Rustic homes and a natural setting define life in Alna
Alna, a small town home to about 700 residents, offers a quiet, rural lifestyle rooted in nature and community. “It’s naturally very beautiful with some saltwater features that come inland and incredible rolling hills that are quite unusual for being so close to the water,” says Melanie Trott , broker/owner with The MidcoastHome Real Estate Company. The Sheepscot River winds through town, drawing locals for kayaking and fishing, especially in the warmer months. Alna gets its name from the Latin word alnus, meaning alder tree—fitting, since these trees grow abundantly along the riverbanks. The town’s agricultural heritage is still visible in its working farms and open fields, and many residents value a slower pace of life. “When I think of Alna, I think old New Englander farmhouse homes with sheer curtains and clotheslines blowing in the wind,” Trott says.
New England cottages and farmhouses dot back roads
Alna’s housing landscape is made up mostly of single-family homes, with more than 90% of residents owning their properties. Homes are spread out along winding country roads that pass farm fields and clusters of forest, often set back from the road and surrounded by several acres of pasture or woods. Many properties sit on at least 3 acres, with some reaching nearly 70 acres. “People come here for rural living. There’s also a beautiful residential cluster of old homes in the Head Tide area of town,” Trott says, referring to the northern end. The market features classic New England styles like Cape Cods, as well as farmhouses that offer a private setting. Prices typically range from $250,000 to $1 million, with a median sale price of $625,000.
The Alna Store and nearby Damariscotta offer eats
Dining in Alna is limited, with just one main establishment serving the community: The Alna Store. Housed in a refurbished Cape Cod-style building, the store functions as both an upscale restaurant and market, offering a rotating menu built around ingredients sourced from local farmers and fishermen. Weekend brunch is a popular draw, and in 2024, The New York Times named it one of America’s Best Restaurants. “I don’t even want to tell people about it and give away the secret,” says Trott. “It’s not just steak on a plate, but a creative menu with wonderful skin-contact wine. It’s a higher-end experience in a casual, country environment. People come from all over, and reservations are recommended.”
For groceries, residents rely on seasonal farmstands like Albee Farm, which has been in operation since the 1880s and sells fresh produce, floral arrangements and baked goods. For more shopping options, residents head 10 miles southeast to Damariscotta, where there’s a Hannaford and the nearest general hospital, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital.
Alna is wrapped in nature and rooted in history
Alna offers a mix of outdoor recreation and historical landmarks that reflect its quiet atmosphere and deep roots. Locals enjoy hiking trails like Trout Brook Preserve and Bass Falls Preserve, both offering wooded paths and views of the Sheepscot River. On the north side of town, the Head Tide Dam marks the site of a former river dam, and nearby, the Head Tide Church, a Greek Revival building completed in 1838, stands tall. Off Route 218, the Alna Meeting House—built in 1789—is one of the oldest churches in Maine and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. On the southern end of town, the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum gives visitors a hands-on experience with rides on different vintage trains. Just down the road, the old Puddle Dock Village School from 1874 now hosts the Puddle Dock Village Festival, a month-long summer event featuring art exhibitions and wellness programs like recovery and sound baths.
Sheepscot Valley and Lincoln Academy serve students
Students in Alna can attend schools in Sheepscot Valley RSU 12. Whitefield Elementary School serves kindergarten through eighth graders and holds a B rating from Niche. Since Alna doesn’t have its own public high school, it’s considered a tuition-paying town—meaning the town covers the cost for students to attend a high school of their choice. Students can choose Lincoln Academy, a private boarding school in nearby Newcastle with an A-minus rating. The academy draws both local and international students and offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs, including robotics and visual arts.
State Route 218 links the car-dependent town to Augusta
Alna is a car-dependent town with no public bus or train service available. State Route 218 runs north-south through the area, serving as the main road for residents and connecting them to Wiscasset to the south and to Augusta about 20 miles north. For further travel, most residents fly out of Portland International Jetport, located roughly 55 miles south.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
