Members of the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce got up to date on the Chamber’s next guidebook and looked ahead to summer as they gathered at the Nickels-Sortwell House on the corner of Main and Federal streets to conduct “Business After Hours” Wednesday evening, April 17.

The mansion’s owner Historic New England co-sponsored the event with the Lincoln County Historical Association. 

The Chamber’s administrative assistant Pat Cloutier shared a proof of the 2019 WACC Summer Visitors Guide which will celebrate the area’s history. Its slogan is, “Where the past and the future meet.” Its color cover features a vintage picture of the former Wiscasset schooners, Hesper and Luther Little and smaller photos showing Fort Edgecomb, Pownalborough Courthouse, Westport Town Hall and the Old Jail Museum.

“It’s going to be 64 pages this year, double the size of last year’s book,” said Cloutier. (It) includes a story on the history of Montsweag Farm Restaurant in Woolwich which was originally owned by the Sewall family,” Cloutier said. WACC plans to print 7,500 copies.

Weather permitting, WACC will be reopen its information building on the Main Street Pier on May 18. Volunteers Russ Cloutier, Nancy Roby, Sheila Ellis and Rev. Josh Fitterling will man it.

During the social hour, WACC Vice Chairman Chip Davison, who operates Davison Construction on Bradford Road, said he and all the other Chamber members are looking forward to another busy summer season.  

“We were very thankful Historic New England opened the Nickels-Sortwell House for tonight’s event. It’s our first Business After Hours of the new year. It’s always a fun gathering,” he said. The federal style home built in 1807 by Captain William Nickels is a National Historic Landmark.

Peggy Konitzky, Historic New England’s site manager­­ for the Nickels-Sortwell House, Castle Tucker and several other properties, gave WACC members tours of the home. The three-story mansion has quite a colorful history having served as a hotel in the 1800s. Although its guest books long ago disappeared, legend has it P.T. Barnum, the famous circus owner, once stayed here. Konitzky added,  it’s the only Historic New England property available for vacation rentals offering three bedrooms to lease. 

The evening’s 50/50 Easter Basket raffle winner was Amanda Reibel of Bath-Brunswick ServePro.

The WACC office is at 297 Bath Road. The Chamber can be reached at 207-882-9600, or info@wiscassetchamber.com