New Harbor, Maine

New Harbor is a small scenic coastal village in the town of Bristol, in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. In 2019, the town of Bristol, and in-turn New Harbor was a finalist in the Reader's Digest award for "America's Nicest Place." Bristol and New Harbor were also nominated for and won the "Nicest Place in Maine Award" by Reader's Digest.[3] In New Harbor you will find famous scenic historical sites such as the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, which is found on the back of the Maine state quarter, and Fort William Henry. New Harbor also sports a large white sand public beach known as Pemaquid Beach,[4] that sits on the calm Atlantic waters of Johns Bay.

New Harbor, Maine
Village
View from Shaws Wharf
New Harbor
New Harbor
Coordinates: 43°52′33″N 69°29′24″W
CountryUnited States
StateMaine
CountyLincoln
TownBristol
Elevation
40 ft (10 m)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
04554[1]
Area code(s)207
GNIS feature ID572116[2]
Websitewww.newharbormaine.org
Beautiful, sunny, and warm Pemaquid Beach blanketed with soft white sand and outlined by spectacular coastal flora.
A photo of Pemaquid Beach from the 60's or 70's shortly after the public purchase from the town.

The village's lobster fishermen and "Back Cove" were featured on an episode of the Discovery Channel's Sunrise Earth. The community was also used as a filming location for the 1999 film Message in a Bottle,[5] with some scenes filmed at Shaw's Wharf.[6] In 1922 the silent film The Seventh Day, starring Richard Barthelmess, was filmed in New Harbor.[7]

One cannot forget the endless hiking and nature preserves that are available for public exploration. One such important public Wildlife Refuge is the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve in New Harbor. One can go for a 1.1-mile walk on the 78-acre Salt Pond Preserve, which starts on the north side of Route 32 along the shore and ventures West into the preserve's woods. Activities include hiking and climbing as well as coastal activities such as tidal pool searching and sea glass gathering. The Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve was one of legendary scientist and environmentalist Rachel Carson's favorite spots, and inspired some of the research for her book, The Edge of the Sea.[8]

Brief Beach History

Pemaquid Beach, is a public family beach in New Harbor, Maine. The Beach is owned by the Town of Bristol in mid-coast Maine and, along with its "sister" park- the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, are operated by the Bristol Parks Commission. Pemaquid beach boasts clean, clear water. The sand is groomed daily to ensure beach goers enjoy the cleanest beach setting possible. The beautiful new Pavilion offers large changing rooms and, popular with the younger beach goers, are the outdoor shower towers to rinse off. You will find a Beach Shop, stocked with beach chairs, boggie boards and umbrellas for rent.[9]

Since 2003, Pemaquid Watershed Association (now Coastal Rivers) has partnered with the Town of Bristol Parks & Recreation Commission to offer Beachcombers’ Rest, a nature center located in the pavilion at Pemaquid Beach Park.

In addition to displays and exhibits, the Nature Center is host to a number of educational programs for all ages.

Beachcombers’ Rest Nature Center offers special programs such as educational workshops, diving show-and-tells, treasure hunts, celebrations, and sand sculpture contests. All events are open to the public.[10]

In 1958 there was a special town meeting held where voters of New Harbor approved a large purchase of what was once called "Big Beach." This town purchase officially made the beach public, allowing all residents to visit any time of the year even when closed in the off-season.[11]

The Beach's Big Burn

In October of 2019, the Village of New Harbor performed a controlled burn of the Pemaquid Beach Pavilion. This burn was designed as a training exercise for local and area fire departments. In exchange, the old pavilion was demolished and a new one was erected by the Bristol Parks and Recreation department in time for the 2020 beach season.[12]

  • Pemaquid Beach Pavilion live burn training
  • Bristol Fire Chief Paul Leeman Jr. oversees the Pemaquid Beach pavilion training burn Sunday, Oct. 20. (Photo courtesy Lara Sargent)
  • Local firefighters receive directions from Bristol Fire Chief Paul Leeman, Jr before the training burn of the Pemaquid Beach pavilion.
  • A firefighter atop the Damariscotta ladder truck directs a stream of water onto the Pemaquid Beach pavilion during a training exercise Sunday, Oct. 20. (Photo courtesy John Roberts)
  • An aerial view of the Pemaquid Beach pavilion training burn as it nears the end. (Photo courtesy Capt. Chris Hilton, Damariscotta Fire Department)
  • The beach dunes and the water beyond the remains of the Pemaquid Beach pavilion.
  • The beach dunes and the water beyond the remains of the Pemaquid Beach pavilion.

