23 minute read
The Joys of a long summer's stay in... Maine
Part One: The Casco Bay Region
Story and photographs by KRIS GRANT
Vacationland. That’s Maine’s nickname. It used to be “The Way Life Should Be.” Either description works for me. Last year I had the opportunity to spend a full summer in Maine, which is about as far away from California as you can get and still be in the Continental United States. It’s also so different from our Golden State with a shoreline that’s rugged, rocky and filled with islands, more than 4,600 of them!
I stayed at the home of my friends Doug and Sally Leland, who used to live in Coronado but returned to their New England roots about a decade ago. Shortly after, they bought an old coastal cottage overlooking Casco Bay in South Freeport and had it enlarged and remodeled into the home of their dreams (and mine, too, thank you very much!). In early July Doug and Sally embarked on an ambitious trek across the country. It was Doug’s 50th class reunion at the U.S. Naval Academy and he and a handful of classmates decided to mark the occasion by riding bikes from Astoria, Oregon to Annapolis. Sally and another friend traveled along in support vehicles. The group followed a cross-country route that Doug had meticulously laid out over the previous two years. Near Arlington National Cemetery, USNA Class of 1983 bike riders joined Doug’s 1973 classmates, and together they rode into the hallowed grounds of their alma mater for the ceremonies held in early October.
My job was to watch after Willie, the Leland’s 13-year-old Maine Coon cat, in their absence. Willie and I got along splendidly, especially each time I picked up a grooming brush and patted the cushion upon an old steamer trunk. Willie would recognize that sound and be there in an instant. As the weeks progressed, he became increasingly comfortable with me, always quick to point out that mealtime was approaching. In the evenings as I sat on the sofa with my legs extended onto the ottoman and covered with a light throw, Willie would often hop aboard for a snooze.
The Lelands’ home overlooks the Harraseeket River, which empties into Casco Bay, which gradually snakes its way through hundreds of those islands into the Atlantic Ocean. From their pic-
ture windows I could look over the wide expanse of lawn to the sea grass and the water beyond. I watched ospreys with six-foot wingspans build nests in the pine trees. In the months ahead, I’d occasionally see these big birds carry large fish up to their nests.
One morning as Sally and I were sitting at the dining room table and gazing out the window, I saw an unfamiliar-looking animal spring straight up and then pounce on some unsuspecting critter in Sally’s flower garden. “What’s that?” I asked. “A red fox,” Sally replied, herself pretty excited at the sighting of this usually nocturnal animal. I later learned that red foxes have excellent hearing and an acute sense of smell that allows them to detect and track a rodent that is scampering just underground.
I gradually gained familiarity with the ebbs and flows of the river and its inhab-
itants. At low tide, I’d hear the putt-putts of flat-bottomed clammers’ boats and watch kayakers and paddle boarders glide by. In the distance lobstermen left early in the morning from the Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster marina to check their traps, which they’d identify by colorful buoys; they’d haul in handsome catches in mid-afternoon.
Freeport is the perfect home base for exploring Maine. All by itself, Freeport is filled with activities and adventures that could fill your days. But there’s much to see in Maine, and many more picturesque and happening seacoast towns just minutes north or south.
I have so much to share that I’m going to make this a two-part article. In this issue, I’ll take you on a tour of the Greater Portland and Casco Bay region of Maine; next month we’ll explore the Mid-Coast and Acadia regions. Let’s get going!
Welcome to Freeport!
To orient you a bit, Maine is one of the six New England states that also include Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont. It’s also the biggest – bigger than the rest of the New England states combined. Maine is about 35,000 square miles; surprisingly it’s just slightly over one-fourth the size of California. Most of the action takes place in the southern third of the state, much of it along its gorgeous coastline.
I found that an extended stay affords the opportunity to really get to know a destination and the locals. I joined the Freeport YMCA, just two miles down the road, dropped in on services at the friendly South Freeport Church and attended its annual blueberry festival and met local barber George St. Pierre. He had just finished painting one side of his little roadside barbershop where he’s been cutting hair for, wait for it, wait for it… 60 years! He’s also a town history buff and when not barbering, he ties fishing flies inside his little shop.
I picked up a three-month visitors card at the Freeport Public Library, and scored big at its annual book sale). Good thing I had my car to cart home a case of books, many about Maine sites, recipes and legends.
Yes, I drove to Maine, and I recommend that you consider more car trips, too. I could bring (and take home) far more stuff, save money on airfare and car rentals, and see the sights along the way there and back.
