Aug. 30 - Rockport, ME

Lyman Morse Marine Mooring

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” –Author Unknown

We're going to be in Camden all week, but today we decided to ride our bikes over to Rockport. It was only a two-mile ride, but it seemed much longer. The hills around here are a killer. I think hiking last week in Acadia was much easier.

Rockport is a small harbor village that was first settled in 1769. Originally, Rockport was a part of Camden, known as Goose River but the towns officially separated in 1891.During the 19th century, the primary industries were shipbuilding, lime production, and ice exportation. Today, Rockport is known for being a cultural and artistic town with a large community of local artists.

Rockport has a wonderful marine park. Besides being a great place to take in the view of the harbor or enjoy a picnic, it has three restored lime kilns originally used in the 1800s and a replica of a locomotive that was used to transport the prosperous lime. It’s a tie to the town's historical past.

In the 1970s and 80s the town was home to Andre, an abandoned seal that was raised by the harbormaster. He was a favorite attraction for visitors and locals. There's even a marble statue of Andre the Seal in the park that he unveiled himself in 1978. Andre has been the subject of many books and a 1994 feature film. Rockport is definitely a quieter town than Camden, but a very pretty place. You can go to this link to read more about Andre.

Rockport Marine Park

Andre the Seal

Old lime kilns in the park