An eye-catching field of sunflowers alongside Perry’s Gleason Cove has captured the attention of local photographers, and thank goodness. What a sight! Does anyone know who plants them? Photo by Cindy Joyce

I sometimes joke that I am still about 10 pounds Fat Cat Deli, which was — you might remember — a beloved Machias pizza and sandwich shop from the early 2000s to about 2013. We were building our house, living in various pop-up locations, and we ate out a lot.

It was good.

Another construction-era favorite, also no longer with us, was the Artist’s Cafe, set along College Hill, where I would go with young Griffin for pesto chicken banquettes, and a chance to eat outside under a big beautiful tree.

For a PFA (Person From Away, which here includes everyone born west of Steuben), becoming a regular is a terrific way to learn about the community and we did. I soaked up the stories of the people who served us, including one woman who said she had moved here during the back-to-the-land movement in the 1970s.

“It must have changed a lot since then,” I said.

“Not really,” she replied.

Continue reading below…

Michael Hoyt of Centerville captured this misty sunrise over a remote stretch of the Machias River this week. Photo by Michael Hoyt

I was surprised to hear it then, but she was right. During the pandemic and while we wanted for the 2020 Census, I interviewed Sunrise County Economic Council Director Charles Rudelitch as often as I could. He is a human library of Washington County information and he said yes, before the pandemic, the last big population boom to hit Washington County was in the 1970s.

Things really hadn’t changed.

Things have changed since the pandemic, though, but not so much in terms of population. By 2025 Maine projects Washington County will have 32,099 residents, an increase of 1,027 over the 2020 Census. Between 2020 and 2030, we’re predicted to experience the most population growth of any county in Maine — 8% — taking Washington County to 33,555 residents.

But statistics being what they are, even with the “greatest rate of population growth” we’ll be the next-to-smallest county in terms of population, because 8% of small is still, well, small.

So the changes we’re looking for are somewhere else.

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Froggy, captured by Washington County nature photographer Carrie Johnson.

Leaving data behind for a moment, what I see is this: more year-round homes converting to seasonal, more construction of seasonal homes, more businesses, and, compared to the last decade, at least, more positive energy.

We could be in the midst of positive, reasonable growth, which is the best kind, in my opinion because it allows us to consider what we don’t have here that we’d like, what we do have here that we love, and what of that we want to ensure we carry forward.

I’m reading a book by Dar Williams, one of my favorite musicians, titled, “What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician’s Guide to Rebuilding America’s Communities One Coffee Shop, Dog Run, & Open Mic Night at a Time.”

I’ve just finished a chapter on Beacon, New York, a town that has, by Williams’ estimation, managed to grow and hold onto itself at the same time. This quote about gentrification is phrased in the negative, but read it for the way it defines positive community change in the process.

“Gentrification ‘dons’ the fabric that took decades for people to weave, ensuring through relationship-based transactions and some trial and error that histories, families, culture and mutual respect guided the process. Buildings are for sale. And fabric can be bought. But at some point, the original material is all gone.”

Positive, healthy change is guided by relationships, trial and error, history, families, and culture.

Let’s keep those in our sights.

My Daily Essay Project

From last week until my birthday on September 18th, I’m writing one essay a day, just for the challenge — and joy! — of it. By the end of it, I’ll be one year older, but as you can see from my hang glider collar above, likely not more stylish, because how can you top that? You can read all of the essays here, or by clicking the photo. Visit the page when you like or subscribe at the bottom of the page to receive the daily essays via email.

Please mark your calendars for this delightful tour of Machias Historic Architecture led by Machias Memorial High School English teacher Allison Paprocki.

2: The number of Maine’s eight coastal counties which land more commercial seafood than Washington County by value, and by pounds. (They’re Hancock and Knox. Side fact, Hancock County had the most commercial landings by value in 2023, and Knox had the most by pounds.)

0: The number of Maine’s eight coastal counties with more active harvesters (fishermen) than Washington County in 2023.

2,758: The population of Washington County in 1790.

44,482: The population of Washington County in 1890.

35,308: The population of Washington County in 1990.

