Use Another Name

Wendell Holyoke

Paul Bunyan Statue Across From the Casino

Today I had the opportunity to explore Bangor, ME. Locals or others might ask why the hell I’d do that and I’d respond with two points:

  1. This Residence Inn felt like the most reasonable bang for my buck within a ~1 hour radius from Acadia. If I had booked this trip prior than 3 days out I’d stay in Bar Harbor or some coastal Maine paradise, but I didn’t, and I prefer not to setup shop at the random Sea Budget Inn.
  2. At least from the drive in and quick internet digging Bangor seems to hold a certain charm. Its downtown architecture has an almost subtle beauty, and the Paul Bunyan statue across from the casino makes me think, “this is probably the only place in the world with a Paul Bunyan statue across from a casino.” Locals quickly remind there’s currently no major event at the amphitheater OR Arena (both across from or directly next to the aforementioned Residence Inn and casino) so you could have EASILY found somewhere closer to the destination (apparently intended to be Acadia), but I’m far too stubborn to not let myself romanticize a seemingly normal town (the 3rd most populated in Maine!) relatively far from where most would consider abundant/unique/worthwhile.

Leave a comment

From the blog

About the author

Sophia Bennett is an art historian and freelance writer with a passion for exploring the intersections between nature, symbolism, and artistic expression. With a background in Renaissance and modern art, Sophia enjoys uncovering the hidden meanings behind iconic works and sharing her insights with art lovers of all levels. When she’s not visiting museums or researching the latest trends in contemporary art, you can find her hiking in the countryside, always chasing the next rainbow.