Brownfield’s peaceful setting appeals to privacy seekers
Miles from any metropolis, Brownfield is a small town in Oxford County bordering New Hampshire. The Saco River winds through the eastern part of town. Heading west, the topography begins to get a bit hilly approaching the White Mountains. The overall CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, much lower than the national average of 4. Peaceful, quiet and surrounded by trees, this rural community appeals to buyers who want privacy. But with the popular Stone Mountain Arts Center bringing musicians from across the country deep into the forests of Brownfield, residents don’t have to drive far for a thriving arts scene.
A night at the Stone Mountain Arts Center
The Stone Mountain Arts Center, owned by singer-songwriter Carol Noonan, is a timber frame barn-turned-performance venue attracting neighbors and visitors alike, despite its deeply rural location. "You drive there and you’re like, 'Where is this place?'" says Monica LaVerdiere, the owner of Bearfoot Realty who sells across Oxford County. "All of a sudden, you see this not very big, modest building." Yet, nationally known musicians journey to this unpretentious venue in the woods of Maine to put on a show. Whether the performer of the evening is a local singer-songwriter or a Grammy Award-winning country music artist, shows routinely sell out in this intimate, 200-seat space. The attached café that serves food and drinks before shows adds to its rustic, homey atmosphere. “Every year, the state has the Realtor of the Year awards, and in 2013, I was the Realtor of the Year, and we had the banquet there," LaVerdiere says. "The gal that owns the place made up a song about me and sang it. It was just so cool. Everything was freshly made: family-style pork, chicken, green beans, potatoes—good, homestyle cooking.”
Homes along Brownfield’s tree-lined, country roads
Homes typically sit on level, grassy lots with mature trees, perhaps overlooking an open field or sitting at the end of a gravel driveway. Properties are often spaced far apart—sometimes with several acres between them—allowing for privacy. The residential landscape includes ranch-style and Cape Cod homes, some of which have traditional New Englander architectural elements like gabled roofs. Prices range from about $170,000 to $490,000, depending on size, though some custom-built mountain retreats can approach $1 million; homes below $290,000 tend to be under 1,000 square feet. The median sale price is about $400,000. Land is also for sale. Properties along the banks of the Saco River have an increased flood risk.
Outdoor fun and community spirit in Brownfield
Brownfield’s hills, forests and bodies of water create a natural outdoor playground. The Burnt Meadow Trailhead is a wooded, dog-friendly trail with two paths going up to the summit. Exposed rock greets hikers at the top, along with a panoramic vista of the distant hills. At Burnt Meadow Pond, locals can go canoeing or jump off the dock and go for a swim. Campgrounds along the Saco River have canoes available for rent. Anglers can also head to the Saco River to fish for trout.
Brownfield Community Center hosts recreational and social events like yoga sessions and breakfast potlucks. It’s also the site of the Brownfield Old Home Day every August, a family-friendly event featuring a parade, a cornhole tournament, local vendors and a pie-eating contest. Behind the community center, old tennis courts have been repurposed into a skatepark.
Brownfield students get a public and private education
Regional School Unit No. 72, locally called MSAD 72, is rated C on Niche. The district serves free breakfast and lunch to Brownfield kids in the summer. Denmark Elementary, rated B-minus, serves students through fourth grade, and Molly Ockett School, rated C, serves prekindergartners through eighth graders. There is no public high school in Brownfield, but local high schoolers can attend Fryeburg Academy, an A-rated, private high school in Fryeburg tuition-free. The school is ranked within the top five private high schools in Maine and has a student-to-teacher ratio of 10-to-1, according to Niche. Eighth graders may take foreign language classes at Fryeburg Academy as well.
Limited shopping and dining in Brownfield
When it comes to dining out, locals can head to The Back Burner Restaurant for brisket, fish and chips and live music on the back deck. There are more restaurants in the neighboring town of Fryeburg, like the popular 302 West Restaurant & Tavern for barbecue, as well as a couple of local pizza places. Other than Brownfield Country Market, which sells groceries, there are very few locally owned businesses in Brownfield and surrounding small towns. But about 14 miles away in North Conway, national chains include Walmart Supercenter, Michael’s and REI.
Brownfield is a car-dependent community
Brownfield is a car-dependent town without public transportation. Portland Street extends north to Fryeburg, where drivers can access U.S. Route 302, a major thoroughfare that stretches west toward Conway and southeast toward Portland. Bridgton Hospital is about 15 miles northeast, while Portland International Jetport is about 40 miles southeast.
