PORTAL MASTER'S GREEN: Rockland to Ellsworth










I had to admit Jack's steadfast earnestness was having an effect on me. His unshakeable belief in Quetzancoatl was threatening to become contageous. Hell, Jack was smarter and better educated than me and had seen a whole lot more of the world. It seemed presumptuous of me to write him off as a total loonie.

By sheer coincidence, I was embarking on a business tactic that would entail a great deal of poking about Downeast Maine. If Portal Master's Green actually existed—and at this point I wasn't about to insist it couldn't—I had to admit Jack had a point. I had as good a chance of finding it as anybody.

(I guess I was becoming as agnostic about PMG as I was about just about everything else. What the hell, serious scientists were saying there might be as many as 27 dimensions, most of which our brains weren't wired to recognize even if they weren't infinitesimally tiny. Other scientists were saying there might be more universes than we could ever count with more popping in and out of existence all the time. Still others immersed in quantum craziness insisted that nothing really existed unless somebody was observing it. With all this weirdness pushing its way to the forefront of serious science, who was I to say there couldn't be a Portal Green?)

In any event, I had to look for it. Jack would be getting back to me, asking for specifics. I wasn't prepared to go into wholesale lying. Besides obvious issues of right and wrong, Jack was a pretty perceptive guy. I am not a practiced liar, and he would know if I were shitting him. I would lose him both as a friend and as a tried and true business associate.

My latest business plan (a good friend named Estes called it my latest hairbrained scheme) was to post online a visitors' guide that touched bases with pretty much everyting a visitor might find interesting or useful. I billed it as the first ever Complete Guide to Downeast Maine. So besides the usual Roadside Attractions, I was going to point out banks and drug stores and real estate offices and convenience stores. Once I got the whole thing down pat, I figured I would publish it as a book. I hoped I could make a few bucks by charging people for Enhanced Listings, that is Listings in bigger, bolder type with color photos and links to Websites. Then, clever me, I would sell the book.

If Quetzancoatl were real, I had to wonder, what would he regard as Downeast Maine? A popular magazine called Down East covers the entire state, although folks living in southern, western, central or northern Maine don't really regard themselves as Downeasterners. For most people, Downeast means an ill-defined area along Maine's eastern coast. Don't bother checking maps. Downeast doesn't show up on any of them. Quite arbitrarily, and for what I hoped would be in my best interests financially for my guidebook I included the western shore of Penobscot Bay as part of Downeast Maine. This got Rockland and Camden, two vital financial and cultural centers, into the mix.

Sometimes you can be faced with a very complicated problem, and the answer just seems to leap out at you. There can be thousands of possible answers, but one just seems way better than the others. That was how I felt right ten. If there were a Quenzancoatl, I thought I knew for sure where he would place his portal, a place both spiritual and sublime, a place more haunted than any other, and that would be the Olson House in Cushing, Maine.

I believed this even though the Olson house wasn't in the area I usually thought of as Downeast Maine. It was off Route 976, south of Thomaston. If Quenzalcoatl loved art and loved New England, he would have to be drawn to the work of Andrew Wyeth.

The Olson house was the home of Christina Olson, the crippled woman made famous by Wyeth in his haunting painting Christina's world.

I woke up way earlier than I would have liked with this on my mind. I had things to do in the office, but I felt a strong urge to head for Cushing. It was a two-hour drive, and I figured I might as well get on with it. Sliding into a pair of well-worn jeans and a Marden's-special, ripped-label, slightly imperfect (but who could tell where?) golf shirt, I headed out of town on Route One. In Bucksport, I visited the McDonald's Dirve-through for a sausage biscuit and large black coffee. It was still a few minutes before seven, and I liked early mornings, especially on warm spring days. My ten-year-old Saturn was running well, and I figured its half-tank of gas would easily get me to Cushing and home again. The car, I had to admit, was one degree better than a total piece of crap, but I had gotten it for practically nothing and figured I would drive it til it quit (which was likely to be sooner rather than later). I rather liked not having to worry about scratches.

Whenever I was in Bucksport, I would find myself scanning the sky. For several years, the Bucksport area had been a hotbed of UFO sightings. I couldn't imagine why. These things often seem to occur near Air Force bases, but the nearest military installation was in Brunswick, three hours away. I wondered if Quetzancoatl bombed about in a flying saucer, his finger on the proverbial button. Hell, maybe in his spare time he made crop circles, although I hadn't heard of any reports of these hereabouts.

It was before eight when I drove through Camden, so I missed the summer gridlock. Heading back would be a different matter. Ordinarily I would have seriously considered taking the back way home, through Warren, Union, Searsmont, and Winterport, quite a bit further, but pretty much traffic free. I had driven Route One so often it had become a bit of a drag. Fewer potholes, for sure, but no surprises, pleasant or otherwise.

