Homepage - The Harpswell Anchor

Dead-end road to success: Out-of-the-way shop still crafting high-end shotguns 4 decades on

Dead-end road to success: Out-of-the-way shop still crafting high-end shotguns 4 decades on

By Troy R. Bennett • June 29, 2026

Looking back now, Rich Cole knows opening his gunsmithing shop on Bog Hollow Road, just off Harpswell Neck's main drag, in 1985 was a big mistake. It was far too isolated to attract the kind of clientele Cole was looking for: bird hunters and competitive clay target shooters interested in custom, high-end, Italian shotguns as beautiful as they are accurate.

First Person: ‘I’ll walk down the street proudly and speak up when I need to’

Features

First Person: ‘I’ll walk down the street proudly and speak up when I need to’

By Jeffrey Good • June 28, 2026

"I grew up in Brunswick, but I've always come to Harpswell. This was the place we would take people from out of state because it's so beautiful. During the pandemic, Harpswell got gentrified. But when my girlfriend and I decided to move in together three years ago, we found an affordable apartment on Orr's Island. Our landlord had bought the property and lowered the rental rate for locals, people who would benefit from the community."

Experts criticize ‘excessive’ redactions in state report on fatal house fire

News

Experts criticize ‘excessive’ redactions in state report on fatal house fire

By J. Craig Anderson • June 25, 2026

Government transparency advocates say the state went too far in redacting an investigator's report on a fatal March 2025 house fire on Bailey Island, withholding details that are typically disclosed after an investigation has concluded.