Harpswell Inn

About

History of the Harpswell Inn
The Summer House – built in 1776, now the Harpswell Inn, was originally the old cookhouse of famed Lookout Point Shipyard, which made sturdy vessels that sailed the seven seas. Harpswell has been called a nursery for those who sailed the seas, but there were stalwart men who stayed home and fashioned with prideful skill the many stately schooners that carried Harpswell men to fame in those faraway places.

One such shipyard thrived at the sandy point at the Lookout. The yard flourished before, during and after the Civil War, and for about twenty years schooners and brigs ranging from 20 to 200 tons were built and launched there. Sometimes there were as many as four on the ways at once. There is one remaining symbol of the flourishing shipyard which, during the summer months at least, works as of old. That is the old bell a-top Harpswell Inn. In the 1860’s the bell summoned the hungry shipwrights to their meals.
Great Location
We are fortunate to be located in a coastal, waterfront location which is central to Maine’s finest beaches at Popham and Reid State park and the Boothbay/Camden/Rockland regions.

Plan to stay two days or more at the Harpswell Inn so you can explore the local islands and villages and enjoy interesting day trips to historical sites and tourist attractions which abound along the rocky coast, return each evening to peaceful serenity away from crowds of tourists.

Innkeepers

Anne & Richard Moseley, Innkeepers
Dick is a 1963 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has been in the food business for over 40 years. He is a Certified Culinary Educator through the American Chef Federation. He received the Chef of the Year Award from the A.C.F. Maine Chapter in 1990. Dick has been teaching for the past 22 years.

Anne has owned and operated rental and retail businesses since 1966. Together we have owned and operated our own restaurant, which we sold in 1981. We operated a summer resort for more than 22 years while continuing our catering business, Pot Luck Catering, which we established in 1972. Dick retired from teaching this year and Anne has sold her business in order to devote all of our time to being the Innkeepers of the Harpswell Inn.

Anne well remembers the Harpswell Inn in its heyday, as she occupied the Pierce Cottage with her Grandmother, Sophie Pierce, during the summer months. They ate most of their meals there and were included in the many activities that took place at the Inn throughout the summer. We have lived across the road from the Inn for the past 25 years, and have not only rented our cottages through the Menz’s, we have helped them many times over the years as well as catering numerous events at the Inn. We are planning to operate the Inn in the same manner as Susan and Bill have over the past years. Don’t be surprised to see Susan or Bill as they are dedicated to make the transition as smooth as possible and are planning to help us whenever needed. In fact, occasionally, you may find them sitting in one of those famous &quote;Adirondack chairs.&quote; watching the sun go down.