I really thought the Olson house would be a perfect place for Quetzancoatl to put his portal.If Quetzalcoatl were real, this is where he would hang out. If any place was filled with spirits, this place was. Maybe Quetzalcoatl's was among them. For many years, Andrew Wyeth had had a studio here. Several of his most memorable works were rendered here. The house is presently a sorty of museum, with Wyeth prints hanging in several years. Visitors pay a modest fee to soak in the rich atmosphere.

The place is easy to find. It looms large and gray on the Hathorn Point Road. The house was built in the late 1700s. Originally it was a farm house, and later an inn. The house had fallen into serious disrepair until John Scullley, the former Apple Comlputer CEO, bought it and donated it to the Farnsowrth Museum, which now administers it. I walked down to the spot where Christina had lain reaching toward the house. I had done this several times before and always felt the specialness of the place. But I saw no portal, green or otherwise. Reluctantly I walked back to my car and drove back through Thomaston and slowly by Montpelier (said to be a faithful reproduction of the home of General Henry Knox, George Washington's Secretary of War, now a museum) and on to Rockland.

Maybe there is a portal, but maybe it isn't really green, I reflected. I remembered reading somwhere that the military often used the term "behind the green door" to refer to places or information withheld from the general public.

I didn't get to Rockland too often, but I always enjoyed it when I did. In the past decade, this one-time busy fishing port has become one of Maine’s most attractive cities. Historically, it has been a working man’s town, Maine’s second major fishing port. City fathers still host the Maine Seafood Festival, a major summertime happening. In recent years, the city has become a Mecca for artists and intellectuals as well.

The Farnsworth Museum, which has long had an intimate relationship with the Wyeth family, is a major draw. On Main Street, the Farnsworth Museum Shop carries prints of many paintings found in the museum’s extensive collection. I went into these places and looked around these places, but saw no sign of any sort of portal. There was a pretty young lady at the information desk. I wondered how she would react if I told her I was looking for an interdimensional portal and wondered if she had seen one nearby. No doubt this would be a way to leave a lasting impression. Maybe she would find me a wild and crazy and appealing kind of guy. I guess I'll never know.



My Website, DowneastInformation.com, is modeled after the guide compiled during the Depression by a Roosevelt concoction called bthe Works Progress Administration. Although it had been conceived pretty much as busy work for starving writers, it led to some really excellent regional guides covering every state in the nation. The Maine Guide consisted of several tours, with attractions being listed in geographical order. It seemed to anticipate automobile based tourism. I was following the same model online, although in far greater detail.

Downeast Information.com begins in Rockland and goes west to east all the way to Calais, then north to south, from Bangor to Bar Harbor. I decided that if I were going to search for Quenzalcoatl's Portal Green, it only made sense to follow this systematic approach.

Not far outside of Rockland is a golf course Quetzalcoatl would have to like. It's the Samoset, arguably Maine's finest course. Hugging the ocean it's often called Pebble Beach East. There are ocean views from 14 holes. Golf Digest placed it among the top ten most beautiful courses in the Country. I spent two-and-a-half hours walking Samoset's scenic fairways, but could find no sign of Portal Green. Of course, I had no idea what Portal Green would look like. I imagined a sort of shimmering green doorway with a translucent middle. The only way you would be able to see what lay on the other side would be to walk through, something Jack had told me in no uncertain terms never, ever to do.

Back on Route One, I drove by Miss Plum's, where you can get a real chocolate malt with your burger. Great fifties/auto decor here. Further on along this stretch is a shop specializing in maple syrup and the State of Maine Cheese Co.I found myself wondering what Quetzalcoatl liked to eat, or if he ate at all.

I took a right and drove down into Rockport, one of Maine's more sophisticated and attractive small communities. I drove by Resource, the Maine Photographic Workshop's store for students and faculty as well as the general public, a place to find rare photo and film books along with more routine postcards and t-shirts.

I drove by Maine Sport Outfitters, which stocks an incredible supply of sports gear. Would Quetzalcoatl buy stuff here?

It was becoming a game. No way would I admit to really quite believing in Quetzalcoatl. What rational person would? But, if there were such a being, where in all of Downeast Maine would he choose to place a portal? Downeast is a very special place. I knew of many magical places, but which was the most magical of all?

Still in Rockport, I swung by the Vesper Hill Foundation Children's Chapel. I had to think this open air chapel perched upon the rocks overlooking Rockport Harbor would appeal to a romantic like Quelzalcoatl. I slowed way down, but could see nothing unusual, certainly nothing that looked like a portal.

As I often did, I stopped at Maine Coast Artists, one of the few galleries in the state you canu depend on to present cutting-edge, innovative work. I went inside and looked around. There were visual treats aplenty, but no sign of a portal.

Back on Route One, I drove by the Sweet Sensations Pastry Shop, resisting the temptation to indulge myself, wondering if Q liked bakeruies.

Soon I was caught in Camden's summer traffic. A summer home for many wealthy people, Camden has many upscale shops catering to both summer people and tourists. Downtown you'll find Maine Gathering/Finest Kind Candles stocking fine Maine crafts, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Indian baskets, and dipped chocolates. The Foreside Company sells imported gifts and household accessories, while Starbird specializes in American and country decorative accessories.


