Town of Winslow, Maine

If you cross the Two Penny Bridge in Waterville, you’ll end up on the eastern banks of the Kennebec River in Winslow. These two towns have a lot in common besides the iconic suspension bridge (recently renamed The Ticonic Footbridge). They share a regional history and have benefited from the energy of Ticonic Falls and the river; both communities started as mill towns.

Winslow is located at the confluence of the Sebasticook River with the Kennebec River. Fort Halifax was established here in 1754 to protect early settlers and British soldiers from the French and their allies from using the Kennebec River as a route to attack settlements. One of the original fort blockhouses—the oldest in the country—survived but was swept away by a flood in 1987. The blockhouse was rebuilt using the original timbers (recovered from as far away as 40 miles downstream). A visit here is a journey into the rich history of the region.

Jumping ahead to today—Winslow is self-described as an “energetic full-service community with room to grow.” Let’s take a tour of this picturesque riverside town and see what Winslow is all about.

Wandering Around Winslow

Fort Halifax State Historic Park is located right at the joining point of the Sebasticook River and the Kennebec River, close to the heart of Winslow. The park is a great place to hang out with the kids, have a picnic, and relax, and frequently hosts festivals and community events.

Nearby is Rotary Centennial Trail, which will eventually be a part of the East Coast Greenway—a 3000-mile route along the east coast from the Florida Keys to the Canadian border in northern Maine. The reward for hiking the Rotary Centennial Trail (rated as easy) is to sit on the Rotary granite wheel when you reach the river and enjoy (upstream and downstream) views of the Kennebeck.

If you happen to be in the area in mid-August, check out the annual Blueberry Festival—2021 was the 50th—so these folks got it going on. Sponsored by the Winslow Congregational Church, funds from all the activities go towards local humanitarian and Christian-service work. There is an annual blueberry pancake breakfast, a dunk tank, a goat exhibit, music, local crafts, and over 700 blueberry pies and baked goods for sale.

Where the Locals Dine and Shop

Winslow is home to a handful of very local and beloved eateries. Bee’s Snack Bar—in a bright red building down by the river opens at 5 am every day (except Sunday) and serves up a generous portion of biscuits, gravy, and eggs (prepared how you like them) with a side plate of local color. Daily specials are posted on their Facebook page—as well as a warning from the owners to whoever stole from an unlocked car in the parking lot—one more reason to love this Winslow icon, plus, Bee’s gets raving reviews for both the food and the personable staff.

Ken’s Food Truck (settled-in permanently at the current location) has been around since 1972 and sells “Special Recipe Chicken,” fried seafood, comfort food, and a lobster roll (all to-go) that gets a big thumbs up. Ken’s has a genuine down-home feel, relaxed vibe, and a business entrenched in the community.

Pointe Afta opened up in 1986 on Super Bowl Sunday and has been the local headquarters for ALL New England sporting events ever since. Pointe Afta is Winslow’s “local watering hole” and features a full menu with everything from pizza and wings to prime rib, pasta, and seafood. Pointe Afta features live music on occasion and is family-friendly.

The community has all the shopping options for essentials—Pleau’s Market for groceries and B & F Veggies for fresh produce, Campbell’s Tru Value Hardware, and drug and convenience stores—and if you can’t find what you need here, Waterville is just across the river.

Activities in the Area

Winslow is so close to many wonderful activities; the Waterville Opera House, the Head of Falls and River Walk, and the Railroad Square Cinema, to name a few. The Colby College Museum of Art is an outstanding art museum in the area, and there’s no admission charge.

Quarry Road Trails (just outside Waterville) is a four-season destination spot for hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, and paddling. Quarry Road Trails is well-maintained and organized, and there’s a snowmaking machine that will fire up as soon as the temperature is right and provides excellent cross-country skiing (sooner and longer than you’d expect). There are plenty of opportunities to cast a line in local ponds and rivers; Harvest Times Bait sells bait and tackle and the proprietor knows the best fishing holes in the Winslow area.

Nearby Pattee Pond is one of many small bodies of water that offer excellent fishing for Brown trout, Smallmouth Bass, White, and Yellow Perch. Here’s a great link to ponds in the area.

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