Rollinsford’s transition from a rural mill town to a riverside arts community
The rural New Hampshire town of Rollinsford, located along the Maine border, has always relied on the run of the Salmon Falls River. This was true when the Newichawannock tribe fished for migrating salmon, long before manufacturers harnessed the waterfalls to power textile mills. And it is true now, whether residents are capturing the tranquil waters and green forests on canvas, or simply enjoying them. “Rollinsford has a small artistic presence thanks to the artists’ community in the Salmon Falls Mills,” says Rachel Harmon, a Realtor at the Keller Williams Coastal and Lakes & Mountain Realty. “While the town itself is quiet, neighboring Dover and South Berwick offer great dining, breweries, coffee shops and local events.”
Forested hiking trails and Salmon Falls River recreation
Kayakers launch into river here from ramps off Foundry Street or at Bicentennial Park. Scoutland Road hugs the river before transitioning into the forested Scoutland Trail, offering a shady place for jogging or walking the dog. Residents explore area forests and brooks on their own properties, or head just outside of Rollinsford to more established recreation areas. Across the river in Maine, South Berwick is home to Vaughan Woods Memorial State Park, a forest that sprawls more than 160 acres, and The Links at Outlook, an 18-hole golf course. The Atlantic Ocean is less than 15 miles away at York Harbor Beach.
Modern arts in historic Rollinsford mills and cultural centers
The old, red-brick Salmon Fall Mills looms over its namesake river. Inside, dozens of studio spaces and their tenants have created an artistic haven full of color and craftsmanship. Woodworkers, painters, dance studio instructors and tattoo artists can all be found here. Rollinsford’s residents might find themselves at the mills to check out a library book or attend a class taught by a neighbor, all within view of the rushing falls. During monthly Open Studios events, artists show off both their finished works and workspaces. Other Rollinsford cultural institutions put on events of their own, from the Colonel Paul Wentworth House’s Civil War reenactments and artisan classes to the Garrison Players Arts Center’s community theater productions.
Mill town housing and rural, forested acreages
The closely plotted and sidewalk-lined streets nearest the river were developed for factory textile mill workers in the 1800s. Today, they are still lined by those simple homes, as well as larger, more creatively designed options built for the factory bosses. Homes away from the town center often sit on small, forested plots. Rollinsford’s median single-family home price is about $500,000, considerably higher than the national median of around $400,000. Small cottages and historic fixer-uppers are available for as low as the $400,000s, but prices rise quickly to more than $1 million for sprawling new construction.
Transitioning between New Hampshire and Maine school districts
Rollinsford Grade School earns a C-plus from Niche. Through a tuition and sending agreement with Maine School Administrative District 35, kids cross the Maine border to attend the B-plus-rated Marshwood Middle School and B-rated Marshwood High School. Marshwood High offers students the chance to enroll in more than a dozen career and technical education programs at both Dover Regional Career Technical Center and Sanford Regional Technical Center.
Shopping and dining in Dover and South Berwick
Local sports bar The Shanty is the only game in town, so locals often head to South Berwick for Fogarty’s Restaurant & Bakery, one of several old-fashioned mom and pops in the neighboring river town. There are dozens of bars, restaurants and specialty shops in Dover, about 5 miles away. The town is home to a historic, walkable business district crosses the Cocheco River. Janetos Superette is the nearest grocery store, but other chains like Hannaford and ALDI are also within 5 miles. Both Dover and South Berwick are served by several houses of worship, but residents can also attend services in Rollinsford at St. Mary Church.
Commuter hubs in New Hampshire and Maine
"Many residents commute to nearby cities like Dover, Portsmouth or even Portland for work,” Harmon says. “Boston is also within reach for occasional commuters.” Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, a major employer in Dover, is less than 5 miles away. Portland is about 45 miles away. Boston is nearly 70 miles in the opposite direction. Residents can catch a COAST bus in Dover. Amtrak’s Downeaster stops at Dover’s train station, but the nearest airport is Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, roughly 45 miles away.
Flood risk along the Salmon Falls River
Some properties along the Salmon Falls River and other smaller waterways fall into higher risk flood zones after unusually heavy rain. Buyers can check maps to see if their home requires flood insurance. As is the case throughout New England, winter storms can make travel tricky.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