I had to believe that Q might be attracted to Merryspring, a 66-acre floral preserve devoted to preserving Maine flowers and shrubs. Merryspring is well off the beaten tourist track although it's actually only about a third of a mile off Route One. I especially liked the herb garden, with its medicinal, culinary and medieval herbs. It's open year round and no admission is charged.



Once through Camden's busy downtown, I passed Norumbega, a real castle, now open as an inn. Q might like this place. It was built in 1886 by Joseph B. Stearns, inventor of duplex telegraphy, which makes possible the sending of two messages at once. Put in use around the world, it made him rich. Norumbega is remarkably well-preserved.

I turned into Camden Hills State Park , one of Maine's finest. (This park provides 26 miles of hiking trails through more than 5,000 acres.)

On a hunch, I drove the road to the summit of Mt. Battie. It was here that Edna St. Vincenet Millay wrote Renascence, which begins with the im,mortal lines, “All I could see from where I stood was three long mountains and a wood...” Surely a romantic like Quenzalcoatl would find magic in such a spot. The view, which I had seen before, was spectacular, but I found no portal.

Back on Route One, I came to Lincolnville Beach. Here there is a cluster of neat shops — antiques, books, art, Maine Artisans collective, and the Uniquely Maine Gift Shop. I sensed there was no portal here.

The "H" in the H. Swanson Gallery and Studio stands for "Harry," its gregarious artist/proprietor. Harry keeps the place open year round and loves to show folks his work. I drove on by, but wondered if Quetzalcoatl might not find Harry appealing. .

Not too many years ago, Belfast was known for processing vast quantities of chicken. So devotedly did it pursue this enterprise that it touted itself as the broiler capital of the world and celebrated this status with an annual festival. The chicken industry died—heating big barns became too expensive—but, contrary to the prediction of many, Belfast didn't. A lovely waterfront park with picnic tables now occupies the slope near the City Landing where the processing plants once stood, and Belfast is enjoying increasing popularity with sailors and tourists.

This old port town was saved by the counter-culturalists who during the early 70’s had emigrated to Waldo County’s relatively inexpensive boondocks. Many of them ended up coming to town—driven, some say, by hoards of blackflies÷and now this city may well be the cultural capital of Maine.

Maine Times readers declared that Belfast was Maine's "best little-known town to walk around in for an hour" thanks to its "good scenery, history, and many artsy nooks." Belfast is like Bar Harbor was 25 years ago. Things haven't gotten cutthroat here yet; rents are still low enough to attract young entrepreneurs with original ideas and wide-eyed enthusiasm for their enterprises. USA Today put Belfast on its list of five "culturally cool small towns." Lately, Belfast has been billing itself as a "City Full of Surprises." On Thursday nights during summer, there's music and performing arts on the streets downtown.

Belfast originally was known as Passagassawakeg—Indian for Place of Many Ghosts. In 1873, fire claimed more than 20 acres of the city, including 90 percent of the waterfront district. Fear of fire led to most of the downtown being rebuilt in brick. In those days, Belfast was a major shipbuilding center. The techniques that went into building great sailing ships helped create many of Belfast's wonderful Federal and Greek Revival houses. Two blocks of downtown buildings are listed in the National Historical Register. On Market Street, just around the corner from City Hall, is the local historical museum. Belfast's streets are spaced so as to allow as many views of the bay as possible.

My next stop was the Working Art Gallery, which shows work of regional artists. They’re a member of a group called Belfast Art Galleries; other members have been Art Alliance, Bay River Gallery, Belfast Framer & Gallery, Indigo Gallery, Jacobs Gallery, Parent Gallery, Shamrock, Thistle & Rose, and The Clown.

The Purple Baboon on Front Street is a great little gift emporium nestled between the antiquity of the town and the charm of the bayfront. On hand are gifts, souvenirs and sweet temptations from the State of Maine along with special gifts for the whole family.

i
I slowly drove by the shops of Downtown Belfast. I was familar with them all. I know you can find an outstanding selection of locally made crafts at Corner Country Crafts, 74 Church Street. Go to Out on a Whimsey on High Street for Boyds Bears and Madam Alexander dolls. The Eclectic Closet on Main Street, a funky boutique for both men and women, features clothing, accessories, and collectibles Main St. Gifts has a really interesting mix of old and new stuff. Prices seemed quite reasonable. The Good Table, whose mission it is to outfit the gourmet chefs among us, has a wonderful assortment of cook books. The Jumble Shoppe at 135 High Street offers a mix or old and new art, collectibles and antiques.

I drove by The Chocolate Drop Candy Shoppe (Where you’ll find a huge selection of jelly beans as well as Haven’s Chocolates) and Colburns (said to be the nation’s oldest, continuously-run shoe store. Folks have been outfitting their feet here since 1832), and turned right toward the Belfast Army Navy Store. (This place and others like it always made me wonder how the military organizations of the world be so culturally vulgar while sartorially cool? Owner Ronald Mullen says that at least 60 percent of his stock is military surplus--compared to less than 10 percent in many other so-called Army surplus stores. The emphasis is on authentic international military surplus, both new and used, at very reasonable prices.) What would Quetzancoatl make of Army surplus? Jack had told me that Quetzancoatl regarded war as incomprehensibly stupid.


