Lincolnville Pulls Together

Lincolnville is a small town in Waldo County, Maine. It is not to be confused with the town of Lincoln which is a couple hours to the north, nor the county of Lincoln which is to the south. Even if you aren't familiar with Lincolnville, you likely will recognize the name of its next-door neighbor—Camden.

This is a stunningly beautiful town. Just over a couple thousand people live here. They really have it all: a coastal beach, mountains, ponds and lakes, abundant forestland. More than half the acres of the Camden Hills State Park are within Lincolnville. And, if you want to find the ferry to Islesboro, it leaves from Lincolnville.

Standing on Lincolnville Beach; the ferry from Islesboro is arriving

Lincolnville: past and present

A theme I noticed during my visit was the interweaving of old history and modern times. The general store in Lincolnville Center is one landmark that illustrates this well. It was built in the mid-1800s, but was masterfully restored after being closed for some years. General stores have been icons of Maine for a long time. The Lincolnville General Store is one that continues to create new history.

The iconic general store

The craftsmen of Lincolnville: Windsor Chairmakers

In another part of town, over on Route One, I had the privilege of meeting the owners of Windsor Chairmakers and touring their expansive space. Michael and Jana Timchak, along with the other craftsmen they employ, are blending old ways with the new at a high quality level.

I began my visit by stepping into their gallery. As soon as I walked in the door, I was surprised. The building is far larger than expected. As it turns out, it is two farmhouses from the 1840s which have been connected. It is difficult to distinguish the parts that are nearly 200 years old from those which have been more recently constructed.

Windsor Chairmakers has eighteen (!) rooms displaying furniture. The word "furniture" doesn't feel quite appropriate. These chairs, beds, tables, desks, and more are works of art which can be passed down from one generation to the next and beyond.

As I visit businesses on this grand journey to every town in Maine, I often see a map displaying the towns, states, and/or countries of origin of the customers. At Windsor Chairmakers, however, I found a printed roll call, of sorts. The customers' names are listed on a wall (with their permission). It speaks volumes when folks who make a purchase are proud to go on record as owning a piece.

The customer roll call

Next to the gallery is where all the action takes place. The woodworking shop is open to the public so you can walk through when you come for a visit. Each piece is built to order and shipped to every state in the country. It was a pleasure to meet those who create such treasures. They use both old hand tools and more modern techniques. Again, the blending of history with the present.

A corner of the woodworking shop at Windsor Chairmakers

The Town That Pulls Together

The final place to highlight in Lincolnville is the local library. It is yet another instance of the town's history being intertwined with its current chapter. Located on the library grounds is an outdoor museum that was built primarily by a group of women who learned the needed construction skills as they advanced through the project. It is dedicated to Jackie Young Watts who founded the Lincolnville Historical Society.

The day I visited, the inside of the library was full of bright light as sunshine filtered in through the large windows which overlook a reading garden.

The helpful librarian kindly answered my questions. When she learned it was my first time to visit, she told me that we were standing in what was formerly the one-room schoolhouse. It was built in 1849 and used to teach students for 99 years. The librarian informed me that the building had been located across the road and that the community had pulled it over to this side.

I got the sense that she was using the word "pulled" quite literally.

I asked, and she confirmed it.

As incredible as it sounds, a group of about 200 local townspeople got together and pulled the old schoolhouse. With ropes. By hand.

"Come on!" I exclaimed. The patient lady insisted this was the case and (likely sensing my disbelief) directed me to a video that documented the monumental day. I include it here for your own viewing.

Spread the word: the citizens of Lincolnville know how to pull together to get a job done in their hometown.

If this is your first time here, welcome to Maine Features. You can see the other Maine towns I’ve visited by looking over the INDEX page. If you want to learn more about what in the world I am doing in the Pine Tree State, the ABOUT page will fill you in. I’d love to have you come along for the adventure!