A quiet respite 56 mi/90 km northwest of Portland, Paris, Maine, is home to one of the largest lilac collections in New England. The breathtaking flowers grow in McLaughlin Gardens (http://www.mclaughlingarden.org). Just down Highway 26 is West Paris, where you will find Perham's, a mineral and gem museum and gift shop worth visiting.
Below Paris is South Paris, a town full of historic charm. Hannibal Hamlin, Abraham Lincoln's vice president, lived in the town. His former home is now a private residence on Paris Hill. Beside Hamlin's home is the Hamlin Memorial Library (http://hamlinlibrary.org), housed in a stone building that served as the county's first jailhouse. A small museum on the second floor of the library contains a collection of local gems and historic artifacts. Two houses down from the library is the old county courthouse, now a private residence. Paris Hill is full of sprawling federal-style houses that are not to be missed. They display a period in history that has been carefully preserved by the residents of the town.
To request access to the full version of this destination guide, please provide your email address below. Your email address will only be used for verification purposes and will not be used for marketing purposes.