Belfast also has Maine’s oldest weekly newspaper; The Republican Journal was founded in 1829.

IIt occurred to me that Quetzalcoat's taste for the offbeat might draw him to the Institute of Advanced Thinking on Salmond Street in Belfast. Open daily year round, the Institute features outdoor sculpture shows, indoor art shows, festivals and readings. Admission is free. The Institute is the brainchild of Bern Porter, who has been variously described as a "maverick publisher, rebel physicist, master of found art," and "The da Vinci of the Atomic Age."

Lots of people doing relatively minor things to make the world a more livable place could finally make a big difference. This is the philosophy behind the Green Store, which sells environmentally safe, energy-efficient products at affordable prices. Casting itself as a general store for the 21st century, the Green Store stocks a wide variety of environmentally benign products, including recycled papers, energy efficient lighting, organic clothing, chem-free lawn-care products, environmental test kits, and energy sipping appliances. I had to wonder if Quetzancoatl stopped by, would he tell them not to bother? Would he say the game's been lost, your fate is sealed? Why waste whatever precious time you have left recycling the crap that's suffocating you?

Downtown, there is a nice Salvation Army store. I had no idea what Quetzalcoatl would do for cash. It didn't seem likely he would be holding down a steady job. I couldn't imagine him panhandling either. He couldn't be needy. I had read somewehre there is an energy field underlying all else. Maybe he had the technologhy to convert some of this energy into whatever he wanted. That would certainly solve a lot of problems. What would life be like if there could be no scarcity? Nothing would be worth more than anything else. How would people be defined if not by what they owned? Would they be defined at all? Could they ever relate to one another?

Back to reality. I was driving by the Downtown Jewelry & Engraving Shop, a place stock full of estate jewelry, giftware, Zippo lighters, Italian bracelets, and diamonds. Not far off, Away We Grow has quality used children’s toys, books, furniture and clothes, plus new educational toys.

The whole town, every whole town, was organized around people and the objects they cherished. Belfast Bicycles, owned by Mike McDonald, has a good mix of affordable, top-quality bikes.

The Belfast Co-op Store provides participants affordable natural foods. .

Yo Mamma’s Home at 96 Main Street in Belfast has cool stuff for you and your home. It's a unique Retro Style gift and home décor store that is as diverse as it is colorful. Look for the bright Yellow Awning with the Yo Mamma’s sign.

Look for paper artworks by Belfast’s Robinsunne Postcard at Coyote Moon downtown.

Darby’s, 105 High Street, has been the site of a restaurant/pub since 1865. Rollies Cafe, Lower Main St. looks like a bit of a dive, but the burgers are outstanding. Great prices too. Stop by Inside Scoop for dessert. They feature Smiley’s Ice Cream and an outstandingly friendly ambience. Great sandwiches, too.

It is 17 miles on Rte. 1 from Belfast to Bucksport. There are no fast food restaurants along this stretch and no all-night gas stations. Without doubt, the most notabcle attraction is the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport.

You’ll want to stop by and see Jennifer at The Sea Witch just over the bridge on Route One in North Belfast. This is the place to go to rejuvenate The body mind and soul. A large selection of New Age and metaphysical books along with a nice selection of gifts, Jewelry and cards are presented in a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.

Flora Creations and Gifts emphasizes holidays, changing stock for any of several annual occasions.

Next door, Halls Antiques has many venerable woodworking tools reasonably priced.

Across Route One, Book Lover’s Attic has several specialties, including children’s books, maritime, military, music, and modern first editions.

Ya gotta love fudge, right? Well, you really can’t beat the fudge at Perry’s Tropical Nut House on Route One. Or the nuts either. There’s plenty of other wicked good stuff as well.

I stopped in to say hello to Kim at BENNETT’S GEMS & JEWELRY . She offers an interesting and varied assortment of gemstones, minerals, and fossils. Open year round, Bennett’s is the place to find affordable gemstone jewelry from Maine and the world. Here you’ll find Maine’s largest assortment of polished stones. There is always a good selection of Maine tourmaline appealingly priced. You can spot the place by the pink dinosaur out front. Owner Kim Dunn is both knowledgeable and friendly.

Nearby is a turnoff to Young's Lobster, Dock and Dine, a small Information Center, Jed’s Restaurant, the Yankee Clipper Motel, Lupine Cottage (crafts co-op), Foxy’s Steakhouse, and a the Belfast Harbor Inn.

The Maine Chowder House offers affordable and simple fare as well as an ocean view that is absolutely unsurpassed. In 1990 and 1991, this place was the top winner in the Bar Harbor Chowder Festival.

Nearby is a big Comfort Inn.

Into Chinese? Look for the Oriental Plaza Restaurant and the Seng Thai Restaurant.

