Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory.

Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory. (The Observatory is on the top of the left pylon. )
It’s impossible to realize how much
things on Cape Cod have sped up, until
you leave it and spend a week in a place
like Waldo County, Maine. Located on
Maine’s mid-Atlantic coast, Waldo County
feels like a relatively “undiscovered” area
of Maine. Things do slow down there. In
fact, it takes about three days to adjust to
the pace. Once you have, you realize what
a tonic an area like this can be. It just isn’t
overcommercialized. As they say, “It’s
still Maine.” And in addition, great care
has been taken to preserve and refurbish
numerous historic landmarks, homes and
buildings. Consequently, the Maine of yesteryear is still found there.
From Belfast to Searsport, Stockton
Springs, Winterport, the inlands of Unity,
Page 14, Vitality, October 2007
Liberty, Monroe and Thorndike, to Lincoln
-ville with its two town centers -- Waldo
County offers a real variety.
Things to do:
Belfast has a wonderful downtown
commercial area. It’s the premiere town in
Waldo County. Once active in ship building and cargo transport, in the mid-1980s
a combination of federal grants and private investment helped restore the town—
which had lost vehicular traffic from U.S.
1 when it was rerouted around Belfast in
1962. In the early ‘90’s, it was named one
of America’s 100 “culturally cool” communities by USA Today. The waterfront
was revived, the railroad devoted itself to
excursions, and retirees and young professionals began buying the stately homes and
brick and granite storefronts -- artfully restoring them.
While in downtown Belfast, be sure
to take in a movie at the gloriously retro
Colonial Theatre. This is an old-fashioned
movie theater -- a delightful blast from
the past that is very popular. It originally
opened in 1912, on the same day the Titanic set sail. Over the years the theater was
home to live theater, musicals, magic and
comedy acts. (www.colonialtheatre.com)
Every Friday from 9-1 from May
12th to November 17th, there’s the Belfast Farmers’ Market. Be sure to bring a
cooler, because there are food items you’ll
probably want to buy and bring home with
you. (www.belfastfarmersmarket.org)
The new cable-stayed Penobscot
Narrows Bridge and Observatory just
opened this past year, and visitors love to
elevator to the top to check out the view.
The Bridge replaces the Waldo-Hancock Bridge, whose cables were too corroded to save. In fact, the advantage of the
new cable-stay design (which has become
the modern style of choice for mediumlength bridges) is that individual cables can
be replaced as they wear out. The bridge is
the only cable-stay bridge in Maine.
Located on Rt. 1, across the Penobscot
River from Bucksport, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge is one of only four bridges in
the world with an observatory at the top
of one of its pylons. The other three are in
China, Thailand and Slovakia. The observatory is 420 feet high (42 stories), which
Next to the Penobscot Bridge, along
Rt. 174 in Prospect, is the Fort Knox State
historical site. This 19th century fortress
features extensive dark passageways, cannons and beautiful views of the Penobscot
– looking across to Bucksport.
Fort Knox was named after Major Gen.
Henry Knox, a Maine native and America’s
first Secretary of War -- the same one they
named the other “Ft. Knox” in Tennessee
after.
Built to protect the Penobscot River
Valley from a British naval attack, Fort
Knox was constructed from granite from
nearby Mount Waldo. The fort represents a
remarkable engineering feat and a stunning
example of military architecture.
The Penobscot Marine Museum, in
downtown Searsport, is a unique nautical
collection, including one of the finest collections of nautical paintings to be seen
anywhere. It was founded in 1936, when
several Searsport sea-captain families got
Buddy Hall’s trick lobster “Linda,” at Angler’s Restaurant in Searsport
makes it the tallest occupied structure in it was originally painted with lead paint, it
Maine, and the highest bridge-observatory cannot be demolitioned by just dropping it
in the world – one that genuinely challeng- in the river. It will have to be dismantled
es those prone to fear of heights.
piece by piece.
The bridge connects Prospect, Maine
with Verona Island and Bucksport. At the
top, there’s a 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside, including the Penobscot River, the picturesque town of
Bucksport, Fort Knox, and the head of Penobscot Bay. Miraculously, the Bridge and
Observatory took only 42 months to complete, from concept to opening.
