Georgetown resident Walter E. Reid, a successful businessman and philanthropist, was born in 1869 at the head of Harmon Harbor, about 3 miles from the park. Reid treasured the beauty of the beach property he owned. His vision was that the beach and surrounding land would be preserved and made available to Georgetown residents and all the people of Maine and beyond to enjoy in perpetuity. In 1946 he donated 350 acres of land that would become the nucleus of Reid State Park, a park named in memory of his parents. A second donation of 355 acres by Reid as well as various other acquisitions brings the total park area to 779 acres. Reid StatePark opened in 1950 and is consistently one of the most visited state parks in Maine.
To learn more about the history of Walter Reid and the formation of the park, check out this presentation
by Georgetown resident, Theo Holtwijk.
“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."Get in Touch
-John Muir