My car registration needed to be renewed in September, but when I tried to get a smog check in Freeport, the mechanic looked at me with a blank stare. “What’s a smog check?” he asked. I soon discovered that I could get an extension from the California DMV to correspond to my arrival back in the state.
I attended Freeport Rotary Club meetings, held at 7 a.m. at the local community center. They served coffee, but told me with some chagrin that the guy who used to bring muffins was gone for the summer. So each Wednesday, I got up at 5:30 a.m. and whipped up homemade blueberry muffins, which I’d pop out of the oven just 10 minutes before I left so they would be warm at the meeting.
The club prepared an awesome barbecue for “New Mainers,” refugee families seeking political asylum from Angola and the Dominican Republic. Many of them were former doctors and professionals, and I was impressed by how appreciative they were and how they came dressed in traditional garb.
Freeport (and much of Maine!) is rural in nature, with family farms dotting the landscape. I got into the rhythm of life of South Freeport, noting the chickens and ducks grazing happily on pastures that I passed daily on my way to the Y; their eggs were sold curbside on the honor system, as was camp wood.
I made several visits to Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, an award-winning campground, demonstration farm and educational center. It occupies 626 acres of coastal land just minutes from Freeport’s
downtown district and is open every day without charge to visitors. I enjoyed wandering through its animal barns, visiting community gardens and hiking its trails. You can rent kayaks and canoes here and take lessons on their safe operation. Cautionary note: Do take lessons! Casco Bay waters are cold even in the summer months and you absolutely need to know how to get back into these watercrafts quickly should you capsize! I drove slowly through the lovely treeshaded campground and recommend it for your consideration. You can even have a fully prepared campsite waiting for you, through a cooperative program with L. L. Bean.
Over the course of the summer, three friends visited for a week or so each – Bonnie McConkey, a relatively new resident of Laurel, Mississippi and devotee of the HGTV show HomeTown which is based there, Rachael Dohrn from Loveland, Colorado (she showed me all around Fort Collins), and retired San Diego school teacher Katalina Obrist, who has invited me up for numerous stays at her vacation home in Cambria. We all hit the highway to discover all the magic that Casco Bay and Mid-coast Maine offers, starting with Freeport.
L. L Bean summer fun and Made-in-Maine” products
Shipbuilding, enabled by the area’s access to the sea and timber from inland forests, became Freeport’s earliest industry. After the Maine Central Railroad came through in 1849, the area became a shoemaking center.
In 1911, Freeporter Leonwood Leon Bean returned from a hunting trip with cold damp feet and a revolutionary idea. He invented a new hunting boot, comprised of a rubber bottom and upper leather, which he began selling via a circular to hunters. He opened his first store in Freeport in 1912. Ten years later, Admiral Donald MacMillan used L.L. Bean boots on his Arctic expedition.
In 1924, Bean added a field coat and by 1927, his circular had morphed into a popular catalog with a national following. In 1933, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Freeport store and Bean presented her with a hunting knife for the president. In 1951, the Freeport store opened 24 hours a day and with the exception of several weeks during the COVID pandemic, the flagship store has continued 24-hour operations.
Today L.L. Bean remains a private family-held business with five stores on its Freeport campus – its flagship store; a bike, boat and ski store; home goods store, hunting and fishing store; and an outlet store, all of which operate under the motto of “Be an Outsider.” L.L. Bean also has two popular Discovery Outdoor schools, a huge mail fulfillment center and a new corporate office complex in Freeport.
Thus, Freeport is, by and large, a proud company town, with many locals loyal to the store. One of my new Freeport friends, Jude Hall, is happily retired from L. L. Bean – she began working for the company at age 17 and held 11 jobs there over 43 years.
Summers are special on the Bean campus. At its Discovery Park in the center of its campus, I took in two free concerts. For the Melissa Etheridge concert, I sat on the bleachers, and for country singer Scott McCreery’s performance,
Bonnie and I hauled down lawn chairs at 6 a.m. to secure good seats. Bean employees guarded the chairs all day and we took our seats just before the 7:30 p.m. showtime. I noticed lots of kids in the audience; when the price is free, families come from all over the state. It also helps that all parking lots in Freeport are free, including a two-story covered lot and a lot just for RVs.
Over the years, as visitors came in everincreasing numbers to shop at the Bean complex, community planners opted to expand the town’s retail profile by making it a popular outlet center. In 2009, L. L. Bean opened Freeport Village Station, directly across Main Street from the L.L. Bean flagship. Several outlet stores are housed here including Talbot’s, Lindt Chocolates, Coach, Skechers, Old Navy, Polo Ralph Lauren and L. L. Bean.
