Somesville brings together an early settlement history, historic buildings, and distinctive natural features. The town’s history stretches from the beginning of permanent European settlement on the island to the varied later uses of individual buildings. Museum grounds, protected areas, and bodies of water offer further perspectives. Cultural history and nature observation thus stand side by side as distinct points of interest.
Somesville’s History and Historic Buildings
In 1761, Somesville was the site of the island’s first permanent European settlement. Later, it was home to factories, mills, shops, shipyards, and boarding houses. This development encompasses more than administration and individual historic buildings: it also tells of work, trade, shipbuilding, and hospitality. The Somesville Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and includes about 30 buildings in the heart of the historic village. The dates describe different events: 1761 marks the early settlement history, while 1975 marks the district’s listing on the register.
The Selectmen’s Building was constructed in the 1780s. Its later uses included a shoemaker’s workshop, a post office, a museum, and the Mount Desert town offices. This building illustrates the variety of roles a single structure served over the course of its history: the uses mentioned range from crafts and local government to public facilities. The Thaddeus Shepley Somes Memorial Bridge provides a different historical note. It was built in 1981 in honor of a descendant of Abraham Somes. While the Selectmen’s Building represents a range of past functions, the bridge has an explicitly commemorative purpose.
Museum Grounds and Garden
The Somesville Museum offers views of Mill Pond and Somes Harbor. Both bodies of water are part of the museum’s described setting. The grounds are also home to the Heirloom Garden. It is used to educate visitors about flowering plants and herbs, and its plant displays are seasonal. The garden adds a botanical perspective to the history of the village and its buildings. Those interested in cultural history will therefore find a different subject here than in the historic buildings: the garden focuses on plants and herbs.
Protected Areas and Nature Observation
During the alewife migration, the ponds, streams, and saltwater cove in Somesville provide an impressive natural spectacle. Babson Creek Preserve showcases several habitats across 36 acres: meadows, salt marsh, and a small wooded area that attracts wildlife year-round. Its salt marsh is among the largest and most diverse salt marshes under conservation ownership on Mount Desert Island. The distinction between the two nature experiences is useful when planning your visit: the alewife migration is seasonal, while the preserve’s wooded area attracts wildlife year-round.
Access to the trails of the Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary is by the Somesville firehouse and along Oak Hill Road, west of the public access point on the road. The sanctuary’s headquarters, overlooking Somes Pond, offers visitor services, including exhibits and information about the sanctuary’s projects. Visitor information thus includes both specific trail access points and insights into the sanctuary’s work. Those interested in conservation projects will find a different focus at the headquarters than in the seasonal observation of alewives or the habitats of Babson Creek Preserve.
When planning your trip, you can prioritize these themes according to your interests: the historic village, the former uses of individual buildings, the garden, and the protected areas offer different points of interest. Even the nature experiences differ, from seasonal migration to year-round wildlife. You can decide whether local history, botany, or the landscape and its wildlife will be the main focus of your stay.
Discover more destinations: Castine, Bar Harbor, Bucksport, Brooklin, Southwest Harbor, Gouldsboro, Dedham, Swans Island.
For the broader travel overview: Hancock.
