Behind the rugged coastline, wild forests and undisturbed beauty of Maine lies a history of survivors and dreamers.
Eleanor Roosevelt spent many a summer daydreaming while sipping tea in her family’s Maine vacation home. A Shaker community held fast to its deeply rooted faith while scratching a living from the earth. Shipbuilding and logging communities used the area’s natural resources to not only survive but also thrive.
Groups can enjoy the stories dating back to the founding of the country while in the midst of Maine’s natural wonders at the state’s many historic sites. Though the Pine Tree State’s charm and allure are well known, visitors will love learning about the lesser known but fascinating past of the state.
Eleanor’s Retreat
Tea, cookies and stories of Eleanor Roosevelt provide an intimate glimpse into the life of this intriguing historic figure at the Tea With Eleanor experience at the Roosevelt Campobello International Park. Guests can enjoy Eleanor’s favorite blend of tea and cookies with the table settings of a bygone era.
The park, technically on Canadian ground but supported by the U.S. National Park System with an office in Lubec, Maine, showcases Franklin D. Roosevelt and his family’s beloved summer home on Campobello Island. The president’s 34-room home appears just as it did in 1920, the summer before Roosevelt fell ill with polio.
Guides stationed throughout the home reveal details about the home’s furnishings and the family. Also inside the 2,800-acre area, the Edmund S. Muskie Visitors Center provides an introduction to the Roosevelt story with exhibits, artifacts, historic photos and a short video.
The park’s extensive grounds and gardens feature beds of annuals, begonias, dahlias and roses.
Historic Head Light
Under the directive of George Washington, construction began on one of Maine’s most iconic landmarks in 1787. Completed in 1791, the Portland Head Light has drawn history and photography enthusiasts alike for its past importance and for the stunning image the lighthouse presents along the rocky Maine coastline.
Besides guiding ships safely to shore, the Portland Head Light was also intended to warn citizens of an impending British attack.
Inside the former keeper’s house, groups can tour the Portland Head Light Museum to view some of the original lighthouse lenses and interpretive displays. The state’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light sits on the Fort Williams Park, a 90-acre park encompassing the ruins of the 1891 Fort Williams.
Groups can learn the engaging stories about both the fort and the lighthouse on a walking tour of the park.
