Original subtitles

(wind whistling)

(reverent orchestral music)

- Our journey begins

in the capital of Maine, Augusta.

Once a thriving seaport, it's now the seat of government

for this rugged, scenic state.

Dropping south, it's on to the Mid-Coast Region

of the Gulf of Maine

and the dramatic cliffs at Pemaquid Point.

It takes us to Monhegan

for a bird's eye view of island life.

We travel north to the old seaport of Rockland

before moving on to explore the islands

and coastal towns of Penobscot Bay.

Next, we travel to the Downeast region of Maine

and explore the seaport of Bass Harbor

on Mount Desert Island.

From there, it's on to the deep lakes

of Acadia National Park.

And we end our journey on Cadillac Mountain,

with its splendid views of Frenchman's Bay.

(soft upbeat music)

Here, in a picturesque valley in Central Maine,

we find the capital city of Augusta,

straddled on both sides of the Kennebec River.

For much of America's early history,

Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

But frontier settlers pressed for separation,

and in 1820 it became the 23rd state of the union.

This is the Augusta Statehouse, built in 1832,

and designed by America's first professional architect,

Charles Bulfinch, who found fame

by designing a series of government buildings,

like the United States Capitol in Washington.

Augusta's statehouse was constructed

with prized local granite

and is know for its 45-meter copper-covered dome.

But the city's history began much earlier.

European sailors may have been coming to this coast

since the time of the vikings.

And in 1628, pilgrims from Plymouth, Massachusetts,

founded a lucrative fur trading post

near the mouth of the river.

In the shadow of the statehouse,

the Kennebec River is a fitting symbol

to the rustic spirit of the people who settled here.

Augusta's greatest asset was its waterway

and the city thrived as a seaport well into the 1800s

with fleets of schooners sailing weekly

between its docks and Boston.

As a testament to the city's maritime heyday,

14 structures on the riverfront are listed

on the National Register of Historic Places,

including the Old Federal Building,

which once served as a post office.

In colonial America, it was the waterways

that served as the great purveyors of the country's growth.

In the days before powered vessels,

exports like lumber, fur, and fish

were sent downriver in sailboats

that were built right here along the waterside.

We head to south to follow the Kennebec,

a river steeped in history.

Native American tribes lived along its banks for millennia

and it provided the route for colonial troops

marching to Quebec to fight the British

during the 18th century American Revolutionary War.

(soft acoustic guitar music)

We move south along the railroad tracks

towards the town of Wiscasset,

nestled along the Sheepscot River.

When the steam locomotive came to New England

in the 19th century, it brought profound social

and economic change to towns like this.

A web of railroads knit the New England states together,

and Wiscasset hoped to revive its dying seaport

by building a railway.

It had once been a proud shipping harbor,

so prosperous that locals say ship masts filled the water

for as far as the eye could see.

But the embargo of 1807 deprived shipbuilders

and sea captains of their livelihoods

and many New England ports faced decline.

Rail service in Wiscasset began in 1871,

with a plan to extend its tracks to Quebec

to take advantage of the grain trade.

But the railroad's prominence would soon be superseded

by highway competition

and the effects of the Great Depression.

Today, visitors ride in restored vintage rail cars

on the Eastern Maine Narrow Gauge Railway

to take in the bucolic scenery of the Mid-Coast.

As for Wiscasset, it remains relatively unchanged

since the 19th century,

still clinging to Yankee values and traditions

long held by residents of Maine's coastal habitations.

We leave the river towns and head south

towards the jagged coast of Maine,

where rockbound peninsulas and forested islands

are like jewels strewn across the sea.

Here, the past is locked in rock.

The spectacular Maine landscape

was formed by the Wisconsin Glacier from the last Ice Age.

As the glacier retreated, it cut hundreds of bays, inlets,

and picturesque harbors into the shoreline

and left more than 4,000 islands in its wake.

But perhaps nothing is more symbolic

of the rugged Maine shores than its 68 lighthouses.

These tall sentinels help tame rocky coastlines

and they continue to highlight

the importance of seafaring in the region's history.

Like all good beacons of light,

the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

is awash in stories of shipwrecks and storms

interwoven with the lives of its 11 keepers.

(soft piano music)

We head east into a sea of ripple slate

to find Monhegan Island, 17 kilometers out to sea.

Little more than one square kilometer,

the island is a place of natural extremes,

with formidable 48-meter headlands

sloping down to a clustered fishing village and quiet coves.

(seagulls squawking)

It's a salty island

that conjures up images of old fishermen in waders,

of coastal storms and shipwrecks.

Here in Lobster Cove,

the remains of the wreck of the DT Sheridan,

an old tugboat, have lain here for decades

since they washed ashore in 1948.

Like many inhabited islands in Maine,

generations of lobstermen have braved long winters

to call Monhegan home.

And it remained isolated until the 19th century,

when it was discovered by artists and writers

and then people of wealth

who built stately cottages along its shores.

