The town of Castine is located near the northwest corner of Penobscot Bay. One of the oldest European settlements in North America, it’s been the location of fortifications since the 1600s. First established by the French as Fort Pentagoet, it was then occupied by the Dutch, then by the French again, then reclaimed by the Dutch, then conquered by the British, then taken over by colonial Americans, then by the British again before settling under American rule after the War of 1812.
A former hub of the Maine fishing trade in the 1800s, graceful houses reflecting the wealth taken from the sea still line broad oak-covered streets. Today, however, these houses are primarily summer “cottages” occupied by folks escaping the city, and the only meaningful employer in town is the Maine Maritime Academy, a school for merchant mariners.
But one thing that hasn’t changed over time is the stunning setting. Looking out over Penobscot Bay, across to Holbrook Harbor with the island of Islesboro and the Camden Hills in the distance, Castine enjoys a location that has to qualify as one of the most picturesque in mid-coast Maine.
