At Wiscasset Woods Lodge we’re constantly working to improve and upgrade our facilities. This year we hall all new bedding and curtains in all our rooms. We love the new look and hope you will too.
New Bedding In Every Room
Category: Wiscasset
Live Music in Wiscasset on Thursday Evenings
The town common is the green space on Route 1 as you enter the town and just below the courthouse.
Also on Thursdays is the Wiscasset Farmer’s Market
The market is from 3 – 6 pm on the Recreational Pier which is the one further from Route 1.
And don’t forget the last Thursday of each month is the Art Walk.
4th of July in Wiscasset
The day starts at 7:30 – 9:30 am the Morris Farm Store with a free community breakfast (although donations are greatly appreciated). Wiscasset Woods Lodge will be making our famous blueberry cobbler for the feast and Mammy’s Bakery is donating something special. If you’d like to donate food please contact Elizabeth at the Morris Farm Store – she can be reached on Facebook or Instagram.
The farm will have craft supplies on hand so children – and adults – can make doodlebug costumes to wear in the parade and all are welcome to join the farm’s “Doodlebug” float. Big Al’s has donated sunglasses to help create bug eyes. Ames True Value is providing a flatbed truck and bales of hay so even the littlest doodlebugs can enjoy being in the parade.
The 4th of July parade starts at 10 am at the Town Offices. It heads north on route 27 then back to town via Federal Street finally ending up at the far pier (recreational pier) on Water Street. I’ll be marching in the parade as part of the Orange Barrel Ballet.
We’re looking for a couple of Banner Carriers for the Orange Barrel Ballet. If anyone is wanting to join in the fun, email Saundra@wiscassetwoods.com if you’re interested/available.
The Wiscasset Yacht Club will be selling strawberry shortcake from 11 am to 2 pm.
At 6 pm there’s live music on the commons then the fireworks display is at 9:15 pm over the water.
Looking for something more? Check out Bath’s Heritage Days Celebration which includes carnival rides, a music festival, and some fun runs as well as evening fireworks.
For more events around Maine check out Maine Today’s list of list of 4th of July Activities around Maine.
Hotel with a History
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Born to Bake
Many of Meghan Olcott’s favorite childhood memories are of playing in the kitchen with her mother. By the time she was 7 Meghan knew that she wanted to own her own bakery. She set out with determination to do just that.
Meghan is now a classically trained chef with a passion for baking, she earned her associate degree in Baking and Pastry and a bachelors in Culinary Arts and Management from The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Charleston (South Carolina). During and after college, Meghan worked in front of house and in kitchens in order to learn all aspects of the industry. She had two goals, to own her own bakery and to move to Midcoast Maine where she’d summered every year as a child.
Meghan was working as a pastry chef in New Harbor when she saw a facebook ad for what is now Creamed Baking Co. She hadn’t planned to open her own place for another 5 years but when she saw the opportunity she jumped on it. At 24 Meghan achieved her dreams. This will be her second year. In celebration of her first year, Meghan will be raffling away a birthday cake on Creamed’s birthday, May 5.
She had a great first season with her most popular items being her homemade hot fudge, favored whoopie pies, lattes, cakes, cheesecake, fresh lemonade, ice cream sandwiches, and bagels (several people now have weekly bagel orders). Meghan serves Wicked Joe and offers a variety of latte flavors. Meghan loves making food like you would see in a magazine that you can enjoy here and that is affordable. She enjoys braiding pie crusts and decorating cakes and cookies, she’s even held a couple of decorating classes where people get to decorate their own cakes and cookies.
Meghan has many plans for her second season. In addition to making and selling homemade baked goods in her store she’s also going to run a booth at the Union Farmer’s Market, will be part of the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival, and a vendor at the roller derby in Camden. In her store she’ll add new items to her menu such as popsicles and mini cakes. She’ll also start selling milk, eggs and increasing her selection of sandwiches on her fresh baked bread – as she gets numerous requests for these items.
When asked if anything surprised her, Meghan said “The community was a lot more welcoming than I expected and I’m really happy about that” adding “everyone’s so friendly”. She says that Wiscasset is the picturesque small town she has always dreamed of having her shop in.
