Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

20 Gilsland Farm Road
Falmouth, ME 04105

207-781-2330

History:

Gilsland Farm and the surrounding shorelands have a long history of human use. For thousands of years they were home to the Wabanakis and their ancestors. It was an ideal spot: the estuary's vast tidal flats provided a rich source of shellfish and attracted huge concentrations of shorebirds, the sheltered waters of Casco Bay offered superb fishing and hunting for waterfowl and marine mammals, and the river provided an important travel route to the interior.

The arrival of English settlers in the 1630s signaled the end of this era and the beginning of a new one. Claiming and dividing the land into individual properties, the settlers soon cut the timber from the shorelands and established farms. Along the Presumpscot, which means "many rough places," they erected gristmills and sawmills. In the mid-1800s, Silas Noyes bought the site of what would become Gilsland Farm and built the red wood-frame house still standing near the entrance to the sanctuary.

Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors.
Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide

AARP Events for Falmouth

View All AARP Events

image of two AARP membership cards
Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal
  • Immediate access to your member benefits
  • Discounts on travel and everyday savings
  • Subscription to AARP The Magazine
  • FREE second membership
Join AARP
Already a member? Renew or Print Card

Contact AARP
Maine