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State of Maine

Narrow Gauge Cinema

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The Kennebec Journal announced on July 7th that the Narrow Gauge Cinema in Farmington was opening a new drive-in theater in the lot behind the cinema.  It brought back all the memories of childhood that involved my parents loading the 4 kids and the dog into the station wagon with bags of popcorn to go to a drive-in theater.  The one we visited had a playground in front of the huge screen that the kids would all play on until dusk arrived and the first movie started.  We always tried to stay awake through intermission to see the second movie since that one was always a little “racier” as smaller children would have fallen asleep by the time it started.  Remember the speaker that was mounted on a pole which you would hang on your car window so you could clearly hear what was happening on the movie screen?  Cars were larger then and a family of 6 with a dog could easily enjoy a double feature at a drive-in without feeling totally cramped and on top of each other.  Below is a web site from the Smithsonian magazine that will help you remember the glory days of the drive-in.  And if you have never had the experience, then it will give you a sense of what you have missed.  Is the experience worth a trip to Farmington to see a double feature under the stars?  It just might be.

 

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-drive-in-movie-theater-51331221/

 

Scott Handville, Assistant Library Director

Peaks Island

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My last blog of the summer encourages you to drive to Portland and take the Casco Bay Lines ferry to Peaks Island.  There are several other ferry trips via Casco Bay Lines to other islands off the mainland of Portland, so do investigate those also sometime.  The ferry trip to Peaks is $7.70 round trip.  You can’t beat that for a day’s fun!

The ferry ride to Peaks Island takes only about 20 minutes, so it is the perfect choice for a short day trip.  Once you land, you can visit the shops for a short while and perhaps have lunch or a beverage at one of the restaurants nearby before taking the ferry back to the mainland.  The ferry seems to leave every hour.  You might also extend your visit by doing some walking around the small island; it is only about 4 miles around the Peaks Island Loop.

 

Rather than repeat the information available from Casco Bay Lines’ web site, I encourage you to check out their website at the following link – Casco Bay Lines – Peaks Island.

Monhegan, Maine

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As I mentioned last month, one of my favorite daytrips for a beautiful summer day in Maine is to take one of the many ferries out to an island off the coast.  This blog will talk about a day trip to the island of Monhegan.

Monhegan has long been a destination for artists.  There is something different and magical about the quality of light on the island. There have been wonderful paintings done by Edward Hopper, Jamie Wyeth, George Bellows, and Rockwell Kent among many, many others.

 

You can access the island via ferry from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, or Port Clyde for about $36 round trip.  Do be sure to bring a sweater or sweatshirt for the ferry trip.  Even on the hottest day in August, crossing the open water can be a very chilling experience. Do not plan on bringing your vehicle.  Monhegan is a walker’s island and cars are not allowed on the ferries.
After the relaxing ferry ride, you have a choice of at least three ways to spend your time on the island.  You could take a leisurely walk about the area near that dock that includes a few businesses, Bed and Breakfasts, eateries, and homes. Another choice would be to take the leisurely tour of Cathedral Woods Trail which is to the left of the dock area.  A more active way to spend your time on the island, rewarded by spectacular views, is to turn right down the road after the dock and walk the perimeter of the island. 
 
There are several places to have lunch; most are of the take-out variety and feature wonderful seafood dishes that you can enjoy at a picnic bench.  I usually opt to have a sit down lunch at The Island Inn before I wander through town investigating the shops before boarding the ferry to head to the mainland.
Again, don’t forget your camera!
Some web sites to check out are:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monhegan%2C_Maine#Notable_people