After our pleasant blueberry muffin breakfast in Lubec (See the last post), we were on the road again. Route 1 meandered its way down the coast to Machias. It might not look like much as you enter the town, but I assure you, there is something for every taste here. We started by taking a side trip down Route 92, a “rollercoaster” road that takes you through the historic town of Machiasport.
We ended our extra-curricular adventure at Jasper Beach. It is so named because the entire beach is made up of smoothed semi-precious jasper stones, also known as chalcedony. It is one of only 3 jasper shorelines in the world. It truly was a remarkable place. Not only was it beautiful to look at, but there was another unique feature. Whenever a large wave would break onshore, the resulting movements of the stones would create a very eerie sound. It was almost like an audience clapping. So what we witnessed was the seashore applauding the ocean!
From there, we headed back to Route 1. Along the way were some other interesting sites. Our first stop was at Fort O’Brien State Park. Here you can see the remnants of the fort and great views over Machias Bay. This is a place loaded with history.
Machias Bay is the scene of some Revolutionary War action. In 1775, the English warship Margaretta entered the bay. It was then engaged by some Colonists on a sloop with barely any weaponry. The Colonists, led by Captain O’Brien (for whom the fort is named), captured the warship. This incident helped to convince the leaders of the revolution that America needed a navy.
It also proved the need for a fort to protect this bay. Not long after, Fort Machias was built on this spot. It was destroyed by the British in 1814 and Fort O’Brien was constructed on the site in 1863. But that is not all there is to interest history buffs. Closer to Machias is the Burnham Tavern Museum. The original tavern was built in1770, and was the meeting place for local patriots to plan their strategies.
Another interesting place along Route 92 was the Maine Wild Blueberry Company. We decided to stop there to see if they gave tours of the plant. As we opened the car doors in the parking lot we were almost knocked over by the incredible smell of blueberries – it was intoxicating! We were told that the plant was closed due to some renovation of the processing equipment, so after a few more deep breaths, we continued on our way.
The name Machias actually means “Bad Little Falls”. So as we approached the center of town, we stopped at a park to observe the falls that gave the area its name. It was a pretty little gorge through which the Machias River dashed over the rocks and out to the bay.
After this busy morning Cheryl and I were ready for a “pick-me-up.” So we had no choice but to visit one of the best known local landmarks – Helen’s Restaurant. This was definitely on my to-do list. I had been here before. When I was in college, my parents took us for a week’s vacation in nearby Eastport. That is the first time I had a sampling of this incredible place.
As we walked in, the first thing I noticed was the changes that had taken place. It had obviously been through a major renovation. It used to be dark and dreary on the inside. Now it was bright and cheerful. I remember having to walk through the bar to get to the restaurant portion – now they were separated. It was a good change in appearance, but did it affect the food – I hope not!
We started by sharing a sampler plate of appetizers. They were really good, but they were not the main attraction that we were here for – Helen’s homemade PIES. (It is illegal and immoral to spell Helen’s PIES with lowercase letters.) When we were done our prelims, I asked the waiter what kind of PIES were on the menu today.
“Well, we’ve got strawberry, apple, and, of course, blueberry.”
“Does the strawberry PIE have rhubarb in it?” (I love strawberry rhubarb.)
“No, sorry, just fresh, local strawberries. Then there are the PIES in the cooler – chocolate cream and coconut cream. We also have a recent addition to our PIE menu. When we first tried it out, a reviewer for The Best of Maine magazine was here. He tried it and exclaimed, ‘This is the god of all pies.’”.
I could hardly wait to hear what this incredible delicacy might be.
“It is a chocolate-coconut cream PIE on a graham cracker crust.”
I knew immediately that this was the PIE for me. Cheryl went a step lower for the coconut cream. When they arrived, I could clearly see that the things that mattered most didn’t change in this wonderful place. And as I prepared to dig in, I distinctly saw Cheryl’s slice bow in reverence to mine – though she now refuses to admit it. The fact is – we found a slice of heaven in Machias…
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- Jasper Beach
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- Fort O’Brien
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- Battling PIES
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- A Satisfying Stop
Taking the Long Way 