The Peninsula
Unless noted, all the photographs on this page are by Marian Gonsalves McMahon.
Tour the Peninsula through this interactive map. Click the cameras to see photos of each town.
Welcome to the Blue Hill Peninsula! This is an area rich in natural beauty, history, and a unique cultural atmosphere. From seventh-generation Mainers to organic farmers to world-renowned musicians, the Peninsula offers visitors and residents a way of life unmatched anywhere. The towns of the Peninsula, Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Penobscot and Sedgwick make up the kind of community for which New England is famous.
The pioneer way lives on... entrepreneurial spirit is strong, volunteerism is a natural part of life, and our work ethic is solid, but with room to "breathe free."
Blue Hill
Nestled at the base of blueberry-covered Blue Hill Mountain in the protective arm of Blue Hill Bay lies the village of Blue Hill, the largest town on the peninsula. Granted as a township in 1762 to the veterans of the last war against the French, Blue Hill has a history of shipbuilding, copper mining, and granite quarrying.
Modern day Blue Hill is rich with artists and craftsmen and offers great food, gracious lodging, galleries and shops to explore, and a slower pace of life. Blue Hill welcomes visitors and residents alike to hike its mountain, walk its shores and to canoe, kayak and sail its waters.
For those wanting to call the Blue Hill area home, the community offers excellent public and private schools and a hospital and library that are among the finest in the state.
Population (2000): 2,390
Population Density (2000): 38 per square mile
Acreage: 36,301 (56.7 square miles)
Median Age (2000): 44.7
Median Income (2000): $31,484
Mil Rate (2009): $6.65
Year-Round/Seasonal Residences (2000): 1,136/350
Primary Industries: Healthcare, Professional Services, Retail, Tourism, Scientific Research
Schools:
The Bay School (Private): K-8, Enrollment - 85
Blue Hill Consolidated School (Public): K-8, Enrollment - 220
Blue Hill Harbor School (Private): 9-12, Enrollment - 10
George Stevens Academy (Semi-Private): 9-12, Enrollment - 370
Blue Hill Town Office
18 Union Street
PO Box 412
Blue Hill, ME 04614
(207) 374-2281
Brooklin
A small, lively village at the southern end of the Peninsula, Brooklin was settled as a part of the town of Sedgwick in 1763, and incorporated as an independent town in 1849.
Brooklin takes pride in its boatbuilding yards, an outstanding library, churches, elementary school and community hall located in North Brooklin.
With miles of beautiful shoreline come the town’s chief industries of fishing and boatbuilding. The town is also home to a world-famous boatbuilding school and to the publishing houses of two magazines. Brooklin has a unique summer colony as well as shops, small businesses, bed and breakfasts and restaurants.
Population (2000): 853
Population Density (2000): 47 per square mile
Acreage: 11,883 (18.6 square miles)
Median Age (2000): 45.9
Median Income (2000): $36,786
Mil Rate (2009): $7.15
Year-Round/Seasonal Residences (2000): 430/361
Primary Industries: Publishing, Marine Services, Professional Services, Manufacturing
Schools:
Brooklin School (Public): K-8, Enrollment - 68
Brooklin Town Office
23 Bay Road
PO Box 219
Brooklin, ME 04616
(207) 359-8394
Brooksville
Brooksville was incorporated in 1817 and is almost an island. The Bagaduce River flows north from its headwaters in Walker Pond, then west between Brooksville and Penobscot, and finally south past Castine to Eggemoggin Reach.
Fishing and farming share the local economy with small businesses and bed and breakfast establishments. Rolling fields nestled into woodlands make Brooksville widely known as a beautiful coastal town, with boating, kayaking along the Bagaduce River, and Holbrook Island Sanctuary.
Population (2000): 911
Population Density (2000): 29 per square mile
Acreage: 21,631 (33.8 square miles)
Median Age (2000): 48.6
Median Income (2000): $36,458
Mil Rate (2009): $4.70
Year-Round/Seasonal Residences (2000): 430/361
Primary Industries: Professional Services, Arts
Schools:
Brooksville Elementary School (Public): K-8, Enrollment - 73
Brooksville Town Office
One Town House Road
Brooksville, ME 04617
(207) 326-4518
Castine
Castine is a charming coastal town located on Penobscot Bay. Settled in 1604, the town is one of the oldest in the state of Maine. Visitors can enjoy “A Walking Tour of Castine,” which outlines fifty historic sites and buildings throughout the town, including three forts occupied during the American Revolution.
Castine is also home to the renowned Maine Maritime Academy, the dramatic cliffs of Dyce’s Head Lighthouse and a variety of art galleries, specialty shops and fine lodging and dining establishments. Visitors can delight in the architecture of a by-gone era along tree-lined streets of lovely historic homes.
Population (2000): 1,343
Population Density (2000): 175 per square mile
Acreage: 5,050 (7.9 square miles)
Median Age (2000): 23.8
Median Income (2000): $46,250
Mil Rate (2009): $6.75
Year-Round/Seasonal Residences (2000): 395/254
Primary Industries: Education, Tourism, Arts
Schools:
Adams School (Public): K-8, Enrollment - 58
Castine Town Office
Emerson Hall, 67 Court Street
PO Box 204
Castine, ME 04421
(207) 326-4502
Penobscot
Penobscot, situated along the pristine Bagaduce River, was first settled in 1760. Incorporated in 1787, it included parts of Brooksville and Castine until 1796.
Today, Penobscot’s 18 miles of shoreline and interior marshes and ponds beckon one into leisurely fishing, sight-seeing, kayaking and boating. The Conservation Trust and Blue Hill Heritage Trust have acquired lands and access for recreational purposes in various areas of the town.
Several bed and breakfast establishments provide comfortable, friendly lodging for visitors.
Population (2000): 1,344
Population Density (2000): 34 per square mile
Acreage: 30,737 (24.8 square miles)
Median Age (2000): 44.6
Median Income (2000): $37,232
Mil Rate (2008): $12.65
Year-Round/Seasonal Residences: 568/155
Primary Industries: Professional Services
Schools:
Penobscot Elementary School (Public): K-8, Enrollment - 68
Penobscot Town Office
One Southern Bay Road
PO Box 4
Penobscot, ME 04476
(207) 326-4364
Sedgwick
The town of Sedgwick, probably named for Robert Sedgwick, the English Major General who ousted the French from Castine in 1654, was incorporated in 1798, the second town in the county. Recent archeological discoveries indicate European exploration and possible settlement predating Columbus.
Building vessels for fishing or trade began with “The Trial”, built at the head of Herrick’s Bay in 1790. Around the turn of the 19th century “rusticators” began to visit the area and established a colony along Eggemoggin Reach. Many settled here, and descendants still return annually. Sedgwick's coastline covers most of the length of Eggemoggin Reach, dividing the Blue Hill Peninsula from Deer Isle.
Sedgwick offers many choices for accommodations and activities. A tour of its many charming galleries and antique shops is a must for any visitor.
Population (2000): 1,090
Population Density (2000): 41 per square mile
Acreage: 17,676 (27.6 square miles)
Median Age (2000): 39.9
Median Income (2000): $35,000
Mil Rate (2009): $8.70
Year-Round/Seasonal Residences (2000): 505/166
Primary Industries: Professional Services, Tourism, Arts
Schools:
Sedgwick Elementary School (Public): K-8, Enrollment - 95
Sedgwick Town Office
719 North Sedgwick Road
PO Box 40
Sedgwick, ME 04676
(207) 359-2275
