Steven Wallace
Last week I had the opportunity to drive Route 127 through Arrowsic and Geogetown on my way to visit Woodex Bearing Co. To say that it was a “nice drive” is an understatement — it was dazzling.
With settlement history going back to the 1600s, Arrowsic is a beautiful town. Covering just over 10 square miles, this part of Mid-coast Maine shares a very rich and colorful past with both Native American and early colonial cultures. You cannot help but find interesting tidbits wherever you go, from King Phillip’s War to Dummer’s War to the marauding Indians who shot Ebenezer Preble.
Further down Route 127, Georgetown welcomes you with all its glory. Another area steeped in early American history, the Georgetown Historical Society and Museum can do a much better job of “show and tell” than I can of writing this column.
Other places to visit in Georgetown include the Josephine Newman Wildlife Sanctuary, Perkins Island Light, Reid State Park, and Seguin Island Light (stop by Robinhood Marina & Yacht sales while you’re out there and tell them the chamber sent you!).
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about two businesses I stopped by on my trip: one chamber member and one nonchamber member. Both of them made my day.
First, I visited Georgetown Pottery. If you have never been there before, you need to go. As you walk through the store, you can actually start to visualize some of their beautiful works of pottery in your home — I saw a really nice set of sushi plates and bowls that have since been added to my 2012 Christmas list.
While in the store, I spoke with a couple from Massachusetts that bought a set of dishes a few years back. One of the pieces had gotten broken, and they had come to Maine to get a replacement dish. Within the span of minutes, the associate at Georgetown Pottery had located the replacement piece. Pretty impressive customer service if you ask me.
A totally unexpected surprise happened when I found a new candy shop on Route 127 — I thought I knew every candy store in Sagadahoc and Lincoln counties. And what a gem this place is.
MainSweets had a beautiful selection of homemade candies — most of which were covered in dark, Belgium chocolate. From the pecan turtles to the Oreo balls, this is a sweet-a-holics paradise.
One of the most prized candies offered were the Needhams. Rumor has it that there is a secret ingredient in the Needhams that make them taste so good. While I don’t want to start rumors, I can vouch that they are the best Needhams I have ever tasted. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t stop at just one.
All in all, my “short” little trip to visit a business in Georgetown turned into a full afternoon trip. I encourage you and your family to load into the car one of these days soon and visit some of the places I’ve suggested. Stop by as many locations as possible — I guarantee you that at each place you will learn something new. More importantly, you will grow to appreciate even more how richly diverse Mid-coast Maine is. Our region is truly one of the best in Maine.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Learn about the impact of federal health care reform and the Maine health care reform from presenter Adam Sturtevant, regional vice president at Northern Benefits of Maine. The program is Mid Day Chambers, Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is free and open to chamber members and the public at the Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road.
Sista’s BBQ hosts the July 25 Chamber After Hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (note later start than normal). This event is free to attend but pre-registration is required online at www.midcoastmaine.com or by calling 725-8797. Sista’s is located at 154 1/2 Pleasant St. (Route 1), Brunswick.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS: SMMC welcomes Sylvester’s Fish & Chips (Brunswick), Sunshine Pools (Jay) and Martha Dillard Design (Topsham) to its membership. To discover more about each of these businesses, go to www.midcoastmaine.com.
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