Off the beaten path: Lewiston

By Heather Chandler and Jasmine Haines

Getting off the beaten path requires a spirit of adventure and a desire to discover your own true experience of a place. In this new series, we profile our favorite places to get off-the-beaten-path in Maine. These articles are meant to be an introduction, and not at all comprehensive. There are just so many sweet spots to explore, we couldn’t possibly include them all in this inaugural section. Consider this a jumping off point to fuel your own sense of adventure, with a few guideposts along the way. One great resource to find out what’s happening in Maine’s downtowns is the Main Street Maine program, a compilation of local life in Maine’s nationally recognized historic downtowns. Learn more at mainstreetmaine.org.

The Great Falls Balloon Festival in Lewiston. Photo courtesy of Great Falls Balloon Festival

Lewiston

Nestled along the Androscoggin River, Lewiston has a rich Franco-American heritage. The majestic Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, founded in 1870, is the oldest parish for French-speaking Catholics in the state, and its spires can be seen from most anywhere in the city. Modeled after the cathedral at Chartres in France, it offers French-language masses that are well attended not only by descendants of French-Canadian millworkers, but also by recent immigrants from Burundi, Congo, Rwanda and other French-speaking African nations.

Today, the city is also shaped by a growing Somali community that enriches the cultural vibrance of the area. It’s not surprising these days to find a bustling Halal market or Somali-owned restaurant occupying a formerly boarded-up storefront on Lisbon Street. In fact, many credit this enterprising community of immigrants with revitalizing this area of town, in part through the establishment of the L/A Islamic Center near the corner of Lisbon and Main – a mosque, community center, lecture hall and event space that brings hundreds of people downtown every day.

Bates College is another cultural anchor for the city of Lewiston. One of a triad of small, elite liberal arts colleges in Maine – the others are Colby, in Waterville and Bowdoin, in Brunswick – Bates was founded in 1855 by, as the college states, “people who believed strongly in freedom, civil rights, and the importance of a higher education for all who could benefit from it.” The stately campus, with its expansive greenspace and handsome brick buildings, is open to all, as is the college’s art museum in the Olin Arts Center, which has fine holdings of works by Lewiston native Marsden Hartley, among many other notable artists.

Community members gather for an outdoor performance during the Artwalk LA. Photo courtesy of Gary Stallsworth

If you find yourself in Lewiston on the last Friday of the month, you will want to make plans to attend the Art Walk LA, which takes place from 5 to 8 pm. Spearheaded by L/A Arts – a vibrant community organization instrumental in helping Lewiston gain recognition as one of the 100 Best Small Arts Towns in America – this event transforms more than 30 businesses and empty storefronts into galleries and performance spaces.

Those particularly interested in history will enjoy a trip to the Museum L/A at the Bates Mill complex. Housed in a former industrial space, the museum collects and displays the products and machinery from the heyday of the local factories, from textile pattern blocks to room-size weaving
looms. This year’s special exhibition, Footwear: From Function to Fashion, explores the area’s history as a center for shoe production from the 19th century until today – Quoddy moccasins are still made here, as are shoes by Rancourt & Co., which made the boat shoes worn by Team USA at the last Olympics.

If all of this history has you feeling a bit parched, The Bates Mill complex is also home to Baxter Brewing, one of the fastest growing beer companies in the Northeast. Baxter is known for its green practices, particularly the company’s decision to offer their beer exclusively in aluminum cans long before it was the status quo (aluminum takes less energy to produce than glass, among other advantages). Visitors to the area are invited to tour the facility and taste Baxter’s ever-growing list of beers or dine at the recently opened Pub at Baxter.

If you’re lucky enough to be visiting the Bates Mill complex on a Sunday, you’ ll find the Lewiston Farmers’ Market set up just outside Mill #5 (June through October, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.). The colorful marketplace is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, and the perfect place to find homemade goods and beautiful crafts from talented Maine artists and food purveyors.

Hand-dyed wool at the farmers’ market

Sometimes, only a sit-down, stick-to-your-ribs Italian dinner will do, and if that’s the case a visit to Da Vinci’s Eatery is in order. The popular family restaurant serves pizza and classic pasta dishes. If it’s nice outside, opt to sit on the outdoor patio.

If fresh seafood is what you’re after, you’ll want to visit Fish Bones American Grill. The dining room was once a storage area for the Bates Manufacturing Co. and has a cool, cosmopolitan vibe. There’s also a bar and lounge area for cocktails and small plate appetizers.

For a quick meal, stop into Forage Market’s flagship location on Lisbon Street and snag some artisanal wood-fired bagels made in-house. Breakfast and lunch are served all day, with gluten-free and vegan options available. Another stop if you love local and conscientiously sourced eats is She Doesn’t Like Guthries, full of feel-good vibes and delicious options for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters alike. Guthries also hosts a regular schedule of live music and events, so be sure to check their website for details.

A vendor entertains while selling fresh produce. Photo courtesy of Lewiston Farmers’ Market

The area boasts more great libations beyond the aforementioned Baxter Brewing. Side By Each Brewing in Auburn takes a different approach to the brewery tasting room experience. In the morning, it’s a coffee house, serving up Coffee by Design coffee and espresso drinks and selling locally made pastries; a few hours later, Pinky D’s Poutine Truck opens for lunch and dinner, providing the perfect pairing to any of the twelve drafts on tap. Just outside of town, in Turner, Ricker Hill Tasting Room is open seven days a week, with eight ciders always rotating on tap. Some are tasting room exclusives, specially blended by the head cider maker and only available in-house.

For a sophisticated nightcap, try Sonder & Dram in downtown Lewiston. Located in the basement of the historic McGillicuddy building, they offer a fantastic selection of local beer and spirits as well as a delicious specialty cocktail menu. Try the Bee’s in Chamo, made with two kinds of Vermont-distilled Barr’s Hill gin plus honey and chamomile, for something elegant and entirely different.

Outside of the city, the 450-acre Thorncrag Sanctuary has served many purposes for the community in the past – as a farm, a tuberculosis sanatorium, the source for Highland Spring bottled water and as a recreation and research center for Bates College. Enjoy a picnic while birdwatching or hike the trails and take in the views, including distant views of New Hampshire’s snow-capped Mount Washington, from the highest spot in the city, at 510 feet. The trail is a little over four miles and is free to the public – but remember: Thorncrag Sanctuary is committed to the health and safety of the wildlife that resides there, so keep Fido at home and carry all your trash out with you when you visit.

Up the road in Turner, Nezinscot Farm is a beautiful organic farm on 250 acres with a gourmet food shop, cafe, yarn and fiber studio, and more. Come hungry – their café makes everything from scratch, using ingredients sourced from the farm and other local farmers and producers. This one-of-a-kind place is worth the drive if you are staying in the surrounding area, or rent one of their rooms and get the full farm experience.

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Off the beaten path: read more from this series

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This article appeared in the 2019 Green & Healthy Maine SUMMER Guide. Subscribe today!