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V O L . X X X I N O. X X I S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 2 5 20 A U G U S TA / WAT E R V I L L E / C E N T R A L M A I N E A t just under six square miles and with a population of barely 2,600, Hallowell is one of Maine's smallest cities. But along its busy down- town district that hugs the Kennebec River, small is not Hallowell's vibe. Water Street's three-quarter mile retail district is a lively mix of shops, independent businesses, bakeries and restaurants, includ- ing the Liberal Cup and Slates, a dining hotspot for more than 40 years. Augusta is just 2.6 miles north of Hallowell on Route 201. at accounts for some of the traffic through Hallowell, but for many visitors, the capital's little sister is the destination. Hallowell is nicknamed the Granite City for its once rich quarries which supplied stone for the Maine State House, Quincy Market in Boston and many buildings in New York including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the state house in Albany. In Chicago, Hallowell granite built the Marshall Field building and the post office. Shipbuilding, logging and publishing were also thriving industries in the 1800s and early 1900s, but today the hamlet's primary businesses are focused on tourism and recreation. For Stephanie Hunter, co-owner of the Quarry Tap Room and director of sales for local retirement community, Granite Hills Estates, the people who live in Hallowell are its greatest asset. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Rusticators Emporium is owned by the husband- and-wife team Lexi and Sam Joyall. Sam heads up Vision Hallowell, which works with the Hallowell Board of Trade to keep the downtown vibrant. F O C U S Hallowell is an amazing town full of artistic, social people who like to contribute to the community. — Stephanie Hunter Quarry Tap Room "Hallowell is an amazing town full of artistic, social people who like to contrib- ute to the community," she says. "It's a small town with a big heart and everyone always pitches in to help neighbors." Music, food and the arts e city boasts several galleries and the Gaslight eater — purported to be the state's longest-operating — located in the restored 127-year-old city hall, just steps up Winthrop Street from the retail strip and the waterfront. Several restaurants feature live music, and the busy Quarry Tap Room, with seating overlooking the river, has for the past four years hosted Central Maine's Idol qualifying competitions. Co-owner Chris Vallee just added a teen Idol competition too. e summer concert series Rock on the River has brought an eclectic mix of free performances to town for 30 years. While music, dining and the arts are major draws for visitors, Hallowell's year-round residents are what makes the community special in the eyes of Jennifer Heath, a longtime staffer at the Quarry. Hallowell thrives amid CHALLENGES The small city is addressing