More recently, Freeport’s planners recognized that in the Internet age outlets aren’t the draw they once were and have since made a concerted effort to draw unique retailers to the community.
Today, you’ll find more distinctive shops in Freeport, many with a “Made in Maine” logo in their window. Design standards call for quaint New Englandstyle facades; even McDonald’s fell in line.
Here are some of my favorite Freeport shops: Sea Bags features tote bags and accessories fashioned from recycled sailcloth. The first store was in Portland, followed by Freeport and now there are 50 Sea Bags stores across the country. At Chilton Furniture, 60 percent of its American wood (cherry, maple, walnut and white oak) pieces are crafted in Maine mostly in traditional New England and Shaker styles. Sherman Books & Stationery, with several locations throughout Maine, has a section on Maine authors. The two-story George-town Pottery gallery features handmade pottery crafted by Maine artists and decorated by hand. At Sea Love you can create your own candle scent incorporating any of 100 scents at the candle bar.
Wilbur’s of Maine Chocolate Confections’ owner and fellow Rotarian Tom Wilbur gave me a personal tour of the candy store and factory he and his wife Catherine founded here in 1983. Mexicali Blues, despite its name, has deep roots in Maine, with owners who travel the world from Bali to Guadalajara seeking handmade goods. In addition to Freeport, Mexicali Blues shops can be found in Portland’s Old Port, Raymond, Bangor and Newcastle…but never in a mall. The owners support communities where their products are made as well as the communities where their stores are based.
Freeport also has an abundance of restaurants in all price ranges and a half dozen super breweries. Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster, at the South Freeport marina is where I went for fresh-cooked lobster. It was (and still is; I just checked) $18.95 a pound, served with drawn butter
on their covered patio or inside their dining room (bibs and crackers provided). You can even bring your own wine or beer at no charge.
For Freeport nightlife, head to Cadenza. It’s an intimate setting where you can listen to folk, rock and blues music performed by local, regional and national artists. A small bar serves beer and wine; food is available for delivery from nearby Brickyard Tavern.
Portland’s Old Port – where history meets hip
I love Portland, Maine. Once a thriving trade and fishing settlement, Portland retains much of its 19th century charms.
With a population of just 68,000 residents, as opposed to Portland, Oregon, population 654,000, Portland is Maine’s economic hub. While fishing (lobster, oysters and clams mostly) continues, Portland leads the state in an economy that has shifted to the service industry, especially banking, information technology, education and tourism.
The city has redeveloped its core into a thriving community called “The Old Port.” Here several historic brick buildings have been renovated into mixed-use developments, offering upscale condominiums on upper floors with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and bars at street level, all of which contribute to a vibrant atmosphere, day and night. The city’s Arts District, centered on Congress Street, is home to the Portland Museum of Art, Portland Public Library, and Monument Square.
At the Soldiers’ and Sailor’s Monument in the center of the square, Katalina and I met up with tour guide Leigh Rush Olson, a Portland native and certified history docent with the Maine Historical Society & Museum. Her two-and-ahalf hour walking tour of the Old Port included 50 stops where she pointed out the significance of historical landmarks, architecture, parks and monuments. Leigh brought Portland’s history to life, including famous and legendary people of the state, highlights in the city’s history such as devastating fires, Prohibition, and stops on the Underground Railroad.
We learned that Maine lobster is the sweetest, most flavorful and tender lobster you can eat because those crustaceans just love Maine’s cold waters. It’s why Maine harvests about 100 million pounds of lobster a year and supplies 90 percent of the lobster consumed in America. Leigh also gave us tips on shopping, craft beer tastings, restaurants and nightlife.
We took Leigh’s advice and headed to J’s Oyster on the waterfront for lunch where we filled up on oysters and a pail of steamer clams. Loved it so much I made two return trips to this restaurant over the summer! Do eat at the bar where you can watch oysters being shucked while you banter with friendly and snarky waitresses who’ve been there for years. Case in point: Observing my empty Allagash beer mug, my server admonished me with a “What’s with this?” I dutifully ordered a refill.
