As you travel north from Bath and cross the Sagadahoc Bridge spanning the Kennebec River you’ll arrive at the town of Woolwich. History and tradition run deep in Woolwich, which looks forward to celebrating its 250^th Anniversary in 2009.

You get a sense of the cultural pride that has persisted over the years by the numerous Native American words that have continued in use for centuries. Villages, districts, streets and waterways in and around the town have lilting, tongue twisting names like Nequosset, which was the original name for Woolwich, Montsweag, Hockomock, Abagadasset and Sasanoa.  

For an appreciation of the impact Native Americans have had in the development of the area, visit the Woolwich Historical Society. It is housed in a 1910 farmhouse and displays early settlers’ lives and historical artifacts. Here you’ll learn that John Bateman and Edward Brown were the first European settlers. In 1639 they purchased most of the area that now comprises Woolwich from an Indian chief with the unlikely name of Robin Hood. This is also a great area to find examples of Native American arts and crafts.

As you drive through the unimposing neighborhoods you’ll see many examples of stately homes. They were built by ship captains and owners with enterprises in neighboring Bath. These homes include the Lt. John Hathorn House, c.1784, Jonathan Preble House, c.1777 and Major John Perkins c.1789 and the Jacob Ames House c.1786 at Thwing’s Point on the Kennebec River.

Some homes have been converted to B&Bs and are filled with antique and period pieces that will add to the ambiance of your visit. For a gratifying outdoor experience visit the Montsweag Preserve. It’s filled with scenic woodlands and stony ledges along a tidal creek.

At Phipps Neck at the southeastern tip to Woolwich you’ll find the Phipps’ Plantation. This is the birthplace of William Phipps in 1651, whose adventurous life included shipbuilding, finding sunken treasure and being knighted by King James II of England. He also commanded troops in the French and Indian War and became the first royal governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692. The plantation has been the site of an archeological dig with several thousand artifacts recovered.

Woolwich shares its name with Woolwich, England, which is also located on a large navigable river. 

Follow the gentle curves of Route 127 from Woolwich and you’ll come to two island communities. One is Arrowsic, with four lighthouses, hiking trails up 66 hilly peaks and acres of scenic woodland and river banks.

The other island is Georgetown, bounded by the Kennebec and Sasanoa Rivers and Sheepscot Bay giving you 82 miles of shoreline to enjoy. Bring your camera or just your imagination to recall the beauty of the sandy beaches, boat filled harbors, rocky coast line, protected coves and wooded marshes. It’s not unusual to see osprey and seals in the waters, bald eagles flying overhead or deer and moose in the forests.

For hiking and bird watching visit the Josephine Newman Wildlife Sanctuary. This wooded park has two and a half miles of trails through meadows, forests and the rocky shoreline.

Reid State Park, once private property, also offers scenic views of salt marshes, dunes and woodlands, plus fine sand beaches and surf crashing against rocky ledges. Don’t miss the Seguin Island Lighthouse at the mouth of the Kennebec River.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 7:18 pm and is filed under Woolwich - Georgetwon. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.