About Belfast

Information

Chamber of Commerce – Visit Belfast’s Chamber of Commerce website. Learn more about our beautiful town, including activities, events, local businesses and restaurants.
Harbor Walk  – This PDF published by Chamber of Commerce details the scenic harbor walk through Belfast’s waterfront which can be reached via the Armistice Foot Bridge, a short walk from our property.
Maine Resource Guide – Discover what Maine has to offer. Find information about activities, tours, restaurants, lodging and more.
Maine Tourism Association – Maine invites you! Whether you are planning a peaceful retreat of family fun vacation, the Maine Tourism Association is a great resource of information.
Consumer Fuels Building and Chamber of Commerce Location

Local Businesses

Belfast Harbor Inn – Check out our sister hotel, which features ocean views, newly renovated rooms, continental breakfast, fitness room, indoor hot tub and pool. 
Colonial Theatre  – Catch the best of Hollywood, independent and foreign movies at the beautifully restored Colonial Threatre, which has been part of downtown Belfast for over 100 years.
Lupine Cottage – The Lupine Cottage is a co-op of over 50 Maine artists, using high quality materials to create unique Maine-made products.
Young’s Lobster Pound – Enjoy fresh lobster with a view of the bay at this famous picnic-style lobster pound. Located at the bottom of Mitchell St. across from the Yankee Clipper. 

Activities & Events

Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad
Common Ground Fair
Farnsworth Art Museum
Free Range Music Festival
Maine Celtic Festival
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Penobscot Marine Museum
Water Walker Sea Kayaks

History of Belfast

Belfast was first settled in 1770, by a group of Scots-Irish, they named the town Belfast after Belfast Ireland. In 1827 it was designated the county seat of Waldo County.

During the mid 1800’s it developed into a ship building center, producing hundreds of three to five masted schooners. The ship builders prospered and built the many wonderful historic homes and mansions in the are. Wooden ship building declined around 1900. At that time the local economy shifted to harvesting seafood which included lobsters, scallops, sardines, herring and mackerel. Later shoe manufacturing was an important part of the economy. After World War II, Belfast was one of the largest poultry processing cities in Maine. At that time they processed up to 200,000 chickens a day.  

The poultry business collapsed in the 1970s during the US recession. During the early 1990s credit card giant MBNA opened two facilities in Belfast creating numerous jobs.  MBNA has since been sold to Bank of America. Bank of America still has a strong presents in Belfast but has downsized their footprint in the original MBNA campus making room for AthenaHealth and OnProcess Technology. Ship building was reintroduced to Belfast by French and Webb in 1996. In 2013 Front Street Ship Yard opened a major boatyard along the Belfast Harbor creating more than 100 jobs and further revitalizing the area.