The museum has a lightkeepers office, complete with the wooden library trunk that moved from lighthouse to lighthouse every three or four months! It was full of fascinating displays but the real joy was history brought to life by a volunteer guide who gave us the story of Captain Percy and Mr. Small!

The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, the City of Ships, invites you to “stroll through the country’s only surviving shipyard to see where large wooden sailing vessels were once built. Many of the original buildings in our shipyard are preserved, giving you a glimpse into the daily lives of the Percy & Small shipbuilders.” We were intrigued!

It seems Captain Percy owned a half dozen wooden cargo ships when he partnered with Mr. Small, a businessman specializing in maritime insurance, scheduling & finance.

Coal was king back then, and the most cost effective way to transport it was by sea. Percy & Small started the shipyard to build these vessels for their own company & for others. To keep costs down they did everything onsite from blacksmithing the iron fittings to milling the lumber and even making the paint. It was a very profittable business enterprise but when steel shipbuilding started up, they saw the writing on the wall and sold the shipyard which had made them very wealthy men.

Our final stop before the campground was at the world famous Sprague Lobsta Shack! It is the original but across the street is its rival Reds.

The view from the picnic tables on the pier was lovely and the food was good. In Maine one is *required* to get a lobster roll, no?

Back at Chewonkee campground now and relaxing in the camper. This is probably the prettiest campground we’ve seen with its great views of the water!

Another perfect day in paradise!