The idea of adding the observatory
came from the Dept. of Transportation
Director’s wife, who suggested it as an
alternative to the very unpopular proposal
to charge a toll on the bridge. The plan
worked. Planners were expecting 25,000
visitors to the observatory during the first
full year. Yet from December to just July
this year, there have already been 50,000
visitors.
The reason that the original WaldoHancock Bridge still stands next to the new
bridge is that the money isn’t there yet ($10
Owner Jeff Marger of Bluejacket Ship Crafters
million needed) to take it down. Because
The Observatory at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge is over 400 feet high.
together to help save Searsport’s disappearing heritage. The entire collection was
housed in one building when the museum
opened. Today thirteen buildings house the
extensive permanent collection. All the
buildings are original -- not moved to the
site. (www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org)
Page 15, Vitality, October 2007
Right next to the Marine Museum’s
gift shop is Captain Tinkham’s Emporium. Those who collect old tools will find
this place to be hog heaven. It’s located at
34 Main St., in Searsport.
If you want to know “where to find
Waldo,” General Samuel Waldo is buried
at Fort Point State Park, which overlooks
the Penobscot in Stockton Springs. The
120-acre site features more than a mile of
rocky shore. The park also includes Fort
Pownall State Historic Site and the Fort
Point Light Station, which is perched majestically over the Penobscot. The park offers hiking, sightseeing, bicycling, fishing
and paddling.
5700-acre Camden Hills State Park
is located just north of downtown Camden
on the shores of Penobscot Bay. It attracts
thousands of hikers, campers, picnickers,
and other outdoor enthusiasts every year.
The park encompasses several mountain
tops, including Mount Battle, with its auto
road and panoramic views, and Mount Me-
Page 16, Vitality, October 2007
Downtown Belfast, Maine
gunticook -- the highest mainland mountain on the Atlantic coast. (www.maine.
gov/doc/parks)
Sears Island, a 941-acre property
at the head of Penobscot Bay – is a completely undeveloped island with five miles
of shoreline, forests, fields and wetlands.
It is the largest wild island in Maine that
is accessible from the mainland. (There’s
a causeway.) There are numerous trails
for walking, hiking, bicycling, skiing, and
snowshoeing. There’s also 168 bird varieties.
The island was acquired by the state in
recent years, and it’s status as being undeveloped is an embattled one. It has been the
proposed site for a great variety of industrial projects over the past 40 years - everything from a nuclear plant to an aluminum
smelter, a coal-fired plant and a liquefied
natural gas terminal. Against all odds, the
island has remained to this day in a relatively unspoiled state. (www.protectsearsisland.org)
visit. The wines they’ve produced the
last six years in business are entirely fruit
wines, including: apple, pear, strawberry,
raspberry, blackberry and blueberry. Fear
not, these are not “Boones Farm” calibre;
they’re really excellent. Our favorite was
the “dry” pear wine. Wine tastings are
available. (www.winterportwinery.com)
You can sail Penobscot Bay aboard
the Schooner Lazy Jack II. These are twohour day sails, which leave from Camden
Public Landing. (www.schoonerlazyjack.
com)
There’s also the sailing yacht “Fedele”, with Captain Roy Reed of Searsport Charters. You’ll cruise past landmarks like the Fort Point Lighthouse and
the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Call to find
out what Short Hop cruises are available
in your time frame. Cruising duration will
vary from 2 - 4 hours. Call 207-548-0940.
(www.searsportcharters.com)
Searsport Rug Hooking is a great
stop for rug-hooking enthusiasts. This specialty shop imports its own linen and handdyes their own wool. Owners Christine and
Julie are a mother and daughter team. The
business is located at 396 East Main Street,
in Searsport. (www.searsportrughooking.
com)
Bluejacket Ship Crafters is the oldest
ship-model company in the US. They have
been building scale models and developing
wood model kits since 1905. Their kits are
sought after worldwide. Bluejacket also
builds models to spec. In fact, Hollywood
has commissioned work by them more than
once. For example, the company built a
model of the HMS Bounty for the Charles
Laughton version of Mutiny on the Bounty.
