A longtime friendship enhances the small-town charm of a hamlet in Maine.
By Oana Harrison
PUBLISHED in ROVA Magazine, December 2024/January 2025 issue
Often, the best travel destinations are small towns, hidden gems that make a special impression. Skowhegan, Maine was one of these destinations. We visited the New England town in the fall of 2019 and caught up with a friend while we were there. Here is the story.
Early in October 2019, my husband and I drive our 30-foot RV from Quebec City to Skowhegan, Maine, our two dogs patiently waiting for the next stop-and-sniff opportunity. The road flows and winds gently as we head south through Maine from the Canada–United States border on US-201, also known as Old Canada Way. All around us is a sea of color: soft yellow, brilliant gold, burnt orange, bright red—fall in the Northeast in its full glory. I roll down a window and take in the fresh air, the quiet. We drive slower, enchanted, smiles across our faces and eyes wide open: this is SO beautiful! We are privileged to have the scenery almost all to ourselves, feeling transported into another world, soft, luminous, and gentle.
The 78-mile-long scenic road runs through the heart of Maine, alongside the Kennebec River, with ample views of lakes and ponds, and follows the historical trade routes of the native Abenaki tribes. We read about the road’s history on our stops and can’t get enough postcard-perfect shots. We pause near Jackman to admire Jim Mac Falls, a series of twisting horsetails dropping 45 feet over water-worn rocks, and at the Attean Overlook, which displays a quintessential Maine panorama.
The woods recede and give way to rolling hills as we approach Skowhegan. In the sky, a cloud angel watches over farmland. As the sun is setting, we reach Two Rivers RV Park, a peaceful riverside campground. Squeals of delight and kids’ laughter are coming from the riverbank; the river laps lazily and undulates as boats carrying leisure fishermen pass by. We couldn’t have asked for a better setup!
We didn’t know much about Skowhegan before we arrived, except for some facts I had gathered: it’s the county seat of Somerset County in Maine, and is home to about 8,600 people—among them Senator Margaret Smith Chase, the first female U.S. senator. Skowhegan’s importance to the Abernaki tribes is recognized by a 62-foot statue of a Native American crafted by Bernard Langlais, a local artist.
The town’s unique feature is Skowhegan Island—a 60-square-mile enclave that sits in the Kennebec River at the southern edge of Skowhegan. The island had great importance for the Native Americans as a fishing stop on their journey to the coast, and gave the town its name: it is believed that Skowhegan means either “spearing,” or “place to watch,” reflecting the purpose of the area before the river was dammed. Later on, the town’s abundant woods made for a thriving milling industry, and the river provided loggers with a convenient way to transport trees long distances.
Today, Skowhegan Island houses a church and a beautiful 1904 Romanesque Revival brick building that is occupied by the Skowhegan Fire Department. The island is connected to the mainland by roads and several pedestrian bridges, including a swinging bridge that has been rebuilt four times since the 1800s. Another footbridge leads to a half-mile paved river walk along the Kennebec, which is a great trail to walk or bike while taking in beautiful views. For adrenaline seekers, the lively waters provide plenty of whitewater rafting opportunities.[GP2]
Our stroll through downtown was as brief as its length. Small businesses-many several generations old-displayed artsy marquees enticing the few visitors with local products. Repurposed red brick buildings alternated with brightly colored storefronts, echoing the fall foliage around us. In town, we passed mostly modest homes, many white board houses in typical New England styles, reflecting their time of built from the 1800s to modern times. The downtown was quiet and sparsely populated-almost ghostly. A few locals dressed casually and in layers looked busy with daily tasks, exuding a grounded and what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of vibe. People acknowledged us with a quick hello and smiled as we passed by, and kids shared stories and ice cream at the Island Dairy Treat. Being a nature-lover, what stuck with me was the peaceful natural setting of the town, and I enjoyed its low-key and friendly feel. Although the town was very quiet when we visited, it is known to come to life during festivals such as the Craft Brew Festival, Maple Fest, and of course the Skowhegan State Fair.
The town is charming enough to be a destination in its own right, but we are here not only to sightsee—we are surprising an old friend of ours. Louise is a Maine native who moved back home after she retired from teaching ballroom dancing. Louise, my husband and I all became friends while teaching at the same dance studio in Tennessee.
Dance shoes in hand, my husband and I head to the Arioso Ballroom dance studio in nearby Waterville. The studio is half an hour south of Skowhegan, on the banks of the Kennebec River near the Two Cent Bridge—one of the oldest surviving wire-cable steel suspension bridges in the United States, and the last known toll footbridge (the toll was abolished years ago, but the toll booth remains).
As we climb the stairs to the second floor of the studio, we hear an all-familiar voice instructing students on the dance floor. We crash the party immediately following the dance class. When we walk in, it takes Louise a minute to register what’s happening, then she starts laughing. She swoops us up with heartfelt hugs and we spend the next hour dancing like in the old days. “You guys HAVE to come over for dinner!” Louise says, and we absolutely agree, especially knowing that we’re talking about a traditional lobster feast.
We find our way to Louise’s country home in nearby Fairfield. Louise’s sister Julie and mom Elizabeth come to greet us, and we take a tour of their property. The backyard expands to a wall of multicolor trees, a mountain range peaking above. Lucy, a Great Pyrenees-lab mix, runs around, wild with excitement.
Dinner is pure Maine joy. We start with a pot of steamers—local clams known for their tender, sweet, and slightly briny taste, soaked in cornmeal overnight to get rid of the dirt. But my favorite part is the succulent lobster doused with warm butter sauce, accompanied by a healthy helping of fries, all prepared expertly by the family. There is little talking while we inhale the food, but when the lobster shells are empty, there’s plenty of time to catch up over whoopie pies and coffee. According to local lore, whoopie pies were created in the 1900s by Maine farmers’ wives out of leftover cake batter as a take-away snack for their husbands. Today, they’re a beloved Maine treat, often made out of chocolate cake and frosting filling.
Louise and her mom tell stories about the farm, how they used to care for hundreds of chickens back in the day—not an easy feat. The large chicken coop is now empty, while the focus has shifted to more productive—if not necessarily easier—agricultural endeavors: mainly, growing vegetables. “Over here, even if you don’t have a farm, you still tend the land,” Louise says. People have their own small backyard gardens, or help the neighbors on their land. It’s not unusual to trade produce with neighbors, as needed. This is a tight-knit community, where people work hard, value what the land provides, and support each other.
Skowhegan is the home of Maine Grains, known for quality grains that are high in nutritional value and nutty flavor. Louise and her family have a Christmas favorite: fresh bread made out of local grains, hot out of the oven and dipped in maple syrup from a local farm. Another favorite family tradition is picking apples at the farm just up the street, or from one of the many other orchards nearby. Of course, they always enjoy attending the Skowhegan State Fair in August, which has been running continuously since 1818—no exception is made for any reason.
“It’s all small town and big family; we can’t have a family event with fewer than two hundred people,” Louise says. Skowhegan and the surrounding area have a strong French-Canadian heritage, which is also true of Louise’s family. When she helped with voting in Fairfield, Louise once read through four pages of the same French surname! On any given day, she finds it impossible not to run into a relative. “I’m the dancer!” she clarifies when asked if she’s one of the “couture girls”—her mom’s side of the family.
We felt the family vibe on our visit, and enjoyed a much-needed sweet moment with old friends. Back in Quebec, when we’d hit the road in our RV, we were searching for the excitement of discovering new places, and for experiencing the U.S. at its core, beyond the most traveled paths. In Skowhegan, Maine, we found unparalleled natural beauty and a welcoming small-town vibe, like a good hearty hug from an old friend.