1: The number of times I’ve heard someone decipher my blurry animal photo by saying, “That looks like the south side of a northbound bear.” But I treasure it.

Error: Last week I omitted Harrington’s Narraguagus High School from the list of 8 high schools in Washington County. Thank you to the readers who caught that!

Way Downeast Podcast - New Episode

Speaking of positive local energy, listen into the latest Way Downeast podcast episode to hear from three young entrepreneurs, what they’re doing here, and why they’re investing in Washington County. Listen anywhere you stream podcasts (Apple, Spotify, etc.) or here on our website.

So, so many things to do.

Thank you to Robert, a reader in South Addison, for sharing his online calendar of local events. Make a bookmark and visit often! Covering the center and also the eastern edge, bookmark Artsipelago for another fantastic, often-updated listing of local events.

If you’re up and moving today you can still make the official Washington County Fair in Pembroke, August 25 and 26th. It’s a classic Maine Agricultural Fair — think Wilbur and Charlotte — and the weather continues to be fantastic. Details here.

We’ve had a streak of lovely weather on Thursdays, and this Thursday looks great, too, so we can all plan to attend this week’s Bad Little Falls Summer Concert on Thursday, August 29th. The concerts happen in Bad Little Falls Park, Machias, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free thanks to sponsorship from Freshie’s and RH Foster.

Minquansis Sapiel will host a Passamaquoddy Culture and Nature Tour via Eastport Charter on select dates in September. Trips leave from the Eastport Breakwater/City Dock. The cost of attendance is $95/person with a max of 6 passengers per tour and a minimum of 4 to run. You can book spots through this calendar and/or by contacting Capt. Kinny Corthell at eastportcharter@gmail.com.

Available tours: 11 am to 1 pm, with exceptions noted:
Sep 2, with an additional tour at 1:30-3:30 pm.
Sep 8–10
Sep 16-19 (Sep 17 tour is from 10:30 am-12:30 pm.)

This afternoon! On Franklin Delano Roosevelt at Eastport Arts Center, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25. The extraordinary life of this country’s 32nd president will be explored in a free presentation on the history made by Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the music he loved, on Sunday, August 25 at 2 pm, at Eastport Arts Center. The program will be brought to Eastport for this one-time-only performance by the educational services staff of Roosevelt Campobello International Park.

Upcoming events continued below…

Click the photo above for more details!

Then next up on the Washington County Festival calendar is the Eastport Salmon Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31 - Sept. 1 in Eastport followed by…

The Whitneyville Public Libary’s popular public supper series continues on Saturday, Sept. 7, with their signature pot roast supper. The event will be held in the Hillgrove Community Center, 42 South Main Street, Whitneyville, and will begin at 5 p.m.

The Eastport Pirate Festival is always set for the weekend after Labor Day, this year from September 6-8 in Eastport. Then comes…

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, Author Maura Jane Farrelly will speak at Porter Memorial Library in Machias. Farrelly’s book, Compliments of Hamilton & Sargent: A Story of Mystery and Tragedy on the Gilded Age Frontier, tells the true story of three people, including Machias native John Dudley Sargent, and the book description intriguingly states that this is a story “about the early demise of our right to be forgotten.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Porter Memorial is located at 92 Court Street, Machias.

The Machias Fiber Festival: September 14 in East Machias. This festival is largely responsible or the fact that I could re-insulate my entire house in skeins of wool. On the same day, but in Eastport, you could attend…

On the same day, Sept. 14, Gallison Memorial Library in Harrington will host Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Ricks, from 1 to 4 p.m. Copies of his new book, Everyone Knows but You, will be on sale. If you like mysteries and Maine, this looks like a good one. The library is located at 1292 Main Street, Harrington.

Antonio Rocha with ‘The Malaga Ship: A Story of Maine and the Middle Passage: At the Eastport Arts Center from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. EAC's Stories We Tell Festival, a collaboration with Sipayik Museum and The Quoddy Tides, continues with The Malaga Ship: A Story of Maine and the Middle Passage. This is a tour de force performance by award-winning and world-renowned storyteller Antonio Rocha.