Gardiner ME’s elegant brick downtown, manifested along Water Street, is both a National Historic District and a Main Street Community. The streets are lined with new shops, restaurants and pubs.
Walkers, runners and cyclists love the town’s parks as well as the Kennebec River Rail Trail. Johnson Hall is Maine’s oldest Opera House.
Waterfront Park
Gardiner’s brick-paved downtown is bursting with new shops, restaurants and pubs. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Kennebec River Rail Trail, which borders the city. Or take a self-guided Historic Downtown Walking Tour.
Johnson Hall is located in the center of the town. It’s the oldest opera house in Maine and a tribute to the past of the community as a bustling industrial center. Locals can enjoy free concerts inside Johnson Hall throughout the summer. Monkitree, a locally owned store that sells handcrafted gifts and home accents, Cobalt Moon, a shop for antiques and collectibles, and Costell & Claude Art Gallery are all great places to go shopping.
Cobbossee Stream
The 14-acre City of Gardiner Cobbossee Stream and Harrison Avenue Nature Trail offer visitors the chance to discover a hidden history, a sense of place and hidden wildlife. The streamside path hugs Cobbossee Stream, where remnants of old dams, brick walls and rusted pipe remind visitors that the stream once powered mills which produced sawn wood, clapboards boxes, doors, and brooms.
Gardiner has a very good connection to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs of the state and is on the radar for future investment in the Libby Hill Business Park. CDBG funds are designed to reduce economic risk associated with downtown redevelopment. They have low-to-moderate income thresholds for job creation.
Gardiner Public Library
Gardiner Public Library is a library that serves the communities of Gardiner and Farmingdale. It also serves Litchfield, Pittston and Randolph. The library’s Children’s Room is located in a beautiful building on the National Register of Historic Places.
The mission of the library is to serve the educational and cultural requirements of the community. The library offers materials, services, and technology to help Gardiner residents reach their full potential by promoting lifelong learning.
The library uses its resources and facilities to share with other communities in order to reduce costs. The library also offers a program where people can check out passes for access to the Preserve.
Gardiner Museum
The Gardiner Museum is a showcase of stunning ceramic art that connects people to clay and ceramic traditions. The museum offers classes and exhibitions for people of all ages. This is an excellent place for the entire family to discover the wonders and possibilities of clay.
George Gardiner was one of the few collectors who shared his collection with the public in his lifetime. In 1984, he and his wife Helen opened the Gardiner Museum.
Instead of building an encyclopedic library, the Gardiners focused on specific areas such as Earthenwares or Porcelain. The Gardiners also created a research library, and an archive.
Gardiner Arts Center
Isabella Stewart Gardner’s legacy draws curious tourists and locals to this oasis of the city. The museum has a wide range of collections, and seasonal exhibitions tackle sensitive topics.
Students will learn simple clay techniques inspired by Magdalene’s beautiful sculptural vessels. Students will learn about hand-building, slab-building, coiling, wheel-throwing, and surface decoration.
Pao Arts Center encourages connection, creativity and learning by using art. Its mission includes supporting artists with intellectual disabilities in their communities to live full and inclusive lifestyles.
Gardiner Restaurants
Gardiner offers a wide variety of restaurants, many of which serve American cuisine. Some restaurants have outdoor seating, and wheelchair access is available. Some restaurants offer vegetarian and gluten-free options. The majority of restaurants have the standard American dining timeslots, which are 8-10 am for breakfast and 11-2 pm for lunch.
The city’s economy has been dominated by manufacturing until recently. Until the second half of the 20th Century, the shoe, textile and fabrication industries thrived in the city. The city tried to reverse the decline by building a business park, but it never filled up, leaving them with a debt of a million dollars.
Gardiner Shopping
Gardiner Manor Mall information: detailed store hours, map, GPS coordinates and directions. The mall is located in Bay Shore, NY at 834 Sunrise Highway.
I’ve lived in this city for 18 years now and love it! Downtown is cute, and there are many shops and restaurants nearby. Water Street hosts many community events during the summer. It’s a family-oriented town. There are also great schools in this town.