OUR STORY

The Damariscotta River produced oysters for the Native people of the region for over 3,000 years as evidenced by the enormous shell middens left behind, some of the largest oyster shell middens in North America. As the estuary was settled in the late 1600’s and European settlers began cutting timber and milling lumber- the sawdust was deposited on the bottom of the river suffocating shellfish beds. The once-abundant native oyster population died out. For a period of time the Damariscotta River thrived with 20 shipyards and

multiple brick yards up and down the shore.

The estuary has bloomed to life in recent years with the establishment of a robust oyster-growing community- as the sign at the Damariscotta town

landing greets visitors arriving by boat: “Welcome to the Twin villages of Damariscotta /Newcastle, home to the world famous Damariscotta River

Oyster. As water temperatures have warmed in the last 20 years, farmed oysters have begun spawning

- creating, once again, a wild oyster population in the intertidal zone.