Sadly, Portland’s waterfront sustained huge flood damage this January and J’s Oyster is closed, although I hear construction work is underway at its site. Do check back to see if it has reopened or changed ownership when you visit. Meanwhile, another super waterfront restaurant that my friend Jude took me to is Saltwater Grille in South Portland. You can get your fix of oysters here, along with fresh lobsters and other seafood selections. Its patio and indoor dining room both provide exceptional views of fishing boats on Casco Bay with a backdrop of Downtown Portland. We returned to Monument Square on another evening to eat at David’s Restaurant, a casual yet upscale eatery. Chef/Owner David Turin was on-hand to share his personal history: Over many years he’s been a favored caterer for the Bush family at their Walker’s Landing family compound in Kennebunkport and now has three restaurants in Portland. It was a memorable meal, not surprising since David was voted Portland’s Best Chef in 2019 and was named Maine’s 2012 Chef of the Year by the Maine Restaurant Association.
A poet’s legacy and an Olympian’s gift to Maine
On yet another visit to the Old Port, I visited the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, also on Congress Street in the Arts District. The boyhood home of poet Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow was built in 1785–1786 for General Peleg Wadsworth and Elizabeth Bartlett, Longfellow’s maternal grandparents. Henry’s younger sister Anne Longfellow Pierce was the last person to live in the house. Widowed at an early age, Anne lived in the home until her death in 1901. Desiring to preserve it as a memorial to her famous brother and their family, she bequeathed the house and property to the Maine Historical Society. The interior is newly interpreted as the one Henry knew and loved at the height of his literary career. The family’s collection of colonial and federal furniture fills the house. Portraits, sculpture, works on paper, and furniture have been conserved. The Longfellow gardens in the rear are free to tour during the hours the house is open. There’s also a terrific gift shop operated by the Maine Historical Society.
Portland’s waterfront is also where cruise ships dock and Casco Bay ferries depart for nearby islands. Rachael and I took the passenger ferry to Peaks Island, a 20-minute ride to where 900 residents live year-round. It being just after Labor Day, the island was pretty quiet, save for a combination souvenir shop and ice cream parlor and a bayside restaurant where I consumed yet another lobster roll. Residents mostly travel by foot or golf cart here, and take the passenger ferry to the mainland for groceries and commerce.
Portland is home to 70 miles of public trails. All are maintained and well-marked thanks to Portland Trails, a nonprofit urban land trust. Its website features a digital map and photos, including the Fore River Sanctuary trail that leads to Jewell Falls, the only natural waterfall in Portland.
The 90-acre Fort Williams Park features the Portland Head lighthouse, lighthouse museum, gift shop, food vendors, hiking trails, a swim beach, and the international Beach to Beacon 10K road race.
The race was founded in 1998 by Olympic marathoner Joan Benoit Samuelson, who was born in Cape Elizabeth and now lives in Freeport. The race, which raises funds for Maine children’s charities, attracts about 6,500 runners and is held the first Saturday in August each year. Side note: I met Joan in Janu-
ary 1980 in Detroit where she received the Broderick Award for the AIAW (preNCAA) cross-country athlete of the year. I was the publicist for that awards program and I still remember Joan coming up to me to ask where she could go running. Mind you, it was about 15 degrees. Now I hear that she might very well be the person selected to light the torch at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. I’m rooting for her!
As a longtime journalist, I want to stay on my next visit to Portland at The Press Hotel, one of Marriott’s upscale Autograph Collection properties. The circa-1923 building is the former home of Maine’s largest newspaper, the PressTelegram, and Marriott rose to the challenge of incorporating the building’s provenance into its décor and theming. Each of its 110 guestrooms’ design is inspired by a 1920s writer’s office including a vintage-styled journalist desk, playful newsroom references throughout and floor-to-ceiling marble bathrooms. An iconic front-desk letterpress art wall welcomes guests and the Inkwell lobby bar features an “Off-the-Record” Happy Hour. My favorite design statement is a two-story wall installation piece of vintage typewriters called The Swarm, said to depict the chaos of a newsroom.
Another hotel of note is the Portland Regency Hotel and Spa, which occupies the former Maine National Guard Armory built in 1895. While the interiors have been greatly renovated, the exterior of the armory has been preserved nearly intact. The approach to the hotel is via a circular cobblestoned driveway, with the property surrounded by Old Port boutiques and restaurants. The Regency Suites, which occupy the turreted upper spaces of the old armory, feature original architectural elements including finely detailed fireplaces and oriel bay windows, bringing a special ambiance to these spacious, traditionally appointed rooms.
