Seniors Enjoy Oldest Town In Maine

This time seniors will visit Kittery, Maine, home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey’s Island. Kittery includes Badger’s Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals.

With a population that runs right at 10,000 inhabitants, Kittery is 53 miles north of Boston. The town is a tourist destination known for its many outlet stores.

The name Kittery goes back to the early 1600s. This “oldest town in Maine” was settled is 1623 and incorporated in 1647. Like almost all towns along the Piscataqua, Kittery was named after the birthplace of Alexander Shapleigh. Many English settlers named towns in honor of their homeland, however Kittery, Maine was named for a manor house of Kittery Court at Kingswear in Devon, England.

 Seniors Enjoy Colourful, Historical Town

Kittery, Maine is a colorful town with a fascinating history. The town grew piece by piece around the natural harbor of the Piscataqua River estuary. The Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery is always a favorite stop for senior visitors.

 A visit to the Kittery Historical and Naval Museum is a must for seniors interested in the area’s rich history and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Command Museum for those who enjoy shipping.

Senior visitors can take in Maine Gate Factory Store Shopping Center, Church of Christ and the Fort McClary State Park. Additional sites of interest include Fort Forster Historical Site, the Fort McClary State Historic Site and the Kittery Outlets.

TripAdvisor’s suggests a visit to Kittery Trading Post and Fort McClary State Park. My wife and I would enjoy a visit to the Kittery Premium Outlets mall that is only minutes away from the quaint harbor town of Portsmouth, NH.

 Seniors…Lobster, Clam And Sake

I’d want to put Warren’s Lobster House, Robert’s Maine Grill, Bob’s Clam Hut and the Farm Bar and Grill on my list of places to dine. Enjoy sake? Check out the Blue Current Brewery that brews handcrafted American Sake, “rice wine”.

Vaughan Woods State Park and Fort McClary State Park are both popular parks for a good stroll enjoying the New England air. The University of New Hampshire, Northern Essex Community College, the University of New England-University Campus and Merrimack College are valued nearby educational institutions.

Visitors discover that naval vessels have been built along the Piscataqua River since the Revolution, starting with John Paul Jones’ sloop The Ranger which launched from Badger’s Island in 1777.

Kittery is home to Robert William Traip Academy, a formerly private, preparatory school which became public and town-run in 1967.

Seniors can spend some quality time in this interesting and historical town.  Hope to see you there, perhaps in one of those fine restaurants dining on Maine lobster or crab.  -jeb