Reid State Park is a public recreation area overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on Georgetown Island in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States.[3] The 770-acre (310 ha) park is noted for its sandy beaches and sand dunes—both rare in the state of Maine—plus its rocky tidepools, salt marshes, and tidal lagoon.[5] The park is managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
| Reid State Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location in Maine | |
| Location | Georgetown, Maine, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°46′44″N 69°43′33″W / 43.77889°N 69.72583°W[1] |
| Area | 770 acres (310 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 59 ft (18 m)[1] |
| Established | 1946[3][4] |
| Administrator | Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry |
| Website | Reid State Park |
History
editThe park lands were donated to the state in 1946 by businessman and philanthropist Walter E. Reid,[3] a native of Georgetown[6] who grew up in a family of modest means and who built an oceanside estate near the grounds of the present-day park.[7]
Activities and amenities
editOcean swimming is offered at Mile Beach and Half Mile Beach, while warmer waters are found at a tidal inlet, The Lagoon, where the quieter waters tend to be 10 to 15 degrees warmer.[8] The park also has picnicking areas, fishing, and hiking trails. The beaches provide essential nesting areas for endangered least terns and piping plovers. Other wildlife commonly found along the beaches include various shorebirds, eider ducks, clams, and mussels.
References
edit- ^ a b "Mile Beach". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Outdoors in Maine: State Parks, Public Lands, and Historic Sites" (PDF). Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. September 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Reid State Park". Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "History of Sagadahoc County: Nine Towns and One City". Patten Free Library. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Dickson, Stephen M. (April 2002). "Mile and Half Mile Beaches at Reid State Park". Maine Geologic Facts and Localities. Maine Geological Survey. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ Tilden, Freeman (1962). The State Parks: Their Meaning in American Life. Alfred A. Knopf. p. 127. ISBN 1258417812. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Pfeiffer, Sacha (October 21, 2007). "Philanthropist's house keeps on giving in Maine". Globe Newspaper Company. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Beem, Edgar Allen (May 2009). "Reid State Park". Yankee Magazine. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
External links
edit
- Reid State Park Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
- Reid State Park Map Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry