The first prison in the district of Maine opened in 1811 and, surprisingly, remained in operation until 1953. The hilltop structure of granite, brick and wood holds 12 tiny cells, complete with graffiti and other mementos from its earliest days. These days, the jail is a museum, with changing exhibitions covering episodes from Wiscasset's history.
Lincoln County Jail Museum
Midcoast Maine
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
11.17 MILES
There's a palpable mix of reflective nostalgia and horizon-scanning adventure at this wonderful museum, which preserves the Kennebec's long shipbuilding…
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
9.41 MILES
These magnificent gardens are one of the state's most popular attractions. The verdant waterfront kingdom has 270 acres, with groomed trails winding…
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
29.71 MILES
Tackle the rugged stone breakwater that stretches almost 1 mile into Rockland Harbor from Jameson Point at the harbor's northern shore. Made of granite…
28.15 MILES
One of the country's best small regional museums, the Farnsworth houses a collection spanning 200 years of American art. Artists who have lived or worked…
11.84 MILES
This forested nature reserve is pretty compact, but within its confines there are 2.5 miles of trails and some 3600ft of shoreline. This waterfront is…
4.71 MILES
Some 500 acres of land, once managed as a tree farm, now constitute a lovely slice of preserved red pine woods and breezy riparian shorescapes. Four easy…
16.73 MILES
Bowdoin, established in 1794, is one of the oldest colleges in the US and the alma mater of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne and US…
19.95 MILES
This 6-mile-long sandy stretch is one of the prettiest in the state, with views of offshore islands and the Kennebec and Morse Rivers framing either end…
Nearby Midcoast Maine attractions
0.58 MILES
This mansion was built by Captain William Nickels, and is a great example of how maritime voyaging shaped Wiscasset. It's also a gorgeous example of…
0.73 MILES
OK, so it's not really a castle. Still, Wiscasset's grandest and best-situated mansion has a certain regal air about it. Judge Silas Lee had the Federal…
3. Fort Edgecomb State Historic Site
1.19 MILES
This octagonal fort was built around 1808–9 to 'protect' Wiscasset, then a major shipbuilding center and port. In many ways, the fort's guns were actually…
1.78 MILES
There are so many wonderful, privately run nature preserves in this part of Maine you could blink and miss them. Such is the case at Griggs Preserve, run…
4.71 MILES
Some 500 acres of land, once managed as a tree farm, now constitute a lovely slice of preserved red pine woods and breezy riparian shorescapes. Four easy…
7.65 MILES
Ride the narrow-gauge steam train through this endearing village, a historic replica of an old-fashioned New England town. The 28 buildings house more…
7. Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site
7.75 MILES
Hidden deep in a dark forest are the piled remains of this former shell midden (refuse pile), an important record of the area's pre-Colonial past…
9.17 MILES
If you're in need of a dip and the waters of Boothbay Harbor feel a little too frigid, head to this swimming hole, where the water is…well, also cold, but…