Drive onto Maine Street in Brunswick and you’ll see a curious sight – a street that  spans 198 feet. When planned by the visionaries who established the town in 1714-15 they called the street Twelve Rod Road. It may be the widest street in New England. It sets the tone for an open environment and organized grid system of streets that make Brunswick an easy place to visit and enjoy.

The street makes room for an inviting spacial grassy mall where town folks and visitors can picnic, relax on benches and listen to free concerts.

Not far from this open area is Bowdoin College, one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the country. Founded in 1794, its 110 acre campus houses the Maine State Music Theater, where you can attend professional musical productions during the summer. Also on campus you’ll find the Nathaniel Longfellow-Henry Wadsworth Hawthorne Library and the Perry-MacMillan Arctic Museum with displays depicting the exploits of the two explorers and their arctic adventures.  

Be prepared to lose track of time in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art Gallery. It features portraits of Colonial and Federal luminaries, old master drawings, antiques, 19^th and 20^th century art and the Molinari Collection of plaques and medals.

For camping and swimming visit Thomas Point Beach. The Maine Highland Games are held here in August.

Bruswick prides itself on several historic districts which include the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum. This was the home of the hero of the Battle of Gettysburg, who returned from the war to become Governor of Maine and President of Bowdoin. Another important area is the Pennellville Historic District, which preserves the mansions built by shipbuilders and sea captains in the Federal, Greek Revival and Italianate architectural designs.

While living in Bruswick, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Her vision for the story occurred while attending the First Parish Church.

Flowing by Brunswick is the Androscoggin River. The river drops in 3 successive stages over a distance of 41 feet and inspired the Native Indians to call the area “Pejepscot” which means the “long, rocky rapids part of the river.” This water power helped establish Brunswick as a major industrial city producing lumber for shipbuilding. This was also the site of Maine’s first cotton mill and other manufacturing businesses.

The area was settled by Thomas Purchase and other fishermen in 1628. They called it Pejepscot after the Indian name for the river. Over the years more settlers moved into the area only to be rousted by Indian tribes. By 1727 Brunswick was rebuilt again and incorporated into a town in 1738 and evolved into a prosperous seaport.

Serving the Pejepscot regions of Brunswick, Topsham and Harpswell is the Pejepscot Historical Society. It was established in 1888 and is one of Maine’s oldest historical organizations, maintaining three museums and comprehensive research material.

Below Brunswick you’ll find the Harspwell Peninsula. Sometimes this area is called “Harpswells” because the town has several sections interconnected by roads and bridges.

You’ll have a scenic ride past coves, inlets and woodlands with a choice to veer toward Harpswell Center or Orr’s Island. Take both. From Orr’s Island you get to Bailey Island by crossing the Cribstone Bridge, built in 1928 of granite from local quarries. Because of strong ocean currents and wind, the bridge was designed with heavy granite blocks with “cribbing” spaces instead of mortar to allow the tides to pass through.