One in a series of profiles of people who played a key role in the first 35 years of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. Despite the underlying rocky ledges and the relatively thin layer of topsoil found throughout the town, roots run deep in Harpswell. For example, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) grew out of… Read more
For many of us, working at a desk eight hours a day, working outside is a joy and an antidote to looking at a computer screen. For Ron Davis, a retired Navy engineer and current piano tuner, building and maintaining Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) trails is a delightful way to enjoy nature and meet… Read more
Partner Profile: Mary Ann Nahf, Harpswell Conservation Commission By Victoria Boundy, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership All communities have their conservation champions. The Town of Harpswell is fortunate to have Mary Ann Nahf as one of theirs. Mary Ann moved to Maine in 2000 and joined the Conservation Commission a few years after that, in order… Read more
When he was about 10 years old, Robin Brooks cruised on a 56-foot sailboat from the mouth of the Connecticut River to Cutler, in far Downeast Maine. The trip made quite an impression. “After that, I always knew I wanted to live on the coast of Maine,” recalled Brooks, now 82. That desire ultimately brought… Read more
“Nature, Community, Forever.” The motto of Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) neatly ties up the organization’s core mission: connecting people with nature in lasting ways. “Forever” is the key concept, because, while legal agreements are binding, if successive generations lose touch with the natural world around them, all bets are off and something precious could… Read more
During the summer of 2016, Dave Brown became president of HHLT, taking over from Charlie Johnson, who stepped down after eight years leading the organization. Dave writes: “I first became aware of Harpswell’s special combination of forest and ocean as a teenager when my family came to visit the log cabin my grandparents built on… Read more
Jan McClintock followed her passions in life. She loved the town of Harpswell, where she moved in 1986. She volunteered at the Harpswell Islands School because she cared deeply about her children’s education. As an assistant attorney general, she worked tirelessly for 27 years to protect the water, land and wildlife of her beloved state of… Read more
By Christine Farrell What an experience to grow up on the coast of Maine. What a charmed life for a child to spend summers on Harpswell Neck or on the Islands. Great, Bailey or Orr’s, that is. Anne Satterthwaite, a Philadelphia health care professional, had such a childhood. Spending summer weeks on Bailey Island, Anne… Read more
There is a discernible lift in Deirdre Strachan’s already cheerful voice when the topic of conversation turns to Harpswell, her adopted home and the town she loves. “It’s such a beautiful community, with so much to offer,” she says. Strachan, who moved to Harpswell from Massachusetts in 1998 after a distinguished international career in public… Read more
According to Bob Weggel, his voting address may be in Massachusetts but he lives in Harpswell. Since 1981, Bob has enjoyed the peace and tranquility he experiences upon arriving here from suburban Boston, where he lives and works with his wife, Diane. In his professional life, Bob designs magnets, being named in the Guinness Book… Read more