Beyond its natural beauty, Monhegan offers few amenities

to its 60 year-round residents.

In the 1980s, electricity replaced kerosene

and a regular phone service became a way of life.

There is a one-room schoolhouse, a church,

a lighthouse, and several stores in town.

And a ferry service is limited to three times a week

in the winter months, weather permitting.

(soft acoustic guitar music)

We leave the solitude of the island

to explore the surrounding waters of Muscongus Bay,

where nature bestows Maine fishermen

with an abundance of lobster.

Fishing for crustaceans has been intricately woven

into the fabric of life here for centuries,

supporting hundreds of small coastal communities

up and down the coast.

Lobsters are harvested year-round,

although the majority are caught between June and December,

when they are most active.

(soft piano music)

We continue our tour of the Muscongus Bay

and head north to the Cushing Peninsula.

Here, looking like an abandoned ship

left on top of a hill, is the Olson House.

This Greek Revival-style home

was a subject of numerous works of art by Andrew Wyeth,

perhaps one of the best-known painters of the 20th century

and a resident of Cushing.

For nearly three decades and beginning in 1939,

Wyeth created a series of works

that captured his neighbors, Alvaro and Christina Olson,

and their isolated farmhouse.

The people of Maine were central elements in Wyeth's art,

and he transformed everyday sights

into enduring images of New England life.

Today, the house is a popular museum

and is registered as a National Historic Landmark.

Our journey continues north

towards the rocky coast of Penobscot Bay,

considered to be the heart of picture-book Maine.

Rockland was once an important shipbuilding center

and a waypoint for goods

making their way up and down the coast.

These days, lobster boats share the harbor

with some of the tall-masted schooners

of Maine's windjammer fleet,

which represents the largest flotilla

of coastal schooners in the world.

Many date back to the 19th century

and offer day-trips and week-long journeys

around the islands,

where passengers get a taste of life in the age of sail.

Historic boats need good harbors.

And good harbors need protection.

New England is prone to powerful nor'easters,

cyclonic storms with counterclockwise winds

that have made their mark in the annals of Maine weather.

Several severe nor'easters in the 19th century

caused considerable damage to the waterfront here.

The Rockland Breakwater was built in 1880

and helped make the port a refuge for vessels

by reducing the intensity of wave action during storms.

A series of light beacons were placed at its outer end

before the lighthouse was built

and put into service in 1902.

More than a kilometer long,

the breakwater makes for a pleasant afternoon stroll

along the pounding surf.

For many vacationers, the ferry ride to their holiday spot

is a rite of passage each summer.

While the economy of Maine still relies on seafood,

tourism is now its most lucrative industry.

Once called rusticators, the earliest visitors began seeking

the rural simplicity of Yankee New England

during the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century,

looking to escape the smog and noise

of bustling Northeastern cities.

We continue north along Penobscot Bay

to the city of Rockport,

often referred to as one of the prettiest towns in America.

Lime production was once a major industry here

and, in 1817, 300 casks were shipped to Washington

for use in rebuilding the Capitol,

damaged by the British in the War of 1812.

But one of the town's biggest moments

was when Andre, the harbor seal,

swam 321 kilometers to Rockport each spring

from his winter home in Southern New England

and entertained tourists and locals with his antics.

He was named Rockport's honorary harbormaster in 1979

and may have been second only to painter Andrew Wyeth

as the state's most acclaimed resident.

Andre was the subject of several books and a movie.

And today, a marble statue of the seal

rests in a park by the harbor.

We continue north,

past the red maples along Rockport's coast,

a similar scene to those that have inspired great works

by American writers like Henry David Thoreau.

(soft acoustic guitar music)

He wrote a series of essays entitled "The Maine Woods".

Near Camden Harbor stands the Curtis Island Lighthouse,

rebuilt in 1896 and standing 52 meters above the water.

It's been said that lighthouses are to North America

what castles are to Europe.

In today's world,

technology has rendered them mostly obsolete,

yet they are stars on the tourist routes,

attracting visitors from around the world.

Our tour along the Penobscot Bay

continues with the seaside port of Camden,

home to a dedicate community of sailors.

It's a tradition that dates back to the harbor's founding.

As with most New England coastal towns,

agriculture here was somewhat limited

by poor soil and a short growing season,

so settlers turned to the sea for prosperity,

prosperity that was interrupted during the Revolutionary War

when Camden and Penobscot Bay

were controlled by the British.

Although the town's loyalty was divided,

it was seen as a center of revolutionary fervor.

And in 1779, British troops burned the buildings

in the harbor.

But shipbuilding flourished

through the middle of the 20th century

and today remains an important part of community life.

Boat-builders here and in nearby Rockport

are renowned for their craftsmanship.

The turn of the 1900s ushered in a new era of sailing,

as Camden's natural beauty began to attract

some of the wealthiest families in the country.

Magnificent yachts fill the harbor,

inspiring a Philadelphia publishing tycoon

and summer resident to establish

the Camden Harbor Yacht Club,

still thriving more than 100 years later.

