Located where the Kennebec River opens into Merrymeeting Bay's rare and storied waters, 47 Island View Lane in Bowdoinham offers more than a view. Nestled at the end of a quiet private lane in one of Maine's most beloved small towns, it offers a connection to the land, the rhythm of the river, and echoes of the past.
With over 900 feet of river frontage and 6.77 acres overlooking the southern tip of Swan Island, this rare property sits on land long revered for its beauty, abundance, and spirit. For a thousand years, Wabanaki people gathered here to hunt waterfowl, fish, and hold seasonal ceremonies along the freshwater tides of Merrymeeting Bay - A confluence of six rivers and one of the world's only freshwater tidal ecosystems.
In 1958, local outdoorsman Spear Sedgley built a Sportel here - a long ranch-style lodge with four motel-style guest rooms, a clubhouse, and a skeet and trap shooting range on the north end of the property. The site became a seasonal hub for anglers and duck hunters alike. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the Kennebec and Merrymeeting Bay remain vital stopovers for migrating birds—part of a rich living corridor where creatures great and small have thrived for generations.
Beyond its natural beauty and sporting history, this land witnessed a significant chapter in Maine's working past. The Kennebec River was once a vital route for transporting the prized King's Pine, carrying massive logs downstream to fuel shipbuilding and Maine industry.
Now on the market for the first time in 33 years, the land includes a flexible one-level main house, the former clubhouse converted into a well-loved cottage with a strong vacation rental history, and an additional outbuilding currently used as a workshop. As July's full Buck Moon rises in the southeastern sky, the land waits quietly for its next nature-loving steward - someone drawn to this sacred place where rivers meet, tides turn, and the rising sun brings light across the Kennebec.