IF YOU GO…
State of Maine Tourism Association www.visitmaine.com
Visit Freeport www.visitfreeport.com
Visit Portland www.visitportland.com
Recommended Lodging
Hilton Garden Inn Freeport www.hilton.com>maine>freeporthotels
James Place Inn Bed & BreakfastMaryAnn and Bill – nice innkeepers! Freeport www.jamesplaceinn.com
The Press Hotel Autograph Collection Portland’s Old Port www.thepresshotel.com
Portland Regency Hotel & SpaPortland’s Old Portwww.theregency.com
Wolfe’s Neck State ParkFreeport
Freeport Restaurants
Some of my favorite Freeport restaurants: The Tuscan Grill on Main Street, and its neighbor property, the Royal River Grill, overlooking the Royal River in Yarmouth are perfect for special yet still casual dinners. Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster is a well-priced and delicious lunch and take-out venue. I braved long lines at Mainely Custard for its rotating custard flavors that you just can’t find in California. The Met Coffee House and Fine Art Gallery is the gathering spot for locals. Jameson Tavern, which traces its roots to 1779 with visits by President Franklin Pierce and Longfellow, is a dark and cozy tavern where you could have a tasty lobster dinner. But on my two visits, I just enjoyed old-fashioned cocktails and good conversation at their tiny backroom bar. Several outstanding breweries are based in Freeport: my favorite is Maine Beer Company, but if you want a meal with your brew, head to Goodfire Tasting Room and Kitchen. Cadenza is an intimate live music venue: liked it so much I went three times!
You can find all these spots and more at the Visit Freeport website above.
Portland Restaurants
The Porthole Restaurant & PubRecommended by Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives www.portholemaine.com
Blythe & BurrowsOld Port www.blytheandburrows.com
Central ProvisionsFore Street, Old Port www.centralprovisions.com
David’s Restaurant22 Monument Square(plus two more Portland locations) www.davidsrestaurant.com
DiMillo’s on the WaterPortland Waterfront www.dimillos.com
Fore Street RestaurantYou’ll need reservations!Old Portwww.forestreet.biz
Saltwater GrilleSouth Portlandwww.saltwatergrille.com
ScalesYou’ll need reservations! 68 Commercial Street www.scalesrestaurant.com
Sweet Grass Winery & DistilleryOld Port Tasting Room www.sweetgrasswinery.com
Via VecchiaOld Portwww.vvoldport.com
Attractions, Museums, Ferries, Tours
Casco Bay LinesFerry service to seven islands on Casco Bay www.cascobaylines.com
Maine Wildlife ParkHome to 30+ species (including moose) of Maine wildlife that cannot be returned to their natural habitats. Gray (just inland from Freeport) mainewildlifepark@maine.gov
Portland Head Lighthouse and Fort Williams ParkCape Elizabethwww.portlandheadlight.com
Portland Trailswww.trails.org
Portland Vintage Fire Engine Tours www.portlandfiretours.com
Portland Museum of Art www.portlandmuseum.org
Old Port Historic Walking Tour www.oldporthistorictours.com
Wadsworth-Longfellow HousePortlandwww.mainehistory.org
2024 Events, Festivals and County Fairs
Maine Oyster Festival/FreeportJune 29 and 30www.visitfreeport.com
Yarmouth Clam FestivalJuly 19 - 21www.clamfestival.com
Open Farm DayJuly 28It’s open house day at 70 farms. www.realmaine.com
South Freeport Blueberry FestivalAugust (Dates TBD) www.southfreeportchurch.org
Beach to Beacon 10K Aug. 3 Cape Elizabeth www.beach2beacon.org
Cumberland County Fair Sept. 22 – 28 Cumberland www.cumberlandfair.com
Theatre
State Theatre Summer Concert Series
Thompson’s Point, Portland
Beginning in 2015, the State Theatre and Thompson’s Point began a summer concert series on the banks of the Fore River with talent ranging from The Lumineers and Bob Dylan to Counting Crows. www.thompsonspoint.com
Ogunquit PlayhouseI saw Tootsie at this noted playhouse, about 30 minutes south of Portland.Ogunquit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org
Children’s Museum + Theatre of Maine Thompson’s Point, Portlandwww.kitetails.org
Getting There
I recommend flying into Boston, rather than Portland International Jetport because most flights from the West Coast arrive in Portland late at night. You can do what my friend Katalina did – take the Concord Coach Line from Boston Logan airport to Portland. Busses leave hourly for the 1-hour, 40-minute ride; tickets range $24 - $35. Or you can take the Amtrak Downeaster train from Boston to Freeport. It takes 3 hours, 5 minutes; $36 for a standard ticket. The Amtrak station is three miles from Boston/Logan airport and is right in the center of Freeport. www.amtrak.com www.concordcoachlines.com
Or, heck, just drive there, like I did! It’s only 3,104 miles away…
