Discover: Bucksport 2022

DISCOVER BUCKSPORT

NEW BUSINESSES BOOST THE LOCAL ECONOMY 13 THINGS NOT TO MISS IN BEAUTIFUL BUCKSPORT

A Special Advertising Section by The Bangor Daily News | April 15, 2022

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DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

BUCKSPORT OFFERS

YEAR-ROUND OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

BY WANDA CURTIS

With spring finally arriving, many people are seeking opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Hiking, biking and water sports are all great ways to release pent up energy and get much needed exercise. Organized sports also provide opportunities for physical exercise which is important for both physical and mental health. Bucksport is full of opportunities to get outside and get moving!

DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT WALKWAY The Downtown Waterfront Walkway in Bucksport is a great place to walk and enjoy beautiful scenery along the Penobscot River. The mile-long trail offers views of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and historic Fort Knox across the river. The brick-paved pathway is six feet wide and mostly flat which makes it accessible for wheelchairs and/or strollers. There are gardens and water fountains along the walkway. There are also many benches on the path and public restrooms in two locations.

According to the bucksportmaine. gov website, the town installed five informational sign panels at the westerly end of the Waterfront Walkway at a location referred to as “Picnic Point” in 2016 to help connect

visitors to Bucksport’s past, present and future. The panels are entitled Rich in Heritage Panel, Times of War Panel, Of Ships and Men Panel, River of Life Panel and Looking to the Future Panel. The town also added pavers with a compass design, along with a sign showing Bucksport’s location in relation to other places in the world.

However, they’re close to the downtown. The Silver Lake Road is used for an annual 10-mile run which attracts runners from near and far each year. There’s been some discussion about connecting the Miles Lane trail system with the Silver Lake trail system in the future. However, Bucksport’s town manager Susan Lessard said there are currently no plans in the works regarding that project.

WALKING TRAILS Another trail system has been developed off Miles Lane.

Those trails are close to residential neighborhoods and schools. The trails are frequently utilized by local residents and school children on class excursions. However, they’re also open to the general public.

The non-paved trails are well groomed and are available for both walkers and runners. The Bucksport YMCA often organizes Miles Trail walking groups for adults and seniors – visit defymca.org for more information.

For those hikers who N E L H prefer more of a O B F SCOTT RTESY O U O C O T wilderness experience, PHO there are several miles of woods trails around Silver Lake. The trails are primitive and pass through some wet areas.

WATER SPORTS Bucksport has a public boat launch on the westerly shore of Silver Lake. Both local fishermen and those from away fish there. A winter fishing derby, which draws many spectators, is held there each year. Another public boat launch (which can also be used for kayaks and canoes) is found at Jacob Buck Pond.

The bucksportmaine.gov website says that the town also has a public dock for saltwater boating activities located off Main Street, with a privately-run marina nearby. The public dock is used by recreational boaters, commercial fishermen and cruise ships. The town maintains a smaller dock for fishing directly from the shore and for launching small canoes and kayaks. The smaller dock is located downstream from the public dock. There are several moorings in the bay for boaters.

Activities in the bay are supervised by a harbor master.

COURTS, PARKS & POOLS For those who enjoy tennis and basketball, there are courts in town open to the public when not being used by the schools. There’s also a public swimming pool that opens during the summer months. A public park, Ian’s Playground, is located on Elm Street.

DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

LOCAL YMCA The Bucksport YMCA offers a number of outdoor recreation programs for youth, including soccer and football for elementary grades. Their operations director Matt McInnis said that area youth and families are excited to have sports and other programming “back to a full go.” For more information, visit defymca.org.

ESSARD USAN L SY OF S E T R U O C PHOTO

MUNICIPAL ICE SKATING RINK Bucksport really is a four-season town, according to town manager Susan Lessard. In addition to the walking trails and prime locations for water activities during the first three seasons of the year, she said they operate a municipal ice skating rink during the winter.

There are opportunities for crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing on the trail systems as well.

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DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

13 THINGS NOT TO MISS

BY EMILY MORRISON

If you’re looking for a coastal town that’s not too big or too small with lots of sites and scenery to explore, look no further than Bucksport. Located in Maine’s Hancock County, Bucksport is home to many of the state’s historic landmarks, notable tourist attractions and delicious dining experiences.

