right?
Going forward, the National Park Service will administer the new heritage area, though a heritage area is, unlike a national park, neither a federally owned nor cohesively managed unit. Rather, the designation primarily enables nonprofits and municipalities and other organizing groups within the defined area — and there are more than 60 such areas across the country — to tap into some federal funds and technical assistance for projects related to historic preservation, environmental conservation, and economic development.
Advertisement
The appeal of such an arrangement is clear enough, but it also begs a new question: What’s so uniquely heritage-y about this one part of Maine? Heritage, after all, is slippery — it implies something to do with history and culture, but history and culture exist everywhere humans have ever set up shop. There is something to be said for tight-knit communities, deep-rooted families, and traditional ways of making a living from the land and the sea. But is any of that particular to down east?
Maybe heritage is one of those sum-is-greater-than-its-parts, know-it-when-you-see-it kind of things, and you just have to discover for yourself whether the past is somehow more present down east. What follows here is hardly a comprehensive guide to the region but rather a sort of primer, an introduction with an eye toward sites with something to say about that nebulous idea of heritage. So point your car downwind and east, sail on up Route 1, and see if you think the membrane between then and now is truly thinner in Hancock and Washington counties. See if you experience another one of those hard-to-define feelings.
Where to Stay
You’ll find far more options for accommodations in the western half than the eastern half of the region, but there are options nonetheless throughout down east, and a number of them check some heritage-y boxes. The Queen Anne–style Pentagöet Inn, in Castine, was built in 1894 to capture the turn-of-the-century summering crowd, and it retains historic touches throughout. If 1894 isn’t old enough for your tastes, consider instead the Pilgrim’s Inn, on Deer Isle, which dates from 1793 and was originally the private home of a prominent gristmill and shipyard owner. Continuing eastward, there are too many offerings to count on Mount Desert Island, then a dry stretch until the Chandler River Inn, in Jonesport, which occupies a 1797 home high above its namesake river and leans into antique and vintage décor. All the way down east, in Lubec, the 1860 Peacock House Bed & Breakfast was built by a sea captain and was subsequently lived in by a family that owned a sardine cannery. In Eastport, a similar feel from a similar era comes in the form of the 1887 Kilby House Inn. Of course, if lodging that comes with historic vibes isn’t a priority, your range of options becomes considerably wider.
Where to Eat
Food, surely, is an important part of any heritage. Down east, that means lots of seafood, especially lobster, and lots of blueberries. For the former, there’s a high degree of futility in enumerating all the can’t-go-wrong establishments along the coast. The key test is to make sure you’ve got a view of the water. And Bagaduce Lunch warrants some special attention, since the James Beard Foundation conferred its America’s Classic award on the little takeout operation back in 2008 and it’s still going strong. Fried haddock, scallops, or clams all make for solid orders there too. Those seafood staples (along with heaping breakfasts and more) are also available at the hundred-year-old WaCo Diner, in Eastport, and if that doesn’t count as heritage, tough to say what does. As for blueberries, those always taste best straight from the grower, whether at a farmstand or a pick-your-own operation. Plus, if you stop during your travels to hike, say, Great Pond Mountain or Tunk Mountain, watch for freebie berries you can pluck fresh along the trail.
Blue Hill Peninsula
Soon after the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, the Blue Hill Peninsula juts south, forming the ragged eastern edge of Penobscot Bay. The rural roads that wind from town to town have a leisureliness to them, especially after driving on Route 1. In Castine, Maine Maritime Academy, itself a connection to the region’s centuries-old tradition of producing commercial seafarers, is home to the Bowdoin, a 1921 schooner and the official vessel of the state of Maine. Although the Bowdoin mostly spends its summers plying far-flung waters, it’s available for public day sails in the fall. On the other side of the peninsula is charming little Blue Hill, home to the Blue Hill Fair, a classic affair that got its start as an agricultural showcase in the 1800s — and helped inspire elements of Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White, who lived in nearby Brooklin (Aug. 29–Sept. 2, 2024). Speaking of Brooklin, that’s where the Wooden-Boat School does its part to preserve traditional maritime ways, offering classes in boat-building and sailing — plus a gift shop if you’re just passing through. Heading all the way down to Stonington, on Deer Isle, you’ll find the most productive lobster fleet in the country hard at work. And up in Brooksville, the Good Life Center is situated on the Forest Farm homestead of Helen and Scott Nearing, who inspired legions of back-to-the-landers to settle in the area. Today, the center is open to visitors throughout the summer and hosts workshops on everything from composting to building stone walls, plus talks on everything from microplastics to presidential politics. While breezing through the Blue Hill Peninsula in a day is manageable, the easy rhythm of the place sinks in better with a night’s — or several nights’ — stay. Plus, it’s a good home base for forays farther down east.
