Today we announce big news about Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. This December, the Board of Trustees accepted the retirement of our long-standing Executive Director, Reed Coles and appointed Outreach Director Julia McLeod as Acting Executive Director, effective as of February 1, 2022. Julia has been with the land trust for almost ten years, starting at… Read more
Harpswell is blessed with gorgeous vistas, a vital marine economy and a wonderful community spirit. Perhaps less obvious, the town is also rich in artists and craftspeople. Take, for example, jeweler Tracy Johnson who has lived on Harpswell Neck for 30 years in a house she and her husband built, by hand, the old-fashioned way…. Read more
When Nancy and Charles Scholes lost their beloved second son, Jonathan, to a brutal cancer at age 33, he left them with more than broken hearts. He left them an outstanding example of a life well-lived, if far too short, and dedicated to helping those in need. He also left them a love of Harpswell… Read more
From left to right: Craig, Ellie, Kara and Nora Douglas (Tim McCreight photo). What’s the hardest part?” I asked. “Hardening!” came the instant answers from Nora and Ellie Douglas, ages 14 and 11. Along with their parents, Kara and Craig, they are stewards of the Curtis Farm Preserve. When I asked their favorite part, Ellie… Read more
Fred Gay is delightful. Not too many people deserve that moniker, but Fred does. From his engaging smile, to his Amish hat, to—and this is how I became acquainted with Fred—his immunity to poison ivy, Fred is one of a kind! Over the summer Fred offered to remove poison ivy from the McIntosh Lot Preserve… Read more
Looking back on her childhood growing up in New York state, Lynn Knight remembers weekend walks in the woods with her father and brother. Or sometimes trips to one of the many nearby harbor beaches in all four seasons. “Every weekend my father took us somewhere we could play outdoors in nature,” Lynn recalled. Her… Read more
Looking out the bay windows in a cozy nook of his cluttered living room, Jeff Marshall introduces the spectacular view ranging from southwest to northwest in what he calls “my nature theater” with a gracious, sweeping gesture. Out on the shore of Doughty Cove here on Sebascodegan (Great) Island, huge sheets of ice are stacked… Read more
One in a series of profiles of people who played a key role in the first 35 years of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. There have been numerous watershed events in the first 35 years of Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT). Among them: The acceptance of a preservation easement on the historic Tarr-Eaton House in… Read more
One in a series of profiles of people who played a key role in the first 35 years of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. Sitting around a table in the family home just up the hill from Houghton Graves Park on Orr’s Island, Allan and Patty Graves want to make one thing perfectly clear: “It’s… Read more
Since 1983, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) has been working with the community to preserve special places in Harpswell, ensure public shore access, build and maintain trails, provide engaging educational programs and protect scenic views, clean water and wildlife habitat. In 2018 we celebrate our 35th anniversary. One of the ways we are celebrating is… Read more