And their construction of the USS Constitution model is in the Smithsonian. Their
showroom displays 75 completed models,
which are available as kits. (www.bluejacketinc.com)
Winterport Winery is great fun to
A hiker taking in the coast of Sears Island
Fort Knox in Prospect, Maine, as seen from the Bucksport side of the Penobscot River
If you want to arrange a hunting or
fishing expedition to Waldo County, Midcoast Outfitters can arrange all the details
for you: the accommodations, the equipment, the food, the guide...everything.
They can arrange saltwater fishing for
trophy size tuna, shark, and “catch and release” salmon. Local ice fishing in winter
is also available. Hunting-vacation packages for whitetail deer, local game, and
also ducks and geese are also offered. Call
them at 207-548-2613, or go to www.midcoastoutfitters.com.
Shopping:
Thankfully, Waldo County is not another mall-shopping destination. Instead
you’ll enjoy the myriad of antique dealers
and flea markets. There are also dozens
of farms that you can shop directly for all
manner of produce and meat; and also a
number of galleries to shop. For a list of all
of these, go to www.waldocountymaine.
com and request the brochure, “Waldo
County, The Treasures of Coast & Countryside.”
Places to stay:
Waldo County has a nice mix of independently-owned motels and Bed & Breakfasts. Some of the B&B’s are very stately,
especially those in Searsport.
If you want a B&B that has very comfortable rooms and beds, and one that will
spoil you rotten on a gourmet breakfast,
there’s the Londonderry Inn B&B, which
is located on Rt. 3 in Belfast. (www.londonderry-inn.com)
Old Captain Homes along U.S. 1 in
Searsport are some of the prettiest B&B’s
we’ve seen. Among these are the Wildflower Inn (www.wildflowerinnme.com)
and the Carriage House Inn. (www.carriagehouseinmaine.com)
A nice independently-owned Motel
is the Yardarm Motel, also on U.S. 1 in
Searsport. The motel features clean, pinepaneled rooms, comfortable beds and
chairs on a porch out front. (www.searsportmaine.com)
Best places to eat:
The best restaurant in Waldo County
is also the newest: The Restaurant at
Penobscot Bay Inn, on U.S. 1 in Belfast.
It has established quite a reputation, and
serves dinner Wed.-Suns. It’s also one of
the only places in the county to get a good
steak. The lasagna is great, too. (www.penobscotbayinn.com)
Angler’s Restaurant, in Searsport, is
one of those wonderful independent restaurants where the desserts are all made by
hand, not bought off a truck. And for phosphate drink afficionados, they serve Coke
AND Pepsi – a rarity. They also have the
reputation of having the best fried clams on
the east coast.
If you’re there with a group, owner
Buddy Hall will give you a little show with
his gymnastic lobster “Linda.” (see photo).
Buddy has a sense of humor; he bought the
motel next door and remembering Hitchcock’s movie “Psycho,” the seafood lover
decided to have some fun; he named his
hotel Bait’s Hotel.
Although part of a chain, Weathervane Restaurant has a wonderful location
right on Penobscot Harbor in Belfast. And
they do know how to not overcook the fish,
which makes them an excellent source for
seafood.
Golf:
Country View Golf Course is referred
to as Maine’s most scenic golf course, and
is located on Rt. 7 in Brooks. Also notable
is Lake View Golf Course in Burnham
and Northport Golf Club. All three are
nine hole course.
Waldo County was once a place folks
stopped in on their way to Bar Harbor. But
in recent years, the word has got around that
this is a charming place, and a great place
to vacation. There’s an unhurried pace and
the feeling that it’s still undiscovered.
For more information about Waldo
County, Maine, go to www.waldocountymaine.com.
Beautiful old Captain’s homes serve today as B&B’s along US1 in Searsport: the Wildflower Inn, A.V. Nickels Inn, and the Carriage House Inn.
Page 17, Vitality, October 2007