The Reconstruction

The new pavilion designed by The Arrowsic firm Theodore + Theodore, Architecture & Design, features a refreshed coastal chic design with larger restrooms, shower stalls, and brand-new entertainment space for events and performances. Among many other new features, the new pavilion offers clear views of Johns Bay and features a new boardwalk that stretches from the pavilion to the white sands of Pemaquid Beach for better accessibility.[13] The project was completed during the Fall and Winter months of 2019 and 2020, opening just in time for the 2020 beach season. However, that season was greatly impacted by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic that rocked the area's tourism community and industry.

  • Pemaquid Beach Pavilion project
  • View toward entry and breezeway of new Pemaquid Beach pavilion.
  • View toward snack shack and south terrace of Pemaquid Beach pavilion.
  • View from the above southeast corner looking over the snack shack and pavilion event space.
  • A red cedar pergola and flying seagulls adorn the front entrance of the new Pemaquid Beach Pavilion. Construction on the pavilion wrapped Friday, May 15.
  • The new Pemaquid Beach Pavilion on Tuesday, May 19.
  • A view of the new Pemaquid Beach Pavilion from the boardwalk, Tuesday, May 19.
  • A view from the rear of the pavilion looking out towards Johns Bay over the white sands and the long boardwalk.
  • The new Pemaquid Beach Pavilion at Pemaquid Beach overlooking Johns Bay.

A History of Fires

In early September of 2020, The Sea Gull Shop and Restaurant, located adjacent to the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, were incinerated in an unusual midnight fire that engulfed the entire structure in an inferno so hot that it melted the trim and windows of a nearby home.[14] The shop was a total loss and at a great cost to the community. The lighthouse is a popular attraction for locals and tourists and a much needed restaurant nearby to the residential and tourist community is no longer operational, leaving demand in the market. Moreover, paired with the COVID-19 crisis of 2020, it packed a huge hit to an already suffering tourism industry in the area. Currently, the shop remains in ashes as the New Jersey co-owners Tim and Betsey Norland and Brooke Cotter, who have visited New Harbor for over fifty (50) years, decide what to do with what remains.[15] The co-owners hope to have the shop and restaurant rebuilt in time for the 2021 season.

  • The Sea Gull Shop Scorching
  • The aftermath of a fire at the Sea Gull Shop, at Pemaquid Point, on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Firefighters were able to save a neighboring house (right).
  • The aftermath of a fire at the Sea Gull Shop, at Pemaquid Point, on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
  • The remains of the Sea Gull Shop at Pemaquid Point after a fire early Wednesday, Sept. 9.
  • Flames shoot skyward as firefighters battle a blaze at the Sea Gull Shop, at Pemaquid Point, early Wednesday, Sept. 9. (Photo courtesy Jeri Pendleton)


Notable residents

References
  1. "USPS - ZIP Code by City and State". United States Postal Service. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: New Harbor
  3. https://www.rd.com/nicestplaces/the-nicest-place-in-maine-bristol/
  4. https://www.bristolmaine.org/parks-recreation/pemaquid-beach-park
  5. "Message in a Bottle (1999)". IMDb.
  6. http://www.travelandleisure.com/restaurants/shaws-fish-and-lobster-wharf-new-harbor Archived June 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  7. drednm (6 February 1922). "The Seventh Day (1922)". IMDb.
  8. Goldfine, Rebecca (2017-04-17). "Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve, Bristol". Maine by Foot. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  9. https://visitmaine.com/organization/pemaquid-beach-bristol-parks-and-recreation/59486175-7236-435a-8803-8a8daa2ea46d
  10. https://www.coastalrivers.org/events-programs/beachcombers-rest-nature-center/
  11. https://www.bristolmaine.org/parks-recreation
  12. https://www.bristolmaine.org/parks-recreation/beach-pavilion-project
  13. https://www.bristolmaine.org/parks-recreation/beach-pavilion-project
  14. https://lcnme.com/currentnews/sea-gull-shop-destroyed-in-historic-midnight-fire/
  15. "Seagull Shop Owners Aim to Rebuild In Time for 2021 Season". The Lincoln County News. 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  16. Truax, Tammi (2015-01-02). "Maine sculptor Cabot Lyford dies at 90". The Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved 2016-02-13.


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