Advertisement
Clockwise from left: Class at the WoodenBoat School, in Brooklin (photo by Tara Rice), and scenes from the Blue Hill Fair (photos by Jeff Klofft).
Ellsworth to Cherryfield
Leaving the Blue Hill Peninsula behind, Route 1 soon passes through downtown Ellsworth and then neighboring Hancock, where the Downeast Scenic Railroad departs on weekends and select weekdays through mid-October. The restored passenger cars run on a line that was built 140 years ago to carry well-heeled city folk to rusticate on Mount Desert Island. Nowadays, ducking south to Mount Desert Island to explore Acadia National Park, the heart of the region’s recreational history, requires traveling by car. Continuing farther east along Route 1, vestiges of the quarrying industry appear. In Franklin, a short detour leads to the Robertson’s Quarry Galamander, one of two rare stone-hauling vehicles known to have survived in Maine. In Sullivan, the Granite Art Garden, five minutes off Route 1, is part historical site, part outdoor sculpture gallery, part trail network around an old quarry, while the nearby Gordon’s Wharf, on Mount Desert Narrows has a few informational plaques that help visitors to imagine how the now-tranquil site was once a hotbed of activity, massive granite blocks being loaded onto schooners for shipping down the Eastern Seaboard. For even more granite, but in unhewn form, loop down through Acadia National Park’s Schoodic section and pull off at Schoodic Point, where huge ledges slope toward the ocean — and offer impressive views back across the water toward the main section of the park. Farther along Route 1, evidence of past industrial prosperity takes the shape of grand old homes. Cherryfield, once a shipbuilding hub, has quite a few, including the exceedingly well-kept William M. Nash House, a sprawling Second Empire mansion that’s perched on a hill above the Narraguagus River. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places, but take note: it’s a private residence, so don’t turn around in the drive as you continue making your way down east.
Clockwise from left: view from the Schoodic Peninsula (photo by Dave Waddell); Downeast Scenic Railroad (photo courtesy of Downeast Scenic Railroad); William M. Nash House (photo by Tara Rice), in Cherryfield; sculpture at the Granite Art Garden, in Sullivan (photo by Dave Waddell).
Deeper Ties
The Wabanaki can measure their down east heritage by millenia, not just centuries.
The most well-known and oft-visited museum in Maine dedicated to indigenous peoples is the Abbe Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate in the middle of downtown Bar Harbor. Its core exhibit, People of the First Light, provides a wide-angle view of 12,000 years of tribal history across what’s now Maine, while rotating shows tend to focus more tightly on certain elements of culture, contemporary life, and the arts. Nowadays, the Passamaquoddy are the only tribe with lands down east, split between reservations at Pleasant Point, near Eastport, and Indian Township, northwest of Calais. At Pleasant Point, also called Sipayik, the concise but thoughtful Sipayik Museum is managed by Passamaquoddy-language specialist Dwayne Tomah — one of few remaining fluent speakers — and displays traditional examples of clothing, tools, baskets, and canoes, among other artifacts. Hours at Sipayik vary, so it’s best to call ahead. In downtown Calais, the small Wabanaki Culture Center and Museum includes objects from both the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes and has informational dioramas as well as a birch-bark canoe (39 Union St.). No experience of the down east region — no effort to understand what heritage means there — is complete without taking into account the past and present roles of Wabanaki tribes.
Advertisement
Clockwise from top left: a diorama and a traditional basket at the Wabanaki Culture Center and Museum, in Calais; examples of tribal clothing and tools at the Sipayik Museum; Dwayne Tomah, who runs the Sipayik Museum; a teepee reconstruction at the Wabanaki Culture Center and Museum. Photos by Dave Waddell.
Harrington to Machias
Eastbound from Cherryfield, the next two small towns you pass through are Harrington and Columbia Falls. Then, jumping off Route 1, a scenic loop can be made through the fishing village of Jonesport. Its harbor, best viewed while crossing the bridge to Beals Island, is chock-full of lobsterboats, whose now-familiar design got its modern shape from local boatbuilders. Outdoorsy travelers ought to continue along Beals to Great Wass Island, where a Nature Conservancy preserve provides several miles of trails through pristine, hushed coastal woods and bogs, reminding that conservation is a major part of down east’s past and present. All throughout this stretch of down east, too, is wild-blueberry country. Barrens of the scrubby low-bush plants line Route 1 — and turn brilliant red in the fall. In Machias, consider stopping for a slice of rightfully renowned blueberry pie at Helen’s Restaurant, especially during harvest season in late summer, for a satisfying taste of agricultural heritage. If you hunger for a history lesson as well, stop by the Burnham Tavern Museum. That’s where, in 1775, locals convened to discuss what to do about the arrival a British navy vessel and two merchant ships, looking to procure supplies that British troops needed in Boston, following the battles of Lexington and Concord. What ensued was the first naval engagement of the Revolutionary War, with Machias’s gutsy militiamen emerging the victors.