You can see the work of more than 20 Maine potters at Mainely Pottery. Included is stoneware, porcelain, earthernware and raku. Some of the work is quite expensive; much of it is priced quite modestly. Out front, there is a table of seconds at reduced prices. At the adjacent studio, you can see the work of master potters in progress.

Along this stretch are Ming’s Restaurant, Papa J’s Lobster Bar, All Small Antiques, and more used books.

Kids under 12 stay free at the Admiral’s Ocean Inn on Rte 1. Call 207-338-4260. The Wonderview Cottages all have fireplaces or woodstoves. 207-338-1455. Look for the Seascape Motel and Cottages, Colonial Gables, the Oceanfront Campground, and the Gull Motel

There is no camping at Moose Point State Park, but it’s a good place for picnicking or hiking along Penobscot Bay. The views from here are spectacular. I drove in. Quetzancoatl might like it here.

Keep an eye out for Searsport Automotive, Used Books, All Small Antiques, Searsport Shores Oceanfront Camping, Watchtide By the Sea B&B, Fraze's Furniture, Remarkable Realty of Maine and Cranberry Hollow, Inn Britannia B&B, Pumpkin Patch Antiques, and a turnoff to Cathy's Collectibles.

Heading into downtown Searsport you'll pass two art galleries, the Book Case (mystery book shop), All Muddled Up Antiques, Left Bank Books, Mariner’s Restaurant, Coastal Coffee (a sandwich shop and Internet cafe), the Grasshopper Shop, Frame by Frame (frame shop), and By the Bay (antiques, gifts, and collectibles).

I always enjoyed dropping in on Warren and Linda Cole. They say their book store, the BOOK CASE, is something of a hobby. They love books and love talkiing to people who love books. People like me. If Quenzalcoatl were real, he'd shop here. Moneywise, they're satisfied to break even. (They also own the nearby Yankee Clipper Motel, which helps make ends meet.) They specialize in mysteries, and handle both new and used copies. (Warren says the ratio is about 80/20.) Warren also says that where they shine is in being able to provide complete sets by various well-regarded authors, something the big chains frequently can't do. If they don't have the book you want, chances are they can get it, either new or (barely) used.

Searsport fairly reeks with history, and I had to believe Quenzalcoatl would have at least dropped by. This wasn't exactly an easy thing to check out. How do you ask people if they've done business recently with a Mayan god? It's important that my public persona remains at least semi-normal.


A road to the right goes down to a nice park by the ocean and the Sea Captain's Inn. Mosman’s Park is a pretty spot overlooking Penobscot Bay with picnic facilities and playground equipment.


A road to the left goes to the Hidden Gardens and the Searsport Pines Golf Course (which is a scenic delight).

The Searsport Pines Golf Course is the decade-old dream of Bert Whitten. It took root in his mind in the late eighties when he was a professor at Michigan Technological University. Heir to a 300-acre family homestead, he was aware of stats indicating that Waldo County golfers had fewer places to play than golfers anywhere else in Maine. What he has created is a pretty 9-hole, par 35 course cut out of a century-old pine forest. The layout has watered fairways, and most of the tees and greens are elevated. Water comes into play on five holes. In one of the ponds is a foot-long goldfish. Daily greens fees are just $15 for nine holes and $20 for eighteen.

The Hidden Gardens are, well, hidden and a little hard to find, but if you’re into lovingly pampered flora, they’re worth the trek. You head north out of Searsport for six or seven miles, following the occasional signs. Just when you think you’re hopelessly lost, you’re there. You’re welcome to browse to your heart’s content through the huge variety of both perennials and biennials.


Nearby is Tozier's Family Market and Camp, Cottage, and Castle Antiques, Pieces (more antiques) and Cromin and Murphy (fine art), the Penobscot Marine Museum Shop.

Nearby, Captain Tinkham’s Emporium is the place to shop for beautiful, old tools and other items of inerest. Also you'll want to visit the Penobscot Marine Museum Store.

The newest Grasshopper Shop, located on Searsport’s Main Street, stocks women’s clothes, housewares, gifts, cards and all the rest of the neat stuff that’s made the other Grasshopper Shops so popular.


At the Penobscot Marine Museum, you can see one of the country’s finest collections of marine paintings and artifacts. Located on Rte 1 in Searsport, collections and special exhibitions are housed in eight historic structures, including the newly renovated Capt. Jeremiah Merithew House (1816). Here you’ll find a new permanent exhibition, "Working the Bay: Ports and People of Penobscot Bay". The Merithew House also contains the museum’s collection of 25 marine paintings by James and Thomas Buttersworth. Open Memorial Day thru Oct. 15. During your visit, you’ll want to check out the Stephen Phillips Memorial Library and Museum Store. Call 207-548-2529 for more information.


Leaving downmtown Searsport, look for By the Bay (antiques, gifts, collectibles), the Wildflower Inn, the Homeport Inn, Mermaid Fine Dining and English Pub, A.V. Nichols Inn.



