West Bath

Midcoast Maine’s charming Phippsburg is an old fishing village, home to year-round residents who brave the waters when they’re at their coldest. The peninsula’s jagged edges jut into the mouth of the Kennebec River, known for fertile waters with enormous runs of fish. "It's one of the first places in Maine where Europeans settled and built the first wooden sailing vessel in North America," says Robert Long, a Maine native who works in the area. Long emphasizes the value of the town's long-tended farmland. “It’s a very small town,” says Julie A. Cromwell, owner of Cromwell Coastal Properties in nearby Woolwich and 20-year local seller. The community’s population topped out at just over 2,000 in 2020, according to US Census Bureau data, but those numbers are increasing thanks to the growing crowds of Winnebago drivers who park their motor homes here solidly until Labor Day. Phippsburg’s draw is in its natural scenery – the town’s undeveloped land sits under thick blankets of brushy pines and fir trees that line one north-to-south road leading to the rocky cape. Buyers can find listings at many budgets in this quiet coastal community, where multi-million-dollar waterfront residences mix with manufactured homes and about everything in between. Properties typically range from $200,000 to $2 million, spanning styles from beach cottages and rustic farmhouses to towering cabins that peek through the tall treetops. These getaways scatter along the main road, hidden behind long drives and thick foliage. Purchasing an empty parcel is a good way to invest here, with lots selling from $75,000 to $725,000, depending on the size, location and views. But there’s a lot more to Phippsburg than barn houses and fishing. The peninsula is home to several nature preserves and beaches with stunning year-round scenery. Popham Beach is the busiest in the state, particularly during the summertime when the rocky coastline fills with swimmers, boaters and seashell collectors. Pet owners can leash up their furry friends for waterside walks in the fall and winter. Locals can also take on woodsy trails on the way to the beach at the Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area (BMMCA), an enclave of protected salt marsh and coastal upland managed by Bates College. "The barrier beach is a pristine jewel," Long, a steward at the BMMCA, says. Phippsburg is part of Regional School Unit 1, a public school system also serving Bath and Woolwich. Kids can start at Phippsburg Elementary before moving on to Bath Middle and finishing up their studies at Morse High. Each carries Niche ratings of B-minus or higher and is located within 7 miles or roughly 15 minutes from Phippsburg families. In 2023, members of Morse’s new International Club held an event called “International Night,” designed to highlight the cultures of exchange students from across Maine, including Kazakhstan, France, Italy, Germany, Mexico and Ukraine. The town gathers weekly for civic meetings covering historic preservation, climate resilience and shellfish conservation, among other topics. Locals also gather for less official events throughout the year, like the Phippsburg Sportsmen’s Association’s Family Fishing Derby in February, Trick or Truck for Halloween and the popular Canvases and Cocktails event in the winter. “Everybody helps each other out,” Cromwell says. Community leaders have organized once-a-month meal kits to be distributed at the town hall to help residents stretch their grocery budgets. With a CAP Index crime score of 1, Phippsburg also experiences less crime than busier Maine areas. Phippsburg has a handful of restaurants, though many are open seasonally, so it’s wise to check before heading out for a meal. The Lobster House is among the most popular, a waterside spot known for its namesake dish, and Ledges Pub, an eatery offering dinner with a view of the water inside the Sebasco Harbor Resort. You can also get a fresh-baked pie in town from Trish’s Pie Bakery, serving flavors like pecan, French apple, and – of course – wild Maine blueberry. Downtown Bath is less than 10 miles away, where Phippsburg locals can explore the lively downtown area with a wide selection of bars, restaurants and cafes. Phippsburg homeowners also head this way for grocery shops at Shaw’s, or continue west to Brunswick to hit big box stores like Walmart or Lowe’s Home Improvement. Phippsburg’s proximity to Bath means it’s not too far from Route 1, a major Maine connector that starts in Kittery and runs all the way up to the Canadian border. It’s a 15-minute ride to the highway from the center of town. From there, commuters can hop on Interstate 295 to ride up and down the coast. Most can reach Portland within an hour, and the Amtrak Downeaster train line begins its journey south in Brunswick, 15 miles away. Brunswick is also home to Mid Coast Hospital.

