Surry
Surry is a small, rural town in Hancock County, in the US state of Maine, located on Blue Hill Bay, about 8 miles southwest of the county seat of Ellsworth, quite near Acadia National Park and adjacent to Blue Hill. It has a population of less than 1500 people. The town web site[dead link] has further information as does the local regional newspaper The Weekly Packet.
Understand
From George J. Varney's A GAZETTEER OF THE STATE OF MAINE, published in Boston, MA in 1886:
"Surry is situated on the west bank of Union River bay, in Hancock County. On the north-east it is bounded by Ellsworth, on the south-west, by Blue Hill, on the west, by Orland and Penobscot. The town has an area of about 21,025 acres. Toddy Pond forms part of the boundary between Surry and Penobscot, and on the line between Surry and Ellsworth are the two Patten ponds whose outlet is Patten Stream Fishways were constructed to these ponds in 1872, and the ponds have since been stocked with alewives and salmon. …
The manufactories of Surry are a lumber, shingle, spool and two stave mills. Formerly there was a large business done in building small vessels, but it is now very much reduced. Surry has two mining companies, the Blue Hill Bay and the East Surry Company.
Surry was Township No. 6, in the grant to Marsh and others. It was first occupied by the French at Newbury Neck. The first English settlers were Symonds, Weymouth and James Flye. The next settlers were John Patten, a Mr. Hopkinson, Andrew Flood, Wilbrahim Swett, Matthew and James Ray, Samuel Joy, Isaac Lord, Hezekiah Coggins and Leonard Jarvis. Mr. Jarvis represented the eastern district in Congress from 1831 to 1837.
Up to 1820, about 13,000 acres had been secured to settlers and by quiet possession titles, when Mr. Jarvis bought the remainder. In 1800, Surry included that portion of Ellsworth known as Ward 5; but in 1829 it was re-annexed to Ellsworth. There was a population of 289 as early as 1790. In 1874, a small quantity of silver coin was found at Weymouth Point. Surry furnished 135 men to the Union cause in the war of the Rebellion."
Get in
By plane
The nearest major airports are the Hancock County - Bar Harbor Airport (BHB IATA) near Ellsworth (about 13 miles) and Bangor International Airport (BGR IATA) in Bangor (about 30 miles).
By car
Enter Maine on Interstate 95 if you are coming from southern New England or U.S. points beyond. The standard routes to Downeast Maine are to either follow I-95 to the capital, Augusta, and then to break east on state highways, or to leave I-95 around Brunswick, Maine, and follow U.S. 1 north along the coast toward Ellsworth and thence to Surry. The drive along U.S. 1 is more scenic, but also generally slower. Tourist traffic in Surry is relatively heavy in the summer months, but things become very quiet traffic-wise between October and April.
By boat
"The Cat" high speed car ferry, between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth (Canada).
By bus
Vermont Transit Lines buses from points south to Ellsworth.
Get around
See
The town has views of Acadia National Park from scenic Newbury Neck, Morgan Bay and other parts of Surry.
Do
- Morgan Bay Zendo, 532 Morgan Bay Rd. Zen Buddhist temple at Weekly Sunday meditation from 9 to 11AM. The Zendo holds several retreats spring through fall.
Buy
- Surry Gardens, Route 172, ☏ +1-207-667-4493. Unusual plants, gardening and landscaping supplies.
- Turtle Mountain Mythic Art & The Standing Bear, 52 Bear Springs Ln, ☏ +1-207-667-4772. Art gallery specializing in mythic and shamanic imagery. Center also offers 'full range of shamanic services and is dedicated to the empowerment of women by means of depth shamanic studies and practices.'
Eat
- The Lobster Shack, 1076 Newbury Neck Rd, ☏ +1-207-667-1955. Seasonal.
Drink
Sleep
- The Gatherings Campground, ☏ +1-207-667-8826. Just off Route 172, directly on the ocean.
Go next
- Acadia National Park - the first National Park east of the Mississippi. Busy during tourist season but one of the most beautiful parts of the Maine coast. Less than an hour's drive from Surry.
- Historic Jonathan Fisher House - one of nearby Blue Hill's most famous attractions.
- Blue Hill - adjacent to Surry, a ten-minute drive.
- Bar Harbor
- Ellsworth - the local center for shopping, 15 minutes from Surry.
- Mount Desert Island
| Routes through Surry |
| END ← Ellsworth ← | N  S |
→ Blue Hill → Sedgwick |