I wondered if Quetzalacoatl would choose an accommodation for his portal. If he did, I suspected it would have to be a highly unusual one. He wouldn't check into a hum drum motel or a typical holiday inn. Maybe someplace there was a bed and breakfast that could charm his pants off.

I pondered all this as I passed the Admiral’s Ocean Inn, where kids under 12 stay free. There are several nice places to stay hereabouts. The Wonderview Cottages all have fireplaces or woodstoves. Sometimes the Belfast Motor Inn offers guests free lobster dinners at the adjoining restaurant. The Yankee Clipper Motel has H.B.O. cable color TV.

It was lunchtime, and I turned into the Maine Chowder House's spacious parking lot. This popular eatery offers affordable and simple fare as well as an ocean view that is absolutely unsurpassed. In 1990 and 1991, it was the top winner in the Bar Harbor Chowder Festival.

The Monroe Salt Works has taken the ancient technique of salt-glazing and combined it with modern technology to produce unusually beautiful stoneware. At its factory outlets in Belfast and Ellsworth, it sells seconds at 50 percent.

You can see the work of more than 20 Maine potters at Mainely Pottery. Included is stoneware, porcelain, earthernware and raku. Some of the work is quite expensive; much of it is priced quite modestly. Out front, there is a table of seconds at reduced prices. At the adjacent studio, you can see the work of master potters in progress.


Penobscot Books has a really fine selection of books pertaining to architecture and the fine arts as well as a good general assortment. Howard LaRue, a retired minister, collected books for many years before going into the business. For Howard, itâs a labor of love. Prices are reasonable. Call 207-548-6490.
Cranberry Hollow is one of the prettiest gift shops in this or any other territory. Call 207-548-2647.


McElvain family members have been making things from copper for two generations. Inspect their work at Weathervanes of Maine on Rte 1.

Silkweeds has expanded to become a major gift emporium—three two-story buildings providing 7,000 square feet of floor space. Things you’ll find include wreaths, rugs, Yankee Candles, dried & silk flowers, country furniture, jams & jellies, and a complete Christmas Shop. This is mid-coast Maine’s largest gift emporium. Call 1-800-711-1136.

Nearby is a big Irving Station and the Plumbline Restaurant.

Look for Angler's Restaurant and Bait's Motel. Cook's Crossing is an ice cream place housed in an old railroad depot. Nearby is the Searsport Historical Society.

The Waldo County Crafts Co-op features the work of over 25 Maine crafters. You'll pass Blessings Country Creations, Searsport Motor Company and Harbor House, an old cemetery, Downeast Auctions and Antiques, and a shop where you can buy spiral stairs.
.
At A Touch of Country, you’ll meet Colleen York, who says she has been preparing jams and jellies for the last 50 years. She still makes all her own, keeping overhead low, allowing her to charge less than other shops. "I have customers who have been coming back for 25 years," she boasts.

Look for Griffin's Antiques, a flea market, Primrose Farm Antiques, Greg's Auto Sales, Weathervanes of Maine, Searsport Rug Hooking, Red Kettle Antiques and The Rug Rat, a celebrated folk artist.

Sarah Nickerson uses hooked rugs as the medium for her folk art. Creating the rugs from wool scraps and burlap bags, she treats them as canvasses to describe many incidents in her life, such things as former residences and stages of her children’s growth. She shows them at her shop, The Rug Rat, on Rte 1 in Stockton Springs. The setting is humble, but her work has been attracting some major collectors. Her prices — $60 per square foot — are well below most comparable creations.
There are three old cemeteries along this stretch and a scenic overlook providing a view of the Penobscot River.


There is a turnoff to the Purple Fleece.


Further on, Just Barb’s Restaurant has a $6.95 Friday night fish fry featuring a half-pound of fresh haddock.

If you stay on Rte 1, you'll come to Wyman Seafoods (lobster and crab meat) and the Junction of 1A, which will take you to Winterport and Bangor.


If you take the right fork at Just Barb’s Restaurant, you’ll head into Stockton Springs, a sleepy little town by-passed by most visitors. Here is one of the safest harbors on the Maine coast. Maybe Quetzancoatl craved a sense of solitude. Maybe Stockton Springs would be his cup of tea.

The Penobscot Bay Art Gallery in Stockton Springs has a good selection of Maine art, fine art, portraits, and seascapes of Penobscot Bay. Women and the Sea is a specialty. If you want you can arrange to have your portrait painted. Vits Knuble’s permanent collection also is housed here. Open seasonally; call 207/567-4098.

I drove down to Cape Jellison, Fort Pownall (1759) once defended upper Penobscot Bay. Now you can see the pyramid-shaped bell tower of Fort Point Light. For recreationists, Sears Island is something of a well-kept secret. It’s a great spot for hikers, swimmers, and picnickers. Parts of the island are a state wildlife sanctuary. There is an access road near the Searsport-Stockton Springs line.

The Victorian House Book Barn has an impressive assortment of used and out-of-print books of virtually every kind. There are thousands of them here. Bookseller Andrew MacEwen specializes in Maine books, and won’t charge you when he searches for that elusive title you can’t find anywhere else.