The mountainous setting that surrounds the town

includes Camden Hills State Park,

home to nearly 2,500 hectares of trees

and hiking trails on Mount Battie.

A two-hour hike to the summit is worth the effort,

especially in autumn.

Hikers are treated to panoramic views

of the wooded hillsides and the surrounding bay.

This stone tower was built in 1921

and is dedicated to veterans of World War I.

New England is renowned

for its trove of unspoiled wilderness

and its brilliant autumn foliage.

Each year, leaf-peepers travel scenic routes

and stop at points of interest

among the magnificent backdrop of color.

Known as the Pine Tree State, 90% of Maine is forested,

more than any other state in the country.

And its economy has always been linked

to vast timber reserves.

The abundance of trees propelled Maine

to become the nation's first capital of ship-building.

Today, paper, pulp, and wood products

are the state's second-largest exports.

The forests have been harvested for timber

for well over two centuries,

but much of the land has grown back to woods

since the decline of agriculture in the 1800s.

We leave the tranquility of the park and move east,

back to the waters of Penobscot Bay.

It's home to more than 200 islands,

many of which remain untouched by the modern world.

(soft orchestral music)

Between the islands, there are vast stretches of open water

and small winding thoroughfares, a lovely spot to sail.

Moving north, we find Islesboro,

a long, narrow island that stretches for 22 kilometers

near the top of Penobscot Bay.

With its many harbors and coves,

it once supported a large commercial shipping fleet,

but is now a popular resort community.

Island living is becoming obsolete.

Only 41 of Maine's islands support year-round communities,

compared to 300 in the 19th century.

For those who dream of the good life,

a handful of isles among the Maine coast are up for sale.

Perhaps the only thing that rivals the sea for beauty

are the evening sunsets

and the back-lit islands in Penobscot Bay.

We continue east on our journey

to the isles of Jericho Bay, considered by many

to be the most beautiful sailing waters on Maine's coast.

It's an unspoiled and idyllic archipelago

with abandoned and windswept islands,

some covered in rose hips and raspberries

and boasting sea and songbirds.

Several have been set aside for conservation.

There's no doubt that Maine is a watery world

with its 61,000 kilometers of rivers and streams

and more than 2,500 lakes and ponds.

If all the bays and peninsulas in the state

were unfolded and straightened, the Maine coastline

would stretch for nearly 7,400 kilometers,

longer than the entire East Coast of America.

As we travel east, we reach Bass Harbor,

which lies on the south side of Mount Desert Island,

home to the largest portion of Acadia National Park.

It's a quintessential fishing village

and has changed very little through the years,

tucked away from the throngs of tourists

that descend on the park further inland.

(light piano music)

It was French explorer Samuel de Champlain

who named the landmass Isle des Monts-deserts in 1602,

but settlement was stalled while the French and English

wrestled for control of the territory.

Artists discovered the scenic beauty here

in the mid-19th century.

And by 1882, the island had become

a summer mecca for the affluent,

boasting names like Rockefeller, Astor, and Vanderbilt.

(soft upbeat music)

Awed by its beauty and diversity,

a handful of wealthy 20th-century visionaries

donated the land that became Acadia, one of the smallest

but most visited of America's national parks.

Their vision stands today as a unique blend

of freshwater lakes, mountains, valleys,

and majestic coastlines in its 120 square kilometers.

With diverse habitats from shoreline to mountaintops,

the park contains a wide range of animal life,

including hawks and bald eagles, bears and bobcats.

Scenic spots offer views of granite cliffs

anchored to the sea

and there are 72 kilometers of carriage roads

built to accommodate horse-drawn vehicles

and only open to non-motorized traffic.

Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake are separated by two mountains

known as the Bubbles, but the scenic beauty owes its thanks

to a wide variety of trees.

One of the most plentiful is the maple,

which accounts for more than its share of colors

in the autumn.

Our journey continues up the long and winding road

to the majestic summit of Cadillac Mountain,

our final destination.

The six-kilometer Park Loop Road that leads to the peak

opened in 1931, replacing a cog railway

that brought tourists to the top in the late-1800s.

At 466 meters, the summit is the highest point

along the North Atlantic Seaboard

and is one of more than 20 mountains on Mount Desert Island.

During much of the year, it's also the first place

in the United States touched by the rays of sunrise.

18,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age,

several enormous glaciers compressed the land

and sheered off mountaintops,

which inspired Samuel de Champlain

to note the bald look of the barren peaks in his journal.

Not quite as barren as Champlain observed,

the pink granite, combined with spruce and pine trees,

produce a stunning landscape.

(upbeat orchestral music)

But the real star is the panoramic view from the summit,

with breathtaking views of Frenchman's Bay.

On a clear day, it's possible to see

the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, 160 kilometers away;

that is, if you can find a spot in the throng of tourists.

It's a perfect, as well as a popular place,

to end this journey.

(reverent orchestral music)