Pittston offers solitude in central Maine’s countryside
Pittston is an agricultural Maine community filled with peaceful forests and secluded homes. “It just doesn't get any more Maine than this little town,” says Anna Moskowitz, an associate broker and Realtor with Hoang Realty who’s sold homes in the area since 2012. “It’s right on the Kennebec River, which is a big, beautiful river, and it’s just farmland and pine trees. That’s it.” Though Pittston has a rural character and agricultural focus, the cities of Gardiner and Augusta are within 11 miles. “You feel like it could be the 1800s when you look out your window, but you’re 15 minutes away from everything you need,” Moskowitz says.
Homes usually come with multiple acres and barns
Driving along Pittston’s narrow country roads, the landscape shifts between forests and farmland. The Cape Cod, colonial and ranch-style homes here typically sit far apart on at least an acre, and many have barns for extra storage or raising animals. Prices typically range from around $270,000 to $530,000, though active farms with dozens of acres can cost more. Manufactured homes, which can sit on over an acre of land, generally range from around $80,000 to $290,000.
Year-round recreation includes paddling, fishing and snowmobiling
“You probably want to have some kind of outdoor interest,” Moskowitz says. “There are all-season outdoor things to do. There’s ice fishing on the river, there’s four-wheeling, there’s gardening, there’s farming.” The Eastern River Preserve has a nature trail that’s about a half mile; it leads to the Eastern River, which has a place for paddlers to launch their kayaks and canoes. The Kennebec River is another popular spot to get outside, and the closest boat ramp is in Gardiner’s Waterfront Park. The town is working to establish the Pittston RiverWalk, a hiking trail that will provide access to the Kennebec River's eastern shore. When the Kennebec freezes over in winter, Baker’s Smelt Camps sets up fishing cabins on the ice for people to catch smelt, and when there’s snow on the ground, the Pittston Prowlers Snowmobile Club maintains over 35 miles of trails throughout the community.
Strawberries and carnival rides at the Pittston Fair
“They have a really cute fair at the beginning of the summer, which is nice because they get to have a strawberry festival at their fair every year,” Moskowitz says. “It’s one that my family and I go to. It's just a classic, small Maine fair.” The Pittston Fair, also known as Maine’s Friendliest Fair, has occurred each June since 1952. Since it takes place during strawberry season, there are plenty of strawberry-flavored treats and the Maine Strawberry Pageant, where a winner is crowned Maine’s Strawberry Queen. The fair also features carnival rides, fair food and competitions.
Pittston’s public schools earn Bs and Cs
Kids go to schools in Regional School Unit 11, which earns an overall rating of C-plus from Niche. The C-rated Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School teaches elementary grades nearby. The B-rated Gardiner Regional Middle and the C-plus-rated Gardiner Area High are located across the river. High schoolers here can enroll in career and technical education courses at Capital Area Technical Center in Augusta, where they can earn college credit and certificates in topics like computer technology and firefighting.
A car-reliant area within 20 minutes of Gardiner and Augusta
Pittston spans a large stretch of countryside that’s laced with small state roads, so the time it takes to drive to nearby cities can vary. On average, Gardiner is around 5 miles away, and Augusta is an 11-mile trip. MaineGeneral Medical Center's Alfond Center for Health is about 15 miles away, and Togus VA Medical Center is a 10-mile drive. Portland International Jetport is around 58 miles away. Houses of worship here include the First Congregational Church of Pittston and East Pittston United Methodist Church.
Restaurants and grocery stores are in Gardiner
The Village General Store sells hot pizza, snacks and archery supplies, but residents must drive out of town for other amenities. “It’s a rural setting,” Moskowitz says, “but it's right across the river from Gardiner.” In Gardiner, Hannaford provides groceries, and Emery’s Meat & Produce sells locally sourced food. The city has a walkable downtown with restaurants like A1 Diner, which was featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Bintliff’s Corner Brew is another popular hangout; this coffee shop serves brunch, pastries and hot beverages in a warm atmosphere. National retailers are in Augusta.
Frequent power outages during winter
Maine has cold and snowy winters, and in rural areas like Pittston, it can take a while for power to be restored during a winter storm. “Probably a fair amount of the houses already have generators because one of the things in winter up here is we lose our power,” Moskowitz says. “It's also good to ask either the seller or the neighbors about that. You say, ‘Hey, remember this storm? How many days did you lose power?’”
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Written By
Annie Franklin
