Machias Bay

Machias, which is an Indian name meaning "bad little falls" is a former lumber center wedged between the sea and the flat open country of wild blueberry barrens to the north. The river was the region's first highway providing a steady conduit for the running of sawlogs and pulp from its jewel-like headwater lakes to mills and waiting schooners along the coast. In a sense, it is the centerpiece of Washington County's tens of thousands of acres of wild lands used mostly for lumbering and blueberry production.

A branch of the University of Maine is located in Machias where Main Street is little changed from the way it looked in the 1950's. Incorporated in 1763, the village's history goes back centuries and its unsung role in America's Revolutionary War is fascinating. Off Machias the first naval battle of the revolution was fought when local patriots, armed with sidearms and little more than knives and pitchforks, attacked and seized a British naval vessel. Only one man was lost on the American side and the Captain of the British vessel Margaretta was captured and later died at the Burnham Tavern, now a museum and the oldest building east of Bangor.

A large track of public reserve land dubbed "The Bold Coast", features hiking trails and the rare opportunity for oceanside back country camping.

West and south of Machias sits Roque Bluffs State Park, a great public place to swim as you head east. It sports a pebble beach with cool salt water on one side and a warm, shallow, freshwater pond on the other. A total of 300 acres invites visitors to picnic and relax.

Machias is home to the area's Blueberry Festival each August in celebration of the region's biggest agricultural crop. A variety of small accommodations, restaurants, shops, and attractions are available for the enjoyment of visitors today.