history – Wiscasset Woods Lodge

Friday, May 17th

I’m starting this weekend off on Friday because of the tentative Friday morning mast raising on the Sloop Providence, a reproduction ship used in recreations. According to Discover Wiscasset “John Paul Jones’ first command was the Revolutionary War ship Providence, and its adventures were so epic they decided to make a replica of the ship for the 1976 Bicentennial. And THAT ship has seen lively adventures of its own, sailing with PIRATES in not one, but TWO Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It’s on our #workingwaterfront in #wiscassetmaine for repairs and upgrades just in time for #mainebicentennial and going to be on display in Washington DC this summer.”

Saturday, May 18th

Community Day and New Display Opening at Maine Maritime Museum

Join us for our annual kick-off to the summer season! Admission is FREE and cruise tickets are just $10. Don’t miss the return of the historic schooner Mary E and the raising of the flags over the Wyoming with a cannon salute at noon. We will also be celebrating the opening of our newest exhibit Shipwrecks and Salvage. (This display will include information on the Hesper and Luther Little which for years sat in Wiscasset’s harbor). Plus, check out our fun summer family program “Seabase Delta Aquanauts Academy” for an interactive lesson on deep sea diving, and learn how ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) are changing underwater archaeology at our ROV demonstration.

A Revolutionary Tea and the Story of the Real Betsy Ross

Come relax and enjoy delicious tea, delectable goodies and a talk about a favorite character from history, Betsy Ross, the woman who is reputed have sewn the first American flag for George Washington. Dr. Marla Miller, noted speaker, professor of history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the author of Betsy Ross and the Making of America, will tell the fascinating story of the real woman behind the beloved legend. 2 – 4 pm at the Nickels-Sortwell House Barn. Advance purchase is required. $20 Historic New England members, $25 non-members.

Monkey C Monkey Do Opens for the Season

A multi-tiered challenge course and zip lines with different levels of difficulty including a kiddie course.

Lighthouse Lovers Cruise

3:30pm – 7:30pm at the Maine Maritime Museum. See up to 10 of Maine’s most iconic lighthouses: Doubling Point Light, Kennebec Range Lights, Squirrel Point Light, Perkins Island Light, Pond Island Light, Seguin Island Light, Cuckolds Light, Ram Island Light, Burnt Island Light, and Hendricks Head Light. This is the first of Lighthouse Lovers Cruise of the season, they’ll occur regularly every Saturday night until October 5th.

Full Moon Train Ride

6:30pm – 8:00pm at the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum, 97 Cross Rd, Alna. A moonlight train celebrating Narrow Gauge Railroading will leave Sheepscot Station. Our own WW&F Railway Superintendent, Jason Lamontagne, will present a fascinating show enumerating and explaining the merits of narrow gauge railroads versus their larger, standard gauge cousins. Refreshments and snacks will be available. The train will return to Sheepscot after sunset, lit only by oil lamp and moonlight. Get tickets here.

Regularly Occurring Saturday Events

Steam Train Rides at the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway 10am to 2pm

Montsweag Flea Market 6 am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday mornings

Monday, May 20th

Haunted History Tours

I decided to include Monday in the week because Red Cloak Tours has begun their Haunted History Tours in Wiscasset. They will occur every Monday from 7:30pm – 9:00pm. During the tours the rich history in this area lends itself to exploring “the other side” of Wiscasset. Enjoy a twilight “haunted history” walking tour. There are also tours of the Ancient Burial Grounds which are by reservation only. 207-380-3806.

Wiscasset Woods Lodge has been welcoming guests to Mid Coast Maine for over 100 years. Our cottage rooms were originally rustic roadside cabins built in the woods beside the road when the “Atlantic Highway” was developed to bring tourists to Maine around 1912. These types of cabins were once common along what is now Route 1 as a way to earn extra money during the summers. Moody’s Diner got its start in the same way at around the same time. In addition to the ten original cabins, six cabins were built by the water in Newcastle, then in the 50’s moved across from Foster Auction House and finally moved to our property in 1975.

Picture of Wiscasset Woods Lodge circa 1930's found in the book Around Wiscasset: Alna, Dresden, Westport Island, Wiscasset, and Woolwich — Photo of cabins circa 1930 from the book “Around Wiscasset”

Newspaper article of Forest Inn AKA The Bloody Bucket burned to the ground. — 1975 Newspaper Article courtesy of Wiscasset Newspaper

The property also housed the Forest Inn. Originally built as an open-air dancehall located on the south end of the property. In the 1960’s the inn was bought by the famous Maine wrestler Jackie Nichols. By then it was enclosed with a dance floor and restaurant on the ground floor and 6 rooms on the second floor. It was the only nightlife between Bath and Boothbay which meant that many people frequented it even though it was known for being a rough place. Jackie’s wife nicknamed it “The Bloody Bucket” because of all the paid and free fights that took place there. One night in 1975 the inn mysteriously burned to the ground. The cause was never determined but many locals think the fire might have been started by some of the women in town. That’s how unpopular it was with the wives.

Motel Building at Wiscasset Woods Lodge in Midcoast Maine.

The steady increase in tourism into Maine led to the construction of a two-story motel building to double the number of rooms available. The Whitfields, who were then the owners, didn’t want to take on any debt, so only built what they could pay for in cash. In 1971 the ground floor of the motel was built and rented out, then in 1972 the second floor was built in three parts and lifted on top of the first.

Wiscasset Woods Lodge room with knotty pine interior

In 1990 the Gillies bought the hotel. Bill Gillies loved woodworking. He gutted and remodeled most of the cabins giving them vaulted ceilings and a knotty pine interior. When trees fell on the 8 acres of woods around the hotel, he would often mill them himself and use the wood in the rooms.

Trail signs for the 1/4 mile trail at Wiscasset Woods Lodge in Midcoast Maine.

We purchased the hotel in the winter of 2015. We put in a commercial kitchen and now serve our famous hot, homemade breakfast to our guests every morning. We also built a trail through our 8 acres of woodlands which kids and dogs love. In addition we gutted and remodeled 6 of the old cabins that had stood vacant for 20 years. We now have 7 pet friendly rooms, 2 suites and a handicap accessible room.

Free, hot breakfast buffet at Wiscasset Woods Lodge in Midcoast Maine.

If you’ve found this excerpt interesting, you might enjoy reading the full history of the lodge from which this was drawn.

We’re hosting an open house in conjunction with the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce. The even will take place on Thursday, May 16th from 5 – 7pm. We’ll have several rooms open to walk through and you’re welcome to try our famous hot breakfast. If you’re in the area please stop by and visit.

Category: history

Weekends in Wiscasset – May 17, 18, 19, 20