A Weekend in
MAINE
Words and images by Ari Kellerman
Withington Antiques, Maine; © Ari Kellerman.
Maine-based photographer and antique dealer, Ari Kellerman, shares insider’s tips for a memorable weekend in the New England haven, including house museums, antique hunting and a look around her 1740s Colonial home.
Built on the ice, granite, lumber, shipbuilding and fishing industries, Maine now thrives on tourism, being the “Vacationland” it set out to be as early as the 1830s. Summering boomed post civil war and the 20th-century saw many of the working waterfronts become supplanted by waterfront hotels. Maine culture cannot be separated from the industries that built it, given most continue to flourish today. Maine is a retreat, a reprieve, a deep breath to be found by anyone who chooses to come. It’s unfussy and casual. Visitors flock to beaches and the quiet fishing towns to take in the ocean air. Many towns here have placed an emphasis on preservation, leaving much of the early architecture remaining. Those with an interest in Americana will find antique shops dotted all along route 1.
Ari Kellerman's home in Maine; © Ari Kellerman.
Don’t be fooled into thinking you won’t find an early or global selection here; you’ll find seasonal antique shows and fleas markets if you time them right. House museums are a transportive way to immerse yourself in the history of an area, and a joy for any decorative arts lover. Those I've shared below are true time capsules.
When visiting New England in general, I cannot recommend enough that you start there. While Portland has become a dining hub and is not to be missed, more charming are the smaller villages of York, Ogunquit, Kennebunk, Wiscasset, Damariscotta, Belfast and Camden, to name a few.
Having been raised here and lived a number of places since, Maine is where I've chosen to live as an adult; I am excited to share its hidden corners with anyone who looks me up.
Ari Kellerman's house, Maine; © Ari Kellerman.
Maine, New England; © Ari Kellerman.
Where to Eat
Fish & Whistle, Biddeford: A charming and traditional fish and chip restaurant.
Palace Diner, Biddeford: Maine's oldest diner, est. in 1927. A real institution.
The Well at Jordans Farm, Cape Elizabeth: Fine, locally-sourced food served on a working farm in the lovely seaside town of Cape Elizabeth.
Leeward, Portland: Excellent, award-winning Italian food in a stylish setting.
The Garrison, Yarmouth: Intimate fine dining on the Royal River in Yarmouth.
The Lost Kitchen, Freedom: Organic, seasonal food served in the atmospheric surroundings of an old mill. Open seasonally, all details on their website.
Wolfpeach, Camden: Sourdough pizza, natural wines and great cocktails.
Vinalhaven, Maine; © Ari Kellerman.
What to See & Do
Downeast Art and Antique Show, Blue Hill, August 1-4th, 2023: The longest running antiques show of its kind, founded in 1948 now with 28 dealers from throughout the US. This year the event is chaired by Nina Campbell who has recently completed her book, A House in Maine, with Giles Kime.
Corey Daniels Gallery & Store, Wells: This gallery exhibits a synthesis of found art and objects with emerging and mid-career contemporary artists.
Ogunquit Museum of American Art: Ogunquit, a unique American art gallery celebrating its origins in Ogunquit’s art colony.
Day-trip or long stay on Monhegan Island and Vinalhaven: Inhabited since the 17th-century, Monhegan has long been an artists' destination. Major American painters were drawn from the cities to the rugged coast, unknowingly sparking a national interest in summering on the island. Today, the island remains without cars or paved roads. It has three or so Inns, a few restaurants, and a general store. Its beauty is in its simplicity; days spent on the water, hiking the trails, visiting local artists' studios, a walk up to the museum for an exhibit, panoramic sunset views, and embracing the quiet one can only find miles out to sea. Monhegan Boat Line or Hardy Boat Cruises can take visitors for the day, or a long stay. Vinalhaven, the largest of Maine’s offshore islands, is a relaxing destination with just enough amenities for tourists, and one of the best antique stores in New England: Marston House. Both locations are nothing short of magical.
For Historic House Museums and Antiques, see below.
Left: Ari's house. Right: York Antiques Gallery.
Where to Buy Antiques
Withington Antiques, Cape Neddick: American and European Antiques.
The York Antiques Gallery, York: 18th, 19th, and early 20th-century multi-dealer showroom. The best for treasure hunting. You’ll find my own pieces here.
R. Jorgensen Fine Period Antiques, Wells: One of New England’s largest and finest showrooms Old House Parts: Kennebunk, Architectural Salvage.
Pillars Antiques, Freeport: Antiques and Decorative Arts.
Samuel Snider Antiques, Wiscasset: Early Americana.
Marston House, Vinalhaven: French, English, and Tuscan textiles and Antiques.
Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston: Fine Art and Antiques.
Left: Hamilton House. Right: Tate House; © Ari Kellerman.
Historic House Museums
Hamilton House, South Berwick: 1785 Riverside Georgian mansion shown as the summer retreat of the Tyson family in the early 20th-century.
Sayward Wheeler, York: 1718 York Harbor home of British loyalist, Jonathan Sayward. The property is believed to be one of the best-preserved colonial interiors in the nation. The site interprets the history of the enslaved household members and the Wabanaki.
Old York Historical Society, York: One of the earliest English settlements in the country and center of maritime commerce. Visit Elizabeth Perkins and Emerson-Wilcox houses, the Old Gaol, York Corner Schoolhouse, and Remick Gallery.
Tate House, Portland: 1755 Colonial home of mast agent, Captain George Tate.
Victoria Mansion, Portland: 1858 Italian villa designed by Henry Austin, decorated by Gustave Herter, with trompe l’oeil paintings by Giuseppe Guidicini.
Maine Historical Society, Portland: Poet Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow’s childhood home and the gallery of the official state historical society.
Nichols-Sortwell, Wiscasset: 1807 Federal Mansion built for shipping magnet William Nichols. The historic landmark is also available as a vacation rental.
Left: Corey Daniels Gallery. Right: Monhegan Island; © Ari Kellerman.
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