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Protecting an Ellsworth Legacy

June 18, 2018

Following the purchase of a historic 31-acre property on the Bayside Road in Ellsworth from Alice Jordan, Frenchman Bay Conservancy is raising funds to provide a public parking lot, create a trail to the Union River, and cover acquisition costs.

The property that Frenchman Bay Conservancy hopes to establish as a nature preserve for the benefit of the public is now identified by a sign along Bayside Road titled “Jordan Homestead.”

Jordan Homestead Sign Ellsworth Maine Bayside Road

The Jordan Homestead property was first established by a Jordan ancestor as a homesteading site over 200 years ago, before Maine became a state. Speaking on behalf of his family, Ralph Jordan said “we are very pleased that this special property, which has meant so much to over 10 generations of our family, will be preserved.”

The Jordan family’s legacy of conservation also includes donating land on the east side of Bayside Road opposite the Jordan Homestead property to Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary (Birdsacre) for nature trails. At the new Jordan Homestead Preserve, Frenchman Bay Conservancy plans to reunite the natural areas by connecting future trails on the Jordan Homestead property to trails on Birdsacre property—soon allowing visitors to walk on public trails through woods and fields between the Union River and High Street.

“Conserving this property keeps alive the legacy of rural Ellsworth, serving as a place to learn about Maine’s homesteading past and shipbuilding history” said Aaron Dority, executive director of Frenchman Bay Conservancy. The property includes an open field where Jordan ancestors farmed for generations, an old cellar hole where the historic homestead was located, and over 3,000 feet of water frontage along Whittaker Brook and the Union River.

“The Ellsworth community has been instrumental in conserving this property,” said Dority. Local residents first contacted Frenchman Bay Conservancy when the property came on the market and the conservation organization hopes that even more locals will support conserving the historically significant property that also protects clean water, wildlife habitat, and opportunities for exploration and recreation.

Numerous local residents and business have donated to the project, displaying Jordan Homestead posters around Ellsworth. To continue raising funds for a public trail, parking lot, and to help cover the purchase cost of the property, Frenchman Bay Conservancy is asking others to consider donating to the Jordan Homestead project. Anyone interested in learning more about the project can visit www.frenchmanbay.org/jordan for more information.