Lincoln Academy
Newcastle, ME
The first private academy in Maine, Lincoln Academy was founded in 1804 by Reverend Kiah Bailey.
Mid Coast region historic attractions add interest to your Maine getaway
Luther Little and the Vesper
Wiscasset, ME
These two wrecks foundered along the banks of the Sheepscot River in 1932. Both were four-masted schooners, built during World War I and were used as cargo ships.
Maine Maritime Museum
243 Washington St. Bath, ME 04530 Phone: 207-443-1316
Open: Daily, 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days
From the beginning of the Civil War to the turn of the century, Bath was the one of the nation's most important seaports and ship-building cities. The Maine Maritime Museum tells the story of Maine’s ship and boat building history with multiple rooms of exhibits, all contained beside a 19th century shipyard on the Kennebec River. Cost: Adults, $10; seniors, $9; children under age 17, $7; same household, $30. Admission is good for two consecutive days’ attendance
Montpelier
Thomaston, ME
A replica of the home of General Henry Knox, President George Washington's Secretary of War. Visitors will see a complete reconstruction of this home in its 18th century splendor.
Nicholas Codd House
Damariscotta, ME
Historic home built in 1800.
Nickels-Sortwell House
121 Main Street Wiscasset, ME Phone: 207-882-7169
Open: June 1-October 15, Friday-Sunday; tours every half hour, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
This house recalls Wiscasset’s golden age, when wealth from shipbuilding and maritime trade built elegant mansions. After serving as a hotel during most of the 19th century, the house was restored by the Sortwell family, who purchased it in 1899. From the 1930s, Frances Sortwell carried on the family tradition of philanthropy and was one of Wiscasset’s most dynamic preservationists.
Admission:$5; seniors, $4; students and children, $2.50.
Admission:$5; seniors, $4; students and children, $2.50.
Olson House
Cushing, ME
This famous home was used by artist Andrew Wyeth in his most famous painting, "Christina's World."
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Knox County Airport, Route 73 Owl's Head, ME 04754 Phone: 207-594-4418
Open: November- March, daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; April- October, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Visitors will enjoy exhibits featuring a collection of early air and ground vehicles. Trace the history of the bicycle and the horse-drawn carriage. Many of the vehicles are in operating condition and are demonstrated on the museum grounds. Cost: Persons over age 12, $7; seniors age 65 and older, $6; children age 5- 11, $5; family, $18.
Oyster Shell Piles
Damariscotta, ME
Oysters were used as food for centuries by the Native American population in the area. During this time, they would pile the used shells into heaps, some of which now reach 30 feet high.
Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum
Hubbard Hall, Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME 04011 Phone: 207-725-3416
Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 2-5 p.m.; closed Mondays and national holidays
The museum collections include Arctic exploration gear, natural history specimens, and art and anthropological material, produced primarily by the Inuit cultures of Labrador and Greenland. The museum also has large holdings of historic and anthropological photographs and film.
Penobscot Marine Museum
5 Church Street Searsport, ME 04974 Phone: 207-548-2529
Open: May through October, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
The principal exhibits at this museum focus on the industry of Penobscot Bay in the 19th century and illustrate what it was like to live and work on one of the great square-rigged ships in the last quarter of the 19th century, and to visit China when it truly was exotic. The museum is also known for its collection of fine 19th-century marine art, featuring one of the largest collections of Thomas and James Buttersworth paintings and several by Robert Salmon. Scrimshaw, figureheads, and art and artifacts date from the Great Age of Sail. Cost: Adults, $8; children age 7-15, $3; family, $18
Skolfield-Whittier House
161 Park Row Brunswick, ME 04011 Phone: 207-729-6606
Open: Seasonally; call ahead for days and hours
A time-capsule like home of three generations of a prominent Brunswick family with careers in seafaring, medicine and education. Among the former residents are Alfred Skolfield, a sea captain, Dr. Alice A.S. Whittier, Maine's first female pediatrician, and Dr. Frank Whittier, an early forensic pathologist. Closed for 60 years, the house remains exactly as it was in 1925 when it was last occupied. It has collections complete to the receipts used in the house's construction and spices in the kitchen spice racks. Its 17 rooms provide a glimpse into 19-century upper-middle-class life in Maine. Guided tours. Cost: Adults, $5; children, $2.50
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Newcastle, ME
This Episcopal Church was the first designed by reknowned architect Henry Vaughn, who later designed the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church
Newcastle, ME
The first Catholic church in the United States built north of Boston.
