Discover Harpswell

Harpswell comes into focus here through the distinctive history of North Harpswell: religious architecture, residential architecture, agriculture, and shipbuilding bring different aspects of the area to life. North Harpswell is one of three distinctive areas of Harpswell Neck. Travelers interested in discovering historic buildings and their connection to regional history will find several specific points of interest here.

Building history in a church and a home

The Union Church was probably built in 1841 as a meetinghouse for the North Harpswell community. Its architecture combines details of the Greek Revival and Gothic Revival styles. It is also considered a significant, nearly intact example of a rural, towerless religious building in Maine. The building can therefore be understood both through these two styles and through its distinctive form.

The Harpswell Garden Club took on the restoration of the Union Church in 1969 and continues to care for its preservation; it is occasionally used in summer. If you want to include the church in your travel plans, check in advance whether a visit is possible.

The Deacon Andrew Dunning House on Route 123 in North Harpswell presents a different architectural profile. The two-story home has a fieldstone foundation, a side-gabled roof, and a central chimney. Unlike the Union Church, the focus here is residential rather than religious architecture. The house had been abandoned and fallen into disrepair by 1946; restoration began after David and Dorothy Sturgis purchased it. The local history thus encompasses both architectural forms and the later restoration of historic buildings.

The National Register nomination describes Merriconegan Farm as the most extensive and impressive surviving example of continuous architecture in Maine, and possibly in New England. The comparison applies to Maine; it is extended to New England only tentatively.

Agriculture, shipbuilding, and nature

With its farmhouse and barns, Skolfield Farm, also known as Merrucoonegan Farm, adds an agricultural perspective to the architectural history. Its farmhouse and barns are more than 200 years old. The farm also sells apples and cider from an orchard; seasonal sales may vary. The old farm buildings and the farm’s products offer two different glimpses into this part of local history.

The maritime past is also part of the story: during the era of merchant shipping, North Harpswell was one of Maine’s leading shipbuilding areas. This adds a historical economic dimension to the stories of the buildings and farms.

Nearby, the Liberty Farm Trail at Skolfield Shores Preserve leads through the woods to the bay. Visitors can enjoy the outdoors and dig for clams there. This outing offers a different focus from the buildings: woods, coastline, and a specific activity on the water.

A report dated June 2, 2022, notes that in the preceding years, members of the Merriconeag Grange had organized contra dances as well as bean and chowder suppers. If events are important to your travel plans, check specific dates in advance.

These different themes can help you tailor your trip to your group’s interests.

Explore more destinations: Brunswick Cdp, New Gloucester, Naples, Gorham, Bridgton, Falmouth, Freeport, Portland

For the broader travel overview: Cumberland.