Belfast

A number of Maine coastal towns, such as Wiscasset and Damariscotta, like to think of themselves as the prettiest little town in Maine, but Belfast may be the true winner of this title. It has a full variety of charms: a beautiful waterfront; an old and interesting main street climbing up from the harbor; a delightful array of B&Bs, restaurants, and shops; and a friendly population. The downtown even has old-fashioned street lamps, which set the streets aglow at night. If you like looking at old houses, many of which go all the way back to the Revolution and are in the Federal and Colonial style, just drive up and down some of the side streets. The only thing Belfast does not have is traffic jams. In 2007, Belfast was called "one of the top 10 culturally cool towns in the country" by USA Today.

The economy of Belfast (which was originally to be named Londonderry) has seen many changes over the years. In the 1800s, Belfast was a shipbuilding center and home to many ship captains. Starting in the early 1900s, a shoe factory, a chicken-processing plant, and a sardine-packing factory were the primary employers. The first two disappeared about 30 years ago, and the sardine-packing plant packed up in 2002. The biggest employer in Belfast now is Bank of America (which took over the facilities formerly owned by MBNA), the credit card giant, although tourism is also becoming an important industry.