News

On July 14, a sugar maple estimated at over 200 years old came to its end. The tree, next to the town pound and the Harpswell Historical Society, may have been planted at the same time the meetinghouse was built, circa 1758, according to South Harpswell arborist Ben Stuart.

The town will pay $451,265.55 for general law enforcement and $277,481.06 for marine patrol this year, contracting the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office for both services.

The town recently demolished and removed a boat from the beach at Mackerel Cove. The boat sank to the bottom of the cove about a year ago, Harbor Master Paul Plummer told the selectmen June 24. The town had sought to have the boat removed by its owner ever since.

Three town properties have new amenities this summer, or will soon, thanks in part to gifts of time and money.

The town of Harpswell will observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday in 2022, following recent moves by the federal and state governments to make June 19 a holiday.

Harpswell has been the setting for an episode of the television show “Dock & Dine,” a commercial, and photo shoots by a major retailer in recent months.

Three town roads will benefit from more than $600,000 of work over the next few months: Basin Point Road, Grover Lane, and Gurnet Landing Road.

After a year, three months, six days, and about five hours, the state of civil emergency in Harpswell is officially over as of June 24.