Her store is located down the stairs right next to Red’s Eats. Her store has a back porch with chairs looking onto the water and the newly paved Railroad Avenue with its lit walkway. Meghan said that once the paving was complete, she saw an increase in customers who would stop in on their way to or from their cars and she’s looking forward to even more business this year.
Creamed Baking Co. opens for the season on April 10th. You can stop in and try her baked goods for yourself from 9 – 5 during the spring, fall and early winter and 9 – 7 during the summer.
This article was written as part of a project by Friends of Wiscasset to highlight local businesses. This article was written by Saundra Neperud. More articles in this series can be found below.
Pet Friendly Rooms and a Hiking Trail
We have 7 pet friendly rooms and a 1/4 mile hiking trail that dogs love!
All of our pet friendly rooms are on the ground floor with a separate entrance. This makes it easy to get your pet onto the trail or into your car without worrying about disturbing other people.
Our pet friendly rooms also have linoleum planking. It looks like wood but you don’t have to worry about your pet’s paws scratching it and it won’t stain like carpets.
We do allow pets to be left alone in rooms. We just ask that you put up the Do Not Disturb sign when you’re out. Our rooms have been insulated with pets noises in mind.
Our 1/4 mile hiking trail is near the pet friendly rooms. In fact our One Queen Bed pet friendly rooms have a private back porch that leads directly onto the trail. We have garbage cans throughout the property and give you a roll of bags when you check in.
We also give copies of PETMaine to all pet owners and have provided additional information on local pet resources, dog parks, pet friendly restaurants in your room.
Who Doesn’t Love a Treasure Hunt
Who doesn’t love the thrill of a treasure hunt? People have been finding treasure along the midcoast for centuries, though nowadays most of the finds are in antique stores and specialty shops rather than on shipwrecks.
For Linda and Louis Cataldo of Wicked Good Treasure at 770 Bath Road in Wiscasset, the treasure hunt still takes them up and down the coast. Taking inspiration from such television shows as Storage Wars, the Cataldos have turned a love for treasure hunting into a thriving new business. They source and bid on storage pods and other lots at auction, without knowing in advance what they might find inside. Sometimes they find treasure, such as in the case of one of their favorite finds, a beautiful selection of Tiffany style lampshades now on display in their thrift and antique store. When the findings don’t measure up to the standards of the retail floor, items are donated or passed on through other lot sales.
Industrious bargain hunters themselves, they’ve found many creative ways to find bargains and to find ways to pass them on to their customers. They buy lots of returned goods from larger retailers, and market their wares both in their store and through online platforms such as Amazon and Facebook Marketplaces.
Wiscasset’s location at the crossroads of many well-traveled routes was part of what appealed to them about opening Wicked Good Treasure here. The Cataldos enjoy sourcing up and down the state, but making Wiscasset their home put them only about a 40 minute drive from destinations north, south and west. They enjoy the smaller town lifestyle of the mid-coast, but are only a short drive from their son’s family in Portland.
The Cataldos may be new to the Village, but they’ve traveled the mid-coast for years before relocating here, so while they are getting to know their neighbors, they know their mid-coast neighborhood and can offer visitors recommendations along whatever route they choose to explore. Their friendly and hospitable manner will make any visitor feel welcomed by a longtime local. They hope to enjoy a robust summer season and be able to grow in their space next winter, as they have this winter.
——–
This story part of series by Friends of Wiscasset to highlight local businesses. Visit the Friends of Wiscasset’s facebook page for more information on local businesses. This article was written by Elizabeth Palmer. Other articles in this series include:
Miss Wiscasset Owner Says Midcoast Maine has been Good for his Family
Mark Suarez, the owner of Miss Wiscasset Diner never planned to move to Wiscasset. A pipe fitter from Pensacola, Florida Mark was working for a company that sent him out to sub-contract around the country. He was on a job in Boston when he was offered a 6 month gig in East Boothbay working for Washburn and Dougherty. He decided to take it because it was so close. Now the 6 months has turned into 7 ½ years and a restaurant.
A few things happened. First, he met his wife, Kelley, who also worked at Washburn and Dougherty. She’s a Mainer and grew up in Rockland. Then his father passed away and his mother was injured shortly after. This meant it was much harder for her to take care of herself and her granddaughter, Mark’s niece, Courtney. Mark needed to step in and help out so he decided to move his mother and niece to Maine where he could care for them better. When his niece developed more severe medical problems Mark knew he needed to change his career so he could be around more to help. In 2014 he took over the running of the Light House restaurant, then in November of that year he moved locations to Miss Wiscasset.
Mr. Suarez says Wiscasset has been a good place for his family. He says Mainers are good people, honest, and nice. For instance, when Judis Country Store closed Judi gave Mark most of her kitchen equipment. Mark says the area is safe and when his niece shops by herself in nearby towns he doesn’t have to worry about her. He says Courtney has really come out of her shell helping out at the restaurant. “She’s learned to express herself, learned new things and has more freedom.” You may not have met her yet, but you’ve seen her artwork if you’ve ever eaten at Miss Wiscasset. Courtney draws all of the framed cartoons on the wall. She’s even had customers request her drawings and send her money for them.
Mr. Saurez plans to stay in Wiscasset. He’s looked at businesses down in Boothbay, but they can’t beat the amount of traffic that passes by his restaurant on Route 1 each day. He gets a lot of business from people driving past and stopping in to eat and enjoy the air conditioning. He has looked at possibly moving to a larger location but for now he’s staying put. One change he is planning on is getting his liquor license so he can serve Bloody Marys with breakfast. He’s also going to try opening some nights this next winter during Gardens Aglow to catch some of the traffic for that popular event.
Since Mark has taken over the diner business has significantly increased. When asked the key to his success he said “We keep a clean restaurant and serve food made from quality ingredients.” If you haven’t eaten at Miss Wiscasset lately, Mark invites you to come in and try their cooking at 762 Bath Road (Route 1), in Wiscasset.
https://www.facebook.com/TheRealMissWiscassetDiner/
This story part of series by Friends of Wiscasset to highlight local businesses. Visit the Friends of Wiscasset’s facebook page for more information on local businesses. This article was written by Saundra Neperud. Other articles in this series include:
Beelicious
Monica Carrington of Beelicious is not only Wiscasset’s undisputed expert in all things honey, she is also a one-woman visitor’s center for the downtown and waterfront area. Her corner location at Water Street and Route 1, across the street from Sarah’s Café, overlooks the bridge and the famous Red’s Eats, and she plays the role of visitor’s guide when chatting with customers about everything from places to park to where the restrooms are.
This year she is excited to be able to tell visitors about the downtown improvements while they shop, including the new restrooms along waterfront as well as the additional parking and the sidewalk improvements. Carrington has rearranged her store to open up Beelicious’s front window to the view from the street from both sides of route 1, and Carrington hopes the wider sidewalks will encourage more lingering and seating spaces. She is looking forward to collaborating with nearby merchants to encourage just such casual shopping downtown.
Beelicious is the perfect venue to encourage a linger. The gentle but refreshing scent of honey wafts through the door as one enters. After that one can choose which sense to tempt. Samples of local honey, craft food items and other sweets and savories tempt the palette while the eyes are drawn to the bright, airy décor showcasing bees, of course!
Carrington herself is a wealth of knowledge, and enjoys sharing her knowledge of and enthusiasm for honey with visitors. The shop is full of sweets, gift items, home décor, bath and body products and unique finds of all kinds.
A local resident as well as a local merchant, Carrington started out just up the street from her current location, and her time in business there made her choice to move into her current location when it because available an easy one. With the visitor experience improved, the foot traffic will increase and Carrington is looking forward to her Bee’s-eye view of the downtown village this summer!
This story part of series by Friends of Wiscasset to highlight local businesses. Visit the Friends of Wiscasset’s facebook page for more information on local businesses. This article was written by Elizabeth Palmer. Other articles in this series include:
