Bayside Historic District

Bayside Historic District is a collection of over 100 historic homes spread across roughly 30 acres (12 hectares) along Penobscot Bay. Most buildings are small wood-frame cottages featuring Gothic Revival architectural details.

The area started in 1848 as a gathering place for the Northport Wesleyan Grove Camp Meeting, where Methodist communities assembled. Most buildings rose between 1870 and 1920 as the site evolved into a popular summer destination.

This place started as a gathering point for Methodist believers and transformed into a secular destination for summer visitors. The shift shows how social life and leisure changed in Maine's coastal communities.

The district spreads between Penobscot Bay, Clinton Avenue, George Street, and Bay View Park, making it easy to explore on foot. Walking slowly through the streets gives you the best sense of the architecture and surroundings.

This is the largest preserved collection of Methodist camp meeting structures in Maine and earned a place on the National Register in 1996. The cottages display a rare continuity of this 19th century architectural style.