A mix of natural wonder, old-fashioned appeal and yummy food, Bucksport has many must-see, must-do, must-eat places to visit.

ENTERTAINMENT THE ALAMO THEATER At 85 Main Street, the Alamo building was built in 1916 and restored in 1992. This community cinema shows contemporary movies alongside local filmmakers. A moviegoer’s mainstay, there’s not a bad seat in the house.

THE LIGHTHOUSE GALLERY This local gallery actively supports and promotes Maine artists. Spaciously designed, the interior offers visitors a place of peace and community where beautiful artwork awes art-lovers and amateurs alike. Plus, the website offers online shopping for those staying in.

PENOBSCOT NARROWS BRIDGE/OBSERVATORY The Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory is the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. It overlooks Fort Knox and offers 360-degree views of the Penobscot River and Bay. If you like modern marvels and stunning photos, you’ll love it.

BOOKSTACKS Andy Lacher’s independent, downtown bookstore is a great place for customers to sit, have a coffee, buy a Maine made bottle of wine and have a chat with a knowledgeable bookseller. Visitors can also take advantage of the free Wi-fi.

EXCURSIONS SILVER LAKE TRAILS Situated on a 67-acre preserve with three miles of trails, these quiet woods have labeled trees, loons nearby and a large field for birdwatching. Easy to follow, though occasionally rooty, the trails begin in a beautiful meadow.

Legend has it that Colonel Jonathan Buck was cursed after he burned a witch – and her foot still appears on his grave.

BDN FILE PHOTO

Checking out the view from Fort Knox to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

PHOTO BY AMY ALLEN

DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

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IN BEAUTIFUL BUCKSPORT JONATHAN BUCK MONUMENT The cursed stone of Colonel Jonathan Buck, the town’s father, features the mysterious outline of a “witch’s foot” on Buck’s monument. A place to park, a plaque explaining the legend and a wrought iron fence complete on-lookers’ spooky experience.

WAHL’S DAIRY PORT A specialty ice cream shop, the Dairy Port boasts some of the best soft serve ice cream in the state. They also feature over 40 flavors of Gifford’s hard serve, milkshakes, flurrys, sundaes, ice cream sodas, boats, floats and non-dairy options too!

WATERFRONT WALKWAY With views of Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, the Bucksport Waterfront Walkway has conveniently situated restrooms, gardens, six-foot wide brick paths, benches and water fountains. Great for joggers, families and pleasure strollers of all ages.

MACLEOD’S RESTAURANT The menu, staff, food and atmosphere make MacLeod’s, hands down, one of the best spots in town. From surf to turf, this family-owned restaurant combines great food with great service at a great price. Get whatever Connor recommends.

MILES LANE TRAILS Students, teachers, walkers and runners all enjoy these lovely trails located behind Bucksport Middle School. With a little over three miles of wooded paths, the separate segments allow nature enthusiasts to choose their own trail length while parking closeby.

CROSBY’S DRIVE-IN Serving Bucksport for 70+ years, Crosby’s is a food mecca for many. A seasonal eatery, Crosby’s cuisine offers a wide array of seafood, burgers, sandwiches, salads and delicious ice cream. Fried food, picnic tables and a playground make it a family favorite!

EATERIES VERONA WINE AND DESIGN This tiny gem offers fresh, delicious food, premium wines, craft beers, outside seating and live music in an inviting, cozy atmosphere. Plus, the local owners nailed the European style private courtyard, tapas, bacon swiss dip and the dessert menu.

FRIARS’ BREWHOUSE TAP ROOM Bucksport’s first taproom opened in early April 2018. Brother Donald, who has long had a passion for brewing beer, creates the award-winning craft brews for Bucksport's first and only brewery, including their Original “Whoopie Pie” Porter and St. Nicholas Winter Ale. The Tap Room serves up more than great beer — there’s also a restaurant and bakery.

Alas, whatever you see, do or eat in Bucksport, don’t miss these happening haunts!

Patrons at BookStacks in downtown Bucksport.

BDN FILE PHOTO

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DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

NEW & IMPROVED

NEW BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO CHOOSE BUCKSPORT AND BOOST THE LOCAL ECONOMY

BY JOSH DEAKIN

Bucksport is a quaint and historic small town on the coast of Maine, located directly across the Penobscot River from Fort Knox. It’s a beautiful community with an amazing history and views to make your visit a memorable one. The area, like many towns in Maine, is plagued by the ghost of an empty mill, but thanks to a dedicated communitywide effort, Bucksport’s economy is making great strides and once again growing.

