Out & About Destination: Bucksport

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In 1762, Col. Jonathan Buck sailed into Penobscot Bay on a mission from Haverhill, Mass. He established Bucksport, or Buckstown as it was then called. You might think of him as the city’s original real estate developer, sent north to settle the place and build a community of Protestants and patriots. More than 200 years later, I drove to Bucksport in a Subaru. I, too, was on a mission. With the afternoon free, I wanted an escape. But I had only five blissful hours away from work and family, so it had to be a reasonable escape. Bucksport is halfway between work and home. Every day I pass through it. I see the mill. I see Fort Knox across the harbor. I’ve been to movies at the historic Alamo Theatre and dinners at MacLeod’s Restaurant. Other than that, I can’t say Bucksport has made much of an impression on me. Until now. Far from being just another mill town, the colonel’s namesake city – population 4,968 – has charm and even a romance. After lighting out for familiar yet unexplored territory, I feel a kinship with Buck. In both of our cases, I think it’s safe to say: Mission accomplished.

NOON

Crosby’s Drive-In and Dairy Bar

Rte. 46, just outside of town

COST: $12

Fried clams for lunch? How decadent. Exactly. Paired with a large, freshly brewed ice tea, simple pleasures don’t get more satisfying. Ask for a to-go bag. It will be saturated with oil by the time you arrive at the town landing. But then you’ll have the low-fat, or at least lower-fat, version. Located just beyond the Verona Bridge, the dock is a favorite spot for local fishermen. Bring a pole. Use the uneaten clams as bait.

1:15 P.M.

Harbor and Waterfront Walkway

Begin at town dock. One-mile long.

COST: Free

Leave your cell phone and iPod off for a walk on this well-manicured path along the historic Penobscot River. It ends at the paper mill. On the way, read intriguing signage about the river, the fort, the founding fathers, and the old ferry that connected the downtown to Prospect for 100 years before the suspension bridge was built in 1931. Who knew Admiral Perry’s schooner was constructed nearby?

2:30 P.M.

The Beehive Hair Skin and Nail Salon

119 Main Street

COST: $30, plus $5 tip

After the walk comes the pedicure. Stylist Angela Moulton is an expert with hair, but she’ll rub, moisturize and paint your toenails if you ask. Walk-ins welcome. But it’s summer, so call ahead. Oddly, Bucksport has a plethora of hair styling establishments. So there are others if Angela is busy. Bring flip-flops to wear afterward.

3:25 P.M.

Wahl’s Dairy Port

Main Street

COSTS: Ranges from $1.25 for kiddie ice cream cone to $7 for a “schooner” banana split

Have you ever driven through Bucksport when there wasn’t a line at the window of Wahl’s? The ice cream is Gifford’s. Sizes range from small kiddie cones to colossal. Forget you ate the clams. Go for the flavor of the day soft-serve. The word “yummy” comes to mind. Enjoy your treat while sitting on a bench and watching traffic go by. Think about your colleagues at work. But do not think about the dinner you have to make that night.

4 P.M.

Main Street

Several blocks of merchants

COST: Up to you

For the last decade, Bucksport has been undergoing a revitalization process. That’s why, for a small city in Maine, the sidewalks are so pert. The stores are sleepy, but that’s what this day is all about, right? Do not walk. Stroll.

4:45 P.M.

Bucksport

Cemetery

Across from Hannaford’s on Rte. 1

COST: Free

Jonathan Buck’s life story is rich with U.S. history. He witnessed the scuttling of American ships during the Penobscot Expedition of 1779. He walked both to Bangor and then to Haverhill when Bucksport was under siege. Five years later, he returned to rebuild. These days, Buck is remembered less for his wartime heroics than for the mysterious, indelible witch’s boot on his monument. Read the creepy legend. Make a note to apologize to any witches you’ve offended.