History of The Thistle Inn - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

The Thistle Inn was built by Samuel Miller Reed in 1861. Reed was born in 1816 in the Mill Cove area. There were only 3 houses on our side of Oak Street at that time. Reed was lost at sea in 1863 and presumed dead by 1867. Note that the first Thistle Inn sign, built in the mid 1900's has the wrong historical date on it (pictured to the right). The house was later owned by Gilman Low, who introduced or brought regular steam-powered transportation to Boothbay in about 1865 (interesting side fact: there is a working steam engine at the Boothbay Railway marked 1912).

From there on the details get a bit fuzzy until the 1950's where the home was owned by a photographer/artist. His son came to visit us in 2007 and shared pictures of a grand lawn were the porch is (with him sitting on the stoop as a little boy) and the barn which is now the restaurant. At that time, it was his dad's studio.

In the 1960's, the building was converted to a watering hole and guest house. The bar area was created by connecting the barn to the main house and it attracted a "pretty rough crowd" for drinking after long days at sea. During the time leading up to the 1990's Leone is the most well remembered owner by locals "The Leone Days" they call it. We've heard about the brawls, the good food, the bad food, the weddings, the temporary YMCA location, the ghost - there is a lot of history here in this little inn in Boothbay Harbor.

The Thistle Inn was converted to a fine dining and lodging establishment in 2003. Major remodeling and upgrades occurred and it was turned around to meet the growing demand for quality food, service and beautiful accommodations in the harbor area. At this time, the Boothbay Historical Society pointed out that the date on the original Thistle sign was incorrect. A new sign was constructed and the old sign now hangs in the restaurant as a little piece of history. In 2006, the Ross family purchased the inn and continued the tradition of restoring the historical character of the building, growing the clientele, building a great staff and featuring the local cuisine and talents of their chef, Michael Whitney. You will find Max Ross in the restaurant most nights and Jen Ross hosting breakfast with the inn guests. Max has an extensive background in wine and has built a beautiful wine list to complement the menu. Max has probably heard the most stories of us all - come down to the restaurant for a while and he will share a few with you.

We hope you enjoy your stay at The Thistle Inn - a true landmark of Boothbay Harbor!