Clockwise from left: Burnham Tavern , in Machias (photo by Tara Rice); blueberry barren in the fall (photo by Benjamin Williamson); blueberry pie at Helen’s, in Machias (photo by Tara Rice); Jonesport Harbor (photo by Benjamin Williamson).
Cutler to Lubec
The Cutler coast. Photo by John K. Putnam
Something happens the farther down east you go: the fewer must-see sights around, the greater the sense you’re getting a real feel for the area. Heading toward Lubec, leave Route 1 behind and angle toward the tiny community of Cutler. The road skirts the shore for a time, then rolls along through bucolic scenery. A little farther, if you brought your hiking boots, find an excellent — but minimum-half-day — stop at the Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land (parksandlands.com). The trail there traverses the boldest section of a long stretch of shoreline known as the Bold Coast, combining some of the grandeur of Schoodic with some of the quietude of Great Wass. Is the hike instructive on the matter of heritage? Your mileage may vary, but here’s betting you’re a little more attuned afterward to what’s so special about the region’s terrain. The same can be said of Cobscook Bay, where the down east coastline’s massive tides are acutely felt, the basin emptying and swelling twice a day, many species of birds and other wildlife flocking to the marshes and grasslands. En route to Lubec, the Cobscook Shores network of parks provides a number of options for fairly quick strolls along the shore (cobscookshores.org). Then, in Lubec, consider what the waterfront would have felt like in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, when seafood canneries and smokehouses had their heydays, with about 50 such facilities in Lubec alone. Not a single one still operates there, although the McCurdy Smokehouse remains atop its pilings as a small museum that offers a glimpse into that defunct industry (mccurdysmokehouse.org). Ten minutes outside town is the sight probably most visitors come to see, West Quoddy Head Light, standing sentinel over the easternmost point in the contiguous U.S., with its iconic red and white stripes marking the entrance to the Quoddy Narrows (westquoddy.com). It might also serve as a reminder to travelers: follow the narrows, on toward Eastport.
Clockwise from top left: Lubec Landmarks now owns the McCurdy Smokehouse (photos by Dave Waddell); view down the Cutler Coast (photo by Tara Rice); Cobscook Bay at sunset (photo by Benjamin Williamson); lobsterboat off Quoddy Head (photo by Matt Trogner).
Advertisement
Eastport and Beyond
A statue at the Saint Croix River International Historic Site. Photo by John K. Putnam
In Eastport, signs of a working waterfront are everywhere in the harbor-fronting downtown, from the fishing boats at their moorings to the tugboats that can pilot large ships into the deepwater port. At one point in the early 1800s, Eastport was the second-busiest trading port in the entire country, after only New York (although it’s far from that busy these days, and all the less so since the pandemic and the war in Ukraine threw global supply chains out of whack). While strolling around town, stop by the Raye’s Mustard gift shop. The museum and factory, with the country’s only traditional stone mustard mill still in operation, has churned out mustards since 1900 but is undergoing renovations and isn’t offering tours. After Eastport, you face a choice: either make the return trip the way you came (heading “up west,” one supposes?) or explore a little ways up the Saint Croix River, toward the border town of Calais. In the latter case, stop to check out the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site, where a French expedition landed in 1604. The group of settlers moved along after enduring a brutal winter, but French colonization in North America — and Acadian influence in Maine — was underway. Finally, head west via Route 9. Known as the Airline, it’s indeed a breezy way to travel — light on traffic, thick with woods. The relaxing drive is a good time to really absorb everything you’ve seen down east.
From top left: Route 9, aka “the Airline”; Scenes from around Eastport’s working waterfront (photos by Dave Waddell).
Get all of our latest stories delivered straight to your mailbox every month. Subscribe to Down East magazine.
The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Anna Kellar is the executive director of the League of Women Voters of Maine.
This past November, my 98-year-old grandmother was determined that she wasn’t going to miss out on voting for president. She was worried that her ballot wouldn’t arrive in the mail in time. Fortunately, her daughter — my aunt — was able to pick up a ballot for her, bring it to her to fill out, and then return it to the municipal office.
Thousands of Maine people, including elderly and disabled people like my grandmother, rely on third-party ballot delivery to be able to vote. What they don’t know is that a referendum heading to voters this year wants to take away that ability and install other barriers to our constitutional right to vote.
Advertisement
The “Voter ID for Maine” citizen’s initiative campaign delivered their signatures to the Secretary of State this week, solidifying the prospect of a November referendum. The League of Women Voters of Maine (LWVME) opposes this ballot initiative. We know it is a form of voter suppression.
