A Visit to Friendship, Maine

In the classic Maine story, The Country of the Pointed Firs, the character named Mrs. Todd wisely remarks, "...old friends is always best, ‘less you can catch a new one that’s fit to make an old one out of."

It takes a long time to build an old friendship. The folks in the town of Friendship, Maine know a thing or two about it. Many of them have stuck around and built relationships in this community, not just for decades or lifetimes, but—in some cases—for generations. A comparison of the family names listed in 1790 with the current town list of residents has many matches.

Since I didn’t have any old friends in Friendship, I needed to focus my efforts on catching a new one. As Friendship has a long history as a successful fishing community, it seemed promising. A good place to look is the local library. If you’ve been following this journey to every Maine town for any length of time, you’ve likely figured out that these are some of my favorite spots everywhere I go. Celia Briggs is Friendship’s librarian. She generously allowed me to begin my town research over a phone call with her. And then she did what no other librarian has done on this journey: she volunteered to be my tour guide!

As she drove me up and down the narrow roads of Friendship—all of which run alongside or end up at the water—she told me about the families whose homes have been passed down from one generation to the next. These include both year-round residents and summer people. The conversation dove-tailed with the developments prior to this sight-seeing adventure.

On my way to Friendship, I had stopped by the Skidompha Book Shop in Damariscotta (a former feature that you can read here). I could not believe my eyes when I found a book I had browsed at the Maine State Library a few days earlier: Friendship Homes, If These Houses Could Talk (pictured above). It is the type of project that many towns consider taking up, but never get around to pulling off. But Friendship did it back in 2007. It is one of the most fascinating local histories I’ve ever read. Dozens of local people served as writers and photographers. They captured the stories of the older generations, traced the ownership of over forty homes, and shared details of the families who built memories in them.

Not only are the houses beautiful to look at due to the preservation efforts, but many structures in Friendship have incredible tales…of being moved around town. This feat occurred not only on the mainland, but on more than one occasion a house or other building was moved from one of the islands to the mainland! In Friendship’s early years, most people lived on the islands. When it came time to leave, some decided to take their homes with them. In at least two cases, women cooked supper in the house while it was being floated over. This whole scenario is one of the most Maine things ever.

Even though most of the Friendship community left behind island living, they remained vitally connected to the water. In a 1957 presentation of the town’s history, author C. William Vogel stated that, “In the end it was to the sea that Friendship had to look for the real basis of its long-term prosperity." The fishing legacy and its ongoing way of life is visible in every corner of Friendship. The harbor is full of boats, lobster traps, and the frequently photographed buoy Christmas tree. The community has remained a fishing one because the people here have what can best be described as “grit.” Those who possess that trait make for the best of Maine friends.

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