We are almost through the month of August. As I sit here at my desk, the sun is shining brightly and the sky is full of white fluffy clouds and the hummingbird feeder has a large number of hummingbirds coming and going. I have now filled their feeder 16 times with sweet sugar water.
As I start this history item of the Edgecomb and Damariscotta areas, I marvel how my brain has stored so many wonderful events and times I have shared with friends in local restaurants in these two towns, dating back to the 1960s.
I often find my mind remembering one of these events just like it was yesterday, so clear and wonderful. I thank the lord that I have recorded so many of these social events and am still able to share them with other people of the area.
I find myself writing down many of these memories and giving talks on those subjects at the Damariscotta Historical Society headquarters. Some of these talks have been recorded on Lincoln County Television, Channel 7, so these stories will never be lost to our area for people young and old.
The first restaurant I will share wonderful memories of was called Dodge Inn. It was located on Davis Island, on the right side of the long bridge which crossed over the Sheepscot River from Wiscasset to Edgecomb. The restaurant was open from late May until mid-October.
It was noted for its great tasting homemade rolls, pies, and its famous Indian pudding. It was also noted for its lobster and the large tenderloin steaks.
It was a great place to take a special girlfriend on a weekend night and then walk across the mile-long bridge and view the two large schooners sitting on the Wiscasset side and then walk back across the bridge, taking in all the fresh air and beauty of the Sheepscot River.
I took my wife Marjorie there on our third date and she always enjoyed going back to Dodge Inn.
It was a great place to work for young high school and college girls and they made great tips as waitresses. One woman told me she made well over $100 in tips on weekends back in the 1960s. The Dodge Inn was open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and they always served great lunches that were enjoyed by all.
The owners of Dodge Inn were great people to work for. They wanted the restaurant to be known for its great tasting food and its charming dining room with beautiful hanging overhead lights, and all the tie back curtains at each set of windows, and always being so clean and neat. They also had a large collection of special plates on the walls over each window in the dining room.
The Dodge Inn also had a special gift shop under the dining hall on the north end of the restaurant with a flight of stairs going down to a platform which led to the door of the gift shop. Davis Brother Cabins also sat next to Dodge Inn. The famous Fort Edgecomb, built in 1808, was located on the island.
We now turn to the town of Damariscotta and also find two fine, first-class restaurants. One called The County Fair, located on the old Lincoln County fairgrounds. The large wooden building known as the Expectation Hall was made into the new restaurant. It had a beautiful hand painted scene on the walls of the dining hall. The food was great and the servings were of good size and people often came back year after year. It was open from the last of May until Sept. 30 each year.
The County Fair restaurant was located on Route 1. It was also a great place to work and the waitresses made good tips also.
The Cheechako was the next great restaurant. It was located on the Lewis Point Road. It was a real first-class restaurant and a great place to go and have a fine meal and a wonderful time. You always came away happy. They always had good waitresses who always gave you good service.
I recall so often Marjorie and I always loved to go to The Cheechako on Friday nights. On Friday nights they had a fish special. The fish was always cooked just right and had a great flavor that was enjoyed by all. You could have a second helping of fish at no extra charge.
That could not be done today at the high cost of fish. All three of these restaurants are gone but many still have great memories of them and the quality of food they all served to the public.
Have a safe week and enjoy the last day of August.