The voter ID requirement proposed by this campaign would be one of the most restrictive anywhere in the county. It would require photo ID to vote and to vote absentee, and it would exclude a number of currently accepted IDs.
But that’s not all. The legislation behind the referendum is also an attack on absentee voting. It will repeal ongoing absentee voting, where a voter can sign up to have an absentee ballot mailed to them automatically for each election cycle, and it limits the use and number of absentee ballot dropboxes to the point where some towns may find it impractical to offer them. It makes it impossible for voters to request an absentee ballot over the phone. It prevents an authorized third party from delivering an absentee ballot, a service that many elderly and disabled Mainers rely on.
Absentee voting is safe and secure and a popular way to vote for many Mainers. We should be looking for ways to make it more convenient for Maine voters to cast their ballots, not putting obstacles in their way.
Make no mistake: This campaign is a broad attack on voting rights that, if implemented, would disenfranchise many Maine people. It’s disappointing to see Mainers try to impose these barriers on their fellow Mainers’ right to vote when this state is justly proud of its high voter participation rates. These restrictions can and will harm every type of voter, with senior and rural voters experiencing the worst of the disenfranchisement. It will be costly, too. Taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for a new system that is unnecessary, expensive, and harmful to Maine voters.
Advertisement
All of the evidence suggests that voter IDs don’t prevent voter fraud. Maine has safeguards in place to prevent fraud, cyber attacks, and other kinds of foul play that would attempt to subvert our elections. This proposal is being imported to Maine from an out-of-state playbook (see the latest Ohio voter suppression law) that just doesn’t fit Maine. The “Voter ID for Maine” campaign will likely mislead Mainers into thinking that requiring an ID isn’t a big deal, but it will have immediate impacts on eligible voters. Unfortunately, that may be the whole point, and that’s what the proponents of this measure will likely refuse to admit.
This is not a well-intentioned nonpartisan effort. And we should call this campaign what it is: a broad attack on voting rights in order to suppress voters.
Maine has strong voting rights. We are a leader in the nation. Our small, rural, working-class state has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country. That’s something to be proud of. We rank this high because of our secure elections, same-day voter registration, no-excuse absentee ballots, and no photo ID laws required to vote. Let’s keep it this way and oppose this voter suppression initiative.
The chair of the Maine Democratic Party announced Thursday she won’t seek reelection when members select leaders later this month.
Bev Uhlenhake, a former city councilor and mayor in Brewer and former chair of the Penobscot County Democrats, has served as chair of the state party since January 2023. She is also a previous vice chair of the party.
In a written statement, Uhlenhake noted some of the recent successes and challenges facing Democrats, including the reelection of Democratic majorities in both the Maine House and Senate last November, though by narrower margins, and winning three of Maine’s four electoral votes for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Advertisement
“While we have laid a solid foundation from which Maine Democrats can build toward even greater success in 2026 and beyond, I have decided to step away from Maine Democratic Party leadership for personal and professional reasons, and will not seek reelection,” Uhlenhake said.
Party Vice Chair Julian Rogers, who was also elected to his post in 2023, announced he also won’t seek reelection to leadership, but will resume a previous role he held as vice chair of the party’s committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging.
Democratic State Committee members will vote for the party’s next leaders in elections to be held on Sunday, Jan. 26.
« Previous
South Portland debates natural vs. artificial grass at planned athletic facility
Special to Seacoastonline | news@seacoastonline.com
AUGUSTA, Maine — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was sworn into office for her third term Wednesday. Governor Janet Mills conducted the formal swearing-in of all the constitutional officers, which includes Bellows, State Treasurer Joseph Perry, Attorney General Aaron Frey and State Auditor Matthew Dunlap. In her remarks following the swearing-in, Bellows shared a message of transparency and accessibility in continuing to serve the people of Maine. “It is incumbent upon us as elected officials to make government work for the people of Maine,” Bellows said. “We must reduce bureaucracy, improve efficiency, modernize our systems, and above all, bring people together in community to make life better for the people of Maine.”
The Department of the Secretary of State includes three bureaus: The Maine State Archives, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions.
Million-dollar homes: York, Kennebunkport lead York County’s top home sales of 2024
Advertisement
Bellows emphasized her commitment to ensuring free, safe, and secure elections, modernizing government services, and preserving Maine’s history through the State Archives. She highlighted the importance of standing up for the rule of law and democracy, referring to the legacy of Civil War General Joshua Chamberlain and referencing the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. “This is our Chamberlain moment. We must stand up for the rule of law and do the right thing even when it is hard. As your Secretary of State, I pledge to always ensure that we have free, safe and secure elections and that we adhere to the Constitution and the rule of law in every aspect of everything that we do,” said Bellows. Bellows, Maine’s 50th Secretary of State, previously served two terms in the Maine Senate from 2016-2020 and was the executive director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine before her election in 2021.
