At the mouth of the Penobscot River, Bucksport marks the western boundary of Hancock County. It faces Fort Knox, one of the state's largest old stone and earthworks forts, across the water, and is dominated by an imposing paper plant visible from miles away.
 On spectacular peninsulas reaching southeast from Bucksport is Castine, with its towering old elms, rich history, picture-perfect downtown, and Maine Maritime Academy. Settled in 1604, the town is one of the oldest in the state of Maine.
Although reachable by bridge, Deer Island still retains the flavor of New England life in the 1950’s - rural, neighborly and safe. A cluster of small communities with 2400 residents comprise the year-round population. Lobstering is the mainstay of the economy although the diversity of the Island’s businesses surprises everyone. Granite is still quarried here. Internationally renowned Haystack Mountain School of Crafts has brought many artists and artisans to the Island, many of whom have chosen to live there permanently. Stonington, is a fishing village with a beautiful harbor and terraced downtown. Blue Hill, located beneath the small rise that gives the town its name, Blue Hill is an enchanting village of venerable homes and artsy boutiques that overlooks a protected ocean inlet. Many Small Villages Nearby are the villages of Penobscot, Brooklin, and Surry, each of which is a small town with interesting architecture and fantastic views.  The gateway to Acadia, Ellsworth is Hancock County's shiretown, best known for the plazas and strip malls that stretch for several miles down Route 1 and Route 3. One of the most visited of the nation's parks, Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island, is a breathtaking combination of rounded mountains and crashing surf.
Most of these visitors end up in Bar Harbor, with its myriad bed-and-breakfasts, shops, and restaurants. Several of the island's other communities, such as Somesville, Southwest Harbor, and Northeast Harbor, also attract sizable populations of summer residents and shoulder-season visitors. Fishing and farming share the local Brooklin economy with small businesses, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and shops. Rolling fields nestled into woodlands make Brooksville widely known as a beautiful coastal town with boating, kayaking along the Bagaduce River and Holbrook Island Sanctuary. |