Perry’s is known far and wide for its crabmeat sandwiches, a full half-pound of meat for under $10. (This place is said to have the lowest gas prices in the territory.)

Watch for Russel Marine. Both Red's Automotive and Mark's Garage in Stockton Springs can help you with your sick car.

Look for the Rocky Ridge Motel.

Watch for the sign to Fern Hill Fine Art. A short drive up Meadow Road brings you to William H. Landmesser’s studio. Highly original, his oils and watercolors are for those who have grown weary of mainstream art aimed at tourists. "I don’t do lighthouses," he points out.

Next comes an old cemetery and a scenic outlook promising a terrific view of the surrounding countryside.

At 420 feet, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory is the world's tallest. For five bucks (three for kids) you can shoot to the top in Maine's speediest elevator. (It travels at 500 feet per minute. Do the math. It'll get you there in less than a minute.) Once there, you'll be treated to one of the world's grandest views. This is one of the best deals you'll find Downeast. Your five dollarss gets you free parking and a tour of Fort Knox in addition to your trip u the tower.

Construction on Fort Knox began in 1844 and continued for 20 years. The project never was completed. As has always been the case with military projects, cost over-runs ran rampant. Today, it is a great place for kids to play; there are underground stairways, brick archways, and other ramparts of master stone masons. Twice yearly, the 20th Maine Company B Civil War Re-enactment Regiment stages authentic Civil War-era exercises; visitors can see how infantrymen of the period lived. Daily tours of the facility are conducted at 1 p.m. Admission: adults, $1.50; children, 50 cents; children under 5 free.

Once you cross the Waldo-Hancock suspension bridge, you’re on Verona Island. It was here that in 1905 Adm. Robert E. Peary had built the Roosevelt, the vessel he used as a base for his successful dog-sled dash to the North Pole. On the island, the folks at Mayari Gift Shop make 12 varieties of soap—all from goats’ milk. Every day the guys at Kravings fresh-bake everything they sell right there on the island.

You'll find the Island Pool & Spa, a picnic area, American Country Antiques, the Rock Shop, Newcomb Auto Body, a licensed acupuncturist, Wos's Wicked Fine Barbecue, Island Automotive, Life's Treasures, a sub shop and Kravings Restaurant and Pub, and a public boat access before you cross a bridge into Bucksport.

If you turn left into Bucksport, you'll come upon Ming’s Garden, MacLeod’s Restaurant, J&K Antiques, Shutters, Bookstacks, the Vineyard, the Verso paper mill, the Bucksport House of Pizza, Blind Faith Tattoes, martial arts, and a motel.,

In downtown Bucksport, the Chamber of Commerce operates a small information center. The Bucksport Depot Museum, housed in an old railroad depot, has artifacts dating back to the days when Bucksport was a seafaring settlement. Admission is free, although donations are accepted. Near here, Bucksport has developed its waterfront with benches providing nice views of Fort Knox and the bridge. Much work has been completed on Bucksport’s waterfront, including a new marina.

JAK’s Custom Matting, Framing & Laminating provides high-qualtiy picture farming at reasonable prices. JAK also sells wholesale Maine’made-candles. Great place to find some local color.

Among the treasures found at Bittersweet Gifts are decorative Russian boxes made of birchwood. This shop’s original tin ceilings make it a one-of-a-kind original.

If your looking for the best place in Bucksport to have your prized photos and artwork mounted and framed stop by Sundial Framing and Photography LLC on Main Street adjacent to the Downtown Water Front. Owner Leslie Wombacher also offers a unique package. You and your sweetie in a photo taken at your favorite Downeast location. Makes a great keepsake and well worth doing.

Richard Rosen of Rosen’s Department Store is carrying on a family tradition that goes back for 93 years. Great clothing and footwear and sensible prices and situated on Bucksport’s beautiful waterfront.

Also on Main St., check out the floral displays at Sheehan's. These guys have won awards for their designs.

Also downtown, there’s a theater that just won’t quit. Built in 1916, the Alamo was a popular movie house for 40 years before entering in a period of considerable TV-induced degradation. It was, at times, an A&P, a health clinic, a bar, and a video store. By 1992, things had become grim; the structure faced foreclosure. This was when Northeast Historic Film—a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving films of the Northeast—came riding onto the scene. Acquiring the place for a headquarters, this group began a struggle to replace the original 600-seat auditorium with a more intimate 120-seater. A major part of the project includes climate-controlled storage vaults for three-million-plus feet of irreplaceable historic film. NHF intends to be the country’s premier regional moving image archives. Open at present is the Theatre Store, which stocks Hollywood films relating to Northern New England and unusual movie-related gifts and toys.

Keep heading out on the Orrington Road and you’ll get to Sawyer's Auto Sales and Vance’s Tropical Fish and Exotic Pet Shop. (Vance is very knowledgeable about fish and devoted to their care. His selection is the best in the Downeast area.)


IT IS 18 miles from Bucksport to Ellsworth. Leaving Bucksport, you’ll see a Hannaford Super Market.