In Georgetown, fishermen have been catching lobsters and farming quahogs for generations. This remote island, accessed from the mainland by a bridge from nearby Arrowsic, is a small, secluded community where many of the same families have lived for centuries. About 1,000 people inhabit Georgetown, and the median age is 58. Bushes engulf roads that connect farmhouses, beaches and the woods. There are no chain stores in Georgetown, no supermarkets with big parking lots, and the nearest high school is back on the mainland. But neighbors like it this way, preferring a quiet rural way of life to the crowded beach town experience of communities like York and Old Orchard Beach. “This Island is an idyllic place where magic comes to life. People move to Georgetown for a variety of reasons – whether its unique natural beauty and scenic, a strong sense of community, or its long presence in our state’s history,” says Tyler J. Washburn, the town administrator. The Gulf of Maine surrounding Georgetown is its greatest visual asset and its primary economic fuel. Lobstering and clam digging powered the economy for generations, but the market has since shifted more towards aquaculture. The value of aquaculture in Maine was $137.6 million in 2014, and some studies predict it could reach up to $800 million by 2025. “We remain impressed by the dedication and responsible stewardship of our men and women who make their livelihoods from the sea,” says Washburn. There’s no shortage of seafood in Georgetown. Five Islands Lobster Co. serves fresh lobsters and fried haddock to patrons sitting in picnic tables in the summertime. But even during the winter, the Georgetown County Store has things like lobster rolls and pizza. The shop is the only deli and grocery store in Georgetown, so they stock up on essentials. There’s even a little lunch counter inside for neighbors who want to take a load off. Artisans paint plates, lamps and other ceramics by hand next door at Georgetown Pottery. Georgetown’s natural beauty is one of its major selling points. The island is home to Reid State Park, a 770-acre nature area with wide-sand, saltwater beaches. The beaches serve as bird nesting areas and have sand dunes, a rarity in Maine. Reid is also known for its waves and is considered one of the best places to surf in New England. Locals can take advantage of nature hikes with incredible vistas, like one visible from the top of the rocky Griffith Head. Homes in Georgetown have a rustic, woodsy feel and sit apart from one another. Wooden ranch-style houses sit on the water with docks, two-story shingled cottages have back decks for entertaining and whimsical, contemporary houses overlook cliffs. Real estate is hard to find in highly desirable Maine, which keeps prices high. In Georgetown, home prices range from $380,000 to $3.1 million. Georgetown has its own elementary school, Georgetown Central School, with a D-plus rating from Niche. It has just 47 students, and the community is highly engaged. Physical education class sometimes takes place outside. After elementary school, kids can choose from nearby middle schools. A popular choice is Bath Middle School, followed by Morse High School in Bath. Both schools have Niche ratings of B-minus. Route 127 runs into Georgetown from Arrowsic. Bath is about 10 miles away, and Route 1 is a 10-minute drive.

Thickly forested and sparsely populated, the inlet of Arrowsic is a quiet rural town in Maine’s Midcoast region. Sandwiched between the shipbuilding town of Bath and the tourist community of Georgetown, Arrowsic is a town of small lighthouses where people move when they want a country way of life near the water. “It’s a gateway to Georgetown,” says Julie A. Cromwell, owner of Cromwell Coastal Properties in nearby Woolwich. “It’s just a rural town – not much goes on in Arrowsic.” Arrowsic’s roughly 500 residents live in homes spread out from each other on multiple acres of land. Houses like Cape Cods and post and beam structures came online in the 20th century. Some homes have river frontage and deepwater docks and sit in the woods engulfed by trees. Cape Cods from the late 1980s can cost $630,000, early 20th century homes with cathedral ceilings can go for $500,000, log cabins can cost $800,000, Cape-style houses with deepwater frontage can go for $500,000 and open concept post and beam wood houses on 19 acres can cost $830,000. “It’s close to everything, but away from the hubbub, so it’s great if people want something more rural,” says Cromwell. In the 1890s, several lighthouses came online on the south end of Arrowsic because of a need for signals along the Kennebec River. Lighthouses, including the Squirrel Point Lighthouse, can be accessed by walking trails. The 23-ft. Doubling Point Light sits at the end of a boarded catwalk, and the twin Kennebec River Range Lights signal mariners around a turn. Squirrel Point connects to Bald Head Preserve, a bald eagle nesting ground and hiking area where the Kennebec and Back Rivers merge. Arrowsic is forested and rustic, but people can still get their beach fix. Reid State Park in Georgetown has a sandy beach with some of Maine’s best surfing. Neighbors can see some of the nearby coastal islands from the rocky shoreline and a viewing area called Griffith Head. Arrowsic is rural and residential, so the island has no stores or restaurants. Shaw’s supermarket and big-box chains like Family Dollar sit on the other side of the bridge in Bath. Downtown Bath is full of mom-and-pop merchants like jewelry stores, natural markets, Irish pubs and candy stores. Neighbors drive into Bath for sandwiches at Burano’s Wood-Fired Pizza, coffee at Mae’s Café & Bakery and sesame chicken at Yum Mee Chinese Restaurant. Children in Arrowsic attend schools through Regional School Unit 1, a public school district serving Arrowsic, Bath, Phippsburg and Woolwich. The school district has a B-minus rating from Niche. Some kids attend Dike-Newell School in Bath (rated B), followed by Bath Middle School (rated B-minus) and Morse High School (rated B-minus), which recently got a new School-Based Health Center to provide expanded health care services. The main road in Arrowsic is Route 127, which takes travelers north to Woolwich and southeast to Georgetown. Route 127 connects with Route 1, which runs west to Bath and south to Portland and beyond. Neighbors can take the Amtrak Downeaster line from Brunswick, a 20-minute drive. The train runs south along the Maine and New Hampshire coastlines, eventually stopping in Boston at North Station.