Maine Places to Love: Falmouth

The coastal town of Falmouth is one of Maine’s most desirable communities. It is known for great scenic beauty, from the oceanfront Casco Bay shoreline along Falmouth Flats and the Foreside, to the birders’ haven of the Presumpscot River estuary, to the traditional farmlands on the western side of town. Falmouth is a boaters’ and golfers’ paradise, and is renowned for the excellence of its schools. This year is the 300th anniversary of the town’s incorporation.

Before it was ‘Falmouth’: The town was previously called New Casco. (http://www.falmouthmehistory.org/history)
One, two, three, fore: Falmouth is home to three fine 18-hole golf courses: Falmouth Country Club, The Woodlands Club, and Portland Country Club.
Academic excellence: Falmouth High School is ranked second in Maine. The student participation rate in Advanced Placement® courses and exams is 75 percent. (U.S. News and World Report)
The Audubon preserve: Gilsland Farm was acquired through the generosity of the Freeman family. Ruth Moulton Freeman’s father, David Moulton – a Portland lawyer and dedicated conservationist – purchased the farm in 1911 and named it for Sir Thomas de Moulton “of the Gils,” a distant relative. (www.maineaudubon.org)
Sailing, sailing: The Portland Yacht Club is the largest anchorage in Maine, with more than 1,200 moorings. The club was founded in 1869. (Town of Falmouth)
Influx populi: The population of Falmouth (12,102 in 2017 according to a U.S. Census Bureau estimate) grew by more than 35 percent between 1990 and 2000.
Built in 1880: Town Landing Market, a local landmark and an institution, has been in operation at 269 Foreside Road since the late 1800s.
Public lands: The Falmouth Land Trust, founded in 1981, lists 28 “Parks and Public Space Properties,” from the North Falmouth Community Forest to the Suckfish Brook Conservation Area. (falmouthlandtrust.org)
Key numbers: The town measures approximately 32 square miles and has 21.7 miles of coastline. (www.falmouthme.org)
20.7: The town has 20.7 miles of coastline and measures approximately 32 square miles.
12,102: The population in 2016, according to a U.S. Census Bureau estimate. Falmouth is one of Maine’s fastest-growing towns and cities since 2010.
Architectural rarity: The Payson House, at Thornhurst, is one of Maine’s very few examples of Bauhaus architecture. Designed by Serge Chermayeff, and built in 1952, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. (landmarkhunter.com)
Happy 300: The tercentenary anniversary of the 1718 incorporation of Falmouth as a town is being marked with a year-long, town-wide commemoration. (www.falmouthme.org/falmouth-300)

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