Vinalhaven Historical Society Museum
P.O. Box 339 Vinalhaven, ME 04863 Phone: 207-863-4410
Open: June 8-September 18, Wednesday- Sunday, 11 a.m. –3 p.m.; open Tuesdays in July and August; other times and dates by appointment
The colorful history of the Midcoast Islands and the town of Vinalhaven in particular are the focus of this museum.
Waterfront Heritage Park
Belfast, ME
This historic collection of buildings and shops sits on the water, giving visitors a look at the New England coastal town of the 19th century.
Castle Tucker
2 Lee Street Wiscasset, ME Phone: 207-882-7169
Open June 1-October 15, Wednesday-Sunday; tours every half hour, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
In 1858, Captain Richard H. Tucker Jr., son of a wealthy shipping family, bought this mansion with its commanding view of the Sheepscot River for his bride. He purchased a houseful of furniture from Boston, updated the interiors, and added a three-story piazza overlooking the river. Today, Castle Tucker stands as a record of late Victorian life in one of Maine’s most beautiful villages.
Admission:$5; seniors, $4; students and children, $2.50.
Admission:$5; seniors, $4; students and children, $2.50.
Chapman-Hall House
Damariscotta, ME
One of the oldest homes in Damariscotta, constructed in 1754.
Farnsworth Art Museum and Wyeth Center
16 Museum Street Rockland, ME 04841 Phone: 207-596-6457
Open: Memorial Day-Columbus Day, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Columbus Day-Memorial Day, Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Mondays ; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
The Farnsworth Art Museum offers art from 18th- and 19th-century masters Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, Fitz Hugh Lane, Frank Benson, Childe Hassam, and Maurice Prendergast as well as works by 20th-century sculptor Louise Nevelson. It has opened four new galleries to showcase contemporary art. Its Wyeth Center features works of Andrew, N.C., and Jamie Wyeth. Two historic buildings--the Farnsworth Homestead and the Olson House--complete the museum complex. The Farnsworth Homestead, adjacent to the main museum in Rockland, is distinguished by its Greek-revival exterior and Victorian interior. Painter Andrew Wyeth created many of his best-loved works at the Olson House. The house is 14.5 miles from the museum in Cushing, Maine. Cost: adults, $10; seniors, students age 18 and older, $8; children age 17 and younger, free; ticket price includes admission to the Olson House and the Farnsworth Victorian Homestead when open.
Fort Knox State Park
Stockton Springs, ME Phone: 207-469-7719
This historic fort is most interesting for its underground passages, in addition to the stonework using granite from nearby Mount Waldo. The fort was built on the narrows of the Penobscot River to protect the river valley from naval attack, but never saw battle. Open May 1-Oct. 30. a fee is charged.
Glidden House
Newcastle, ME
Built in 1752, this structure is one of the oldest in Newcastle and a fine example of Maine colonial architecture.
Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Brunswick, ME
Stowe stayed in this home at the time she was writing Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Joshua Chamberlain House
Brunswick, ME
Originally the home of the famous Civil War general Joshua Chamberlain, exhibits now feature the general, his family history, life and experiences during the war.
Kavanaugh Mansion
Newcastle, ME
This mansion, built in 1800, was home to Edward Kavanaugh who served as Governor of Maine in the mid 19th century.