Buck Monument has the outline of a foot and leg said to be the result of a curse put upon Col. Buck by a woman he had executed for witchcraft. Just before departing this world, she promised to dance on his grave. Don’t try to convince locals she hasn't made good.

Bucksport Motor Inn offers clean quiet rooms at an affordable price. All rooms come set up with DSL Internet connections and many rooms have microwaves and refrigerators . Located close to downtown Bucksport for easy shopping or strolling along the scenic waterway park area,.

Along this stretch, there is a Dunkin’ Donuts, Soups Whole Earth Kantina (Asian and Natural Food Products and take out), Curves, a dollar store, a video shop, and a McDonald’s. Also look for Landmark Properties (real estate) and Ocean Edge Realty.

If you’re looking for a good, clean, fully-featured motel where prices are reasonable, the Spring Fountain Motel on Route One is your spot.

Nearby is a Rite Aide Pharmacy, a Subway, and a State Liquor Store.

Bucksport Hardware and Jerry’s True Value Hardware in Belfast are two of the best-stocked and most organized stores of their kind in the Coastal Downeast area. Everything from A to Z in hardware and home and camping supplies as well as Equipment rentals and a large garden center make both stores a one stop shopping destination.

If you stay at Don and Joyce Nelson’s Shady Oaks Campground for six days, you’re welcome to stay the seventh day free. The Nelsons also will provide you with a free site for however many nights you can introduce new campers to their campground.


A left onto Rte 46 will take you to the Masthead Family Campground, Cosby's Takeout, the Bucksport Golf Course and, eventually, to Holden.


Check out the Penobscot Bay Yacht Exchange.

You'll find Tozier’s II Bar & Grill and a place offering homemade pies, past the Junction of 175 to Castine.


ORLAND

The Orland Historical Society operates a small museum with military uniforms, a mineral collection, and local memorabilia on Main Street (Route 175). Open daily 2 to 4 p.m. July and August.


Look for a turn to the Orland House B&B and Orland Pottery.

The road to your left leads down to the Alamoosook Lakeside Inn.


On Rte 1 in Orland is H.O.M.E. (Homemakers Organized for More Employment), an organization that assists local people in many ways. If you’re just visiting this area, you might want to check out H.O.M.E.’s marketstand with fresh produce, craft museum, thrift shop, and gift shop featuring work of Maine artisans. There are facilities for pottery, woodworking, weaving, leather, and a greenhouse. During the summer there is a non-stop flea market. In August, H.O.M.E. holds a country and crafts fair. At one recent book sale, you could buy a whole bag of books for a buck. Call 207-469-7961.

Nearby is Freshwater Stone and Brick Work.

On Rte 1, Look for Outback Towing.

In Orland, the Love Barn & Flea Market sells neat used stuff from 15 mini-barns. On hand also is a well-run lunch wagon. Open weekends.

Rte 15 to your left leads down to Deer Isle.

When you’re at Soper's Market , don’t get proprietor John Hutchins talking about golf. Both avid and highly skilled, he will go on about it for hours. This is the place to get all your travel requirements—fuel, lobster and crabmeat sandwiches, pizza, beer wine, even specialty coffees. They’ll take your personal check or major credit card too.

Just a bit off the beaten path on Route 15 is the Wild Blueberry Patch Gift Shop. Combined here are edible blueberries and gifts with a blueberry motif. It is operated by the Allen family, which has been in the blueberry biz for five generations. Check out their giant wind turbine, the ecologically friendly way they freeze blueberries.



Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in East Orland was established in 1871 and is the nation’s oldest salmon hatchery. It is situated on the shore of Alamoosook Lake on a road that isn’t marked very well, but it is well worth visiting. There is a Visitors’ Center with aquaria, a picnic area, and boat-launching ramp, all free of charge. Each year, Craig Brook produces upwards of half a million young Atlantic salmon for Maine’s restoration programs. We visited the hatchery on a lovely July day and had the place all to ourselves. At the hatchery housed in an old ice house is Maine’s first-ever Atlantic salmon museum. On display are intricately-tied flies of master artisans, century-old flyrods , assorted reels, gaffs, tailers, and other artifacts and memorabilia.

Further on, there is a boat launch, the Pine Shore Motel and Toddy Lakeside Cabins.


WERU, a community, listener-sponsored, ad-free station providing a nice balance of good music and public service (and most always politically correct) broadcasting, now makes its home on Route 1.

B. C. Burke’s Fine Jewelry on Rte 1 in East Orland offers diamonds and other natural gemstone jewelry as well as the region’s largest selection of Tourmaline — all at very reasonable prices. Most of the jewelry is created on the premises. Sizing of any purchase is free. Also here is the East Orland Antique Mall, a multi-dealer shop with estate jewelry, over 2000 pieces of costume jewelry, books, doll houses and doll house furniture., Wade figurines, and a wide variety of antiques and collectibles—all at prices even other antique dealers find irresistible. Call 207-469-1000.

Look for the Horsing Around Flea Market.