The town has been hard at work to attract new businesses to the area. “We have a microloan program that businesses can apply for to help with startup costs, expansion or gap funding — to name a few,” said Rich Rotella, Bucksport’s Community & Economic Development Director.

The microloans in question are available up to $25,000 with an interest rate of prime plus 1.00%. Businesses on Main Street and in the Downtown District of Bucksport are the most common ones to utilize the microloan program.

“Another tool that we have is our FREE LAND program in Buckstown Heritage Park, which is our industrial park,” Rotella said. The program allows potential businesses to make property tax payments in lieu of a traditional mortgage. When the property value has been met via tax payments, the mortgage is released. “The industrial park also has three-phase power, high speed internet, water and sewer at the lots,” said Rotella.

As with any new program, there have been challenges faced along the way. “Bucksport doesn’t qualify as an ‘Opportunity Zone’ which also means it doesn’t qualify for ‘New Market Tax Credits’ – which are two tools that most other former mill towns have access to. These tools help facilitate development that might not otherwise happen,” explained Rotella. These credits and tools assist new businesses with start-up costs.

In addition to not having access to various programs, Bucksport has a logistical problem as well. “Another obstacle has been in our downtown area, where we have

businesses wanting to move to town but we just don’t have the space. We do have an empty lot available for sale at 27 Main Street but the layout of the property has made it a challenge to sell, however, we recently completed a housing study on the property, which can be viewed on the Economic Development tab of the town’s website, and we have incentives in place to now make this property more attractive to a potential developer,” said Rotella.

Like most areas around the nation, Bucksport is struggling with workforce and workforce housing as well. “Bucksport saw very limited growth since the last census and we have an aging population along with an aging housing stock,” explained Rotella.

The area has expanded substantially in the last six years since Rotella started.

“Bucksport has been able to fill its empty storefronts downtown since 2015. There were 11 vacancies on Main Street and now there are none. The second phase of the industrial park was built with eight lots and now six are sold and the last two lots are pending,” he said.

In addition to these new businesses, the old mill site in Bucksport has had its land sold off, with Maine Maritime Academy opening a Center for Professional Mariner Development, Iron Clad purchasing the power generation building and Whole Oceans buying the rest of the lots.

Bucksport’s future is looking bigger and brighter as improvements continue to be made to the area. “We have replaced the five deteriorating Main Street walls and received additional funding via the MPI program through MDOT to replace three Central Street and two US Route 1 walls. We have replaced our aging fishing pier and town dock pier. We have started replacing our marina floats and are looking at a roughly $3.2 million upgrade to our town dock floats by installing an ADA ramp, new concrete floats and new dolphins,” said Rotella.

The area continues to expand and develop its business district to encourage new small businesses in the area. Be sure to check out the new local businesses on your next trip to Bucksport.

DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF BUCKSPORT

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DISCOVER BUCKSPORT • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • April 15, 2022

Maine Maritime Academy’s Center for Professional Mariner Development offers online, hybrid, and in-person courses to meet your STCW and maritime training needs. The center offers 35 different courses over 200 times a year to support the challenging schedules of today’s professionals. The CPMD team works closely with every client to ensure their investment of time and effort results in quality professional development benefiting their careers and their safety. The center frequently adds new courses and tailors existing ones to meet individual needs, both at sea and ashore.

Plans are underway for a four-story fire training facility for later this year that could be used not only in fire training but also in fall protection, height awareness, and basic safety training necessary for the emerging offshore wind industry.

Courses offered include: • • • • • • • • •

Fast Rescue Boat Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations Tankship Dangerous Liquids Basic and Advanced Firefighting Vessel/Maritime Security Leadership & Managerial Skills and MEECE/Electrical Control Equipment Crisis, Crowd Management Helicopter Underwater Egress Training Safety Management Systems Auditor

CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL MARINER DEVELOPMENT • We offer a wide selection of STCW and non-STCW courses each month.

• On campus, online, and blended courses available.

207.326.2211 | mainemaritime.edu/continuing-education