WHERE Is The Big Chicken Barn???

There's lots to see around Bangor Maine, but many of the attractions require a drive.  Since Barbara found a book on "drives" in the area, she picked one and we were off, sort of Southeast towards the water.  She mentioned the largest antique store in Maine was close by, and asked "where is the chicken barn?"  I checked the guide book ... it's behind us on Route 1 ... okay, we'll catch it on the way back!!  In Bucksport we crossed this amazing bridge, which was our first stop and the best deal of the day.

For a Senior price of $4.00, we rode an elevator over 400 feet to the top of one tower, where an observation deck had an amazing 360 degree view, including down at this boat zooming across the bay.  The water here is brackish, a mixture of fresh and salt water, going down as the tide went out.

It was a beautiful sunny day for perfect pictures of Bucksport from the top of the bridge!!

From the bridge, we drove back through the parking lot to a Fort on the banks of the Penobscot River.  This picture was taken from the very top wall.

Along with your admission to the bridge tower, is entry to Fort Knox.  Not the one with all the money, but THIS Fort Knox in Prospect Maine.  Built in 1844-69 of granite instead of wood, the government never came up with enough money to complete construction.  It was manned during the Civil War and the Spanish-American War, but never saw any battles.

Many cannons were supposed to be stationed here, but with no money, they never arrived.  It is in amazing condition and is currently being maintained and repaired by the "Friends of Fort Knox".  It had two batteries facing the water, each with a furnace to heat the cannon balls in order to set ships on fire.

Later on, it was supplied with a few cannons ... here's one of the biggest, along with a stack of cannonballs.

In the far corner around a wall was a dark doorway that I slipped through and discovered a hallway that runs around three sides of the fort, allowing for a second line of defense should the outside wall be breached.  There was no one here ... both entrances weren't very visible!!

At the farthest end were steps going down to the lower level.  The architecture in this hallway and building in general, was an amazing feat of the many artisans brought here to build this fort.  Once the money ran out, so did the artisans, so it wasn't completed until later when the citizens of Maine sent their governor to Washington requesting defense money.

This view is through the Officers Quarters, complete with fireplaces.  On the lower levels are  kitchens, storage rooms and bread baking ovens.

With no electricity, many skylights were built in to the ceiling.  How beautiful is this??

Riding in the back seat on all these twisty roads didn't do much for my stomach, but since it was lunch time, as we followed the "drive" route, we kept an eye out for that "Lobster Pound" sign, which showed up at Carrier's Mainely Lobster.  A small lobster roll ran $14.00.  Unfortunately, eating just added fuel to the fire.  

Where was that chicken place?  It's on the road behind us.  Okay, we'll catch it later.  On the way to Castine, Barbara saw this old cemetery and stopped for pictures.  It seems to be for the family of Bowden, dating back to the Civil War!!  

This headstone is for Sewell, son of Samuel Bowden, who died Aug. 20, 1886 while bravely fighting for his country.  He was the first martyr from Co. B of the ______ Regiment of Maine.  That's all I could pull from the image.

We surmise Gertrude L. Bowden, wife of Edward, died in childbirth in 1885 at the age of 27.  Buried next to her is husband Edward and his second wife.  All three together for eternity!

Driving further south, we found Castine, the oldest town in New England, predating the Plymouth Colony by seven years.  King Henry IV of France founded it in 1613.  A raid by English Captain Samuel Argall began a long running dispute over territory between French Acadia in the North and English colonies in the South. Castine is currently home to a four year institution, the Maine Maritime Academy training merchant seamen.  It is also home to the oldest U. S. Post Office in continuous operation ... since 1814!

But where's the Chicken Barn???  Maine's largest Antique and Book store is still behind us and it's getting late, so after stopping at a roadside "honor" blueberry stand for Barbara's favorite breakfast fruit, we headed back to the Red Barn RV Park.  No worries, there are MANY antique stores in Maine to stop at.  Maybe on todays run to Bar Harbor we'll find the Big Chicken Barn!!