Tag: Maine Maritime Museum

history, Weekends in Wiscasset

Weekends in Wiscasset May 31, June 1

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Friday, May 31

Behind the Scenes Tour of the Schooner Bowdoin and Ernestina-Morrissey

1-3 pm, Participants will meet at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard.

Built in 1894 the Ernestina-Morrissey is a National Historic Landmark Vessel and the Official Vessel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Built in 1921, the schooner Bowdoin is the official vessel of the state of Maine and the flagship of Maine Maritime Academy. Both vessels are currently undergoing restoration work at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard. Presented by Maine Maritime Museum.

Saturday, June 1

Lighthouse Adventure Cruise to Burnt Island Light

9am – 12pm, Red Cloak Tours, Boothbay Harbor

This Boothbay Harbor cruise only happens once a year. View up to 4 or 5 lighthouses and then land on Burnt Island where you will have exclusive access to the island, open tower and open keeper’s house. Elaine Jones, DMR education director will be there to welcome the tour and Red Cloak Tours will have narrative about the island, families, lighthouse life, folklore & legends,the other lighthouses we might see, etc. during the whole 3 hour tour, which is on the Novelty of Balmy Days Cruises. Tickets for this one of a kind adventure are only $75 each, a portion of  your ticket price will go toward restoration of the light tower, which is looking forward to its 200th birthday in 2021. It is the only original light tower left in Maine. Advanced reservations required.

Auto Tour – Owls Head Transportation Museum

6:30am – 4pm, Owls Head Transportation Museum

Calling auto enthusiasts of all ages for an epic excursion through beautiful Midcoast Maine! Dust off that classic, antique or special interest car and kick off the season with the Owls Head Transportation Museum’s Annual Spring Auto Tour, taking participants on a specially-curated, scenic route along the coast. After stopping to explore iconic locations throughout the day, the tour will break for a special lunch with our friends at the Fort Knox State Historic Site, Maine’s most visited historic site and home to one of the best-preserved military fortifications in New England.

Castle tucker & Nickels Sortwell House Tours

11am – 4pm, Saturday and Sunday, Wiscasset Historic District

Now open for the season. Historic New England oversees two historic homes in Wiscasset Castle Tucker and the Nickels-Sortwell House. Come take a tour and learn the history of the homes and the town.

1811 Old Stone Jail Opens for the Season

Noon – 4 pm , Saturday and Sundays

The Old Stone Jail is opening for the season. Docents give tours every weekend through the summer. Located on Federal Street in Wiscasset.

Members Art Show

10am – 4pm, Maine Art Gallery, Wiscasset

Opening of the Annual Members Exhibition provides member artists the opportunity to exhibit their work in an non-juried, all inclusive show in the award-winning gallery.

Regular Weekend Events

Lighthouse Lovers Tour

3:30 – 7:30 pm, Maine Maritime Museum

See up to ten of the Mid-Coast’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.

Montsweag Flea Market

6am am – 1:00 pm Saturday and Sunday, Montsweag Flea Market is Midcoast Maine’s largest flea market 

Steam Trains Running

10:30 am – 1:30 pm Saturdays, Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway

To see a full list of all the events in Midcoast Maine see our Events Calendar.

Enjoy all that Midcoast Maine has to offer, make your reservation to stay at Wiscasset Woods Lodge today!

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history, Museums, Weekends in Wiscasset

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

wiscassetwoods

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.