0 Murray, Dedham, ME 04429

"Blue Hill and its peninsula and the collection of separate towns are a special and unique location in Down East Maine and off the beaten track, but accessible to Amtrak service southward to Boston in Brunswick/Portland, ME and airline and bus service from the Bangor airport. The area was begun to be settled by European-Americans in the mid-18th century and there are many historic villages and settlements found on the Peninsula. The people who live here are hard-working, community involved, often creative/artistic, quiet and reasonable people. The peninsula has also attracted a number of "summer people" who appreciate the cultural and natural beauty of the Peninsula. And I think everyone wants to keep it beautiful for the next generations. The Blue Hill Heritage Trust conserves many thousands of acres with many trails for recreational use. Blue Hill village is the market town for the Peninsula with hospital, excellent library, book store, food coop, historic general store, supermarket, plus shops and restaurants. Ellsworth is the county seat with many more retail options. For several perspectives on the area, two books come to mind: Esther Wood, "Deep Roots: A Maine Legacy" is her recounting of many stories of the Old Stock New Englanders who have lived here for generations and some humorous tales of the "summer people"; another source for insight is Nelson W. Alrich, Jr., "Old Money" and he has a number of passages that speak to the attraction that Maine has had since the 19th century for Americans with time and money in seeking quiet places for rest, relaxation, and being far enough away from the congested East Coast Megalopolis in finding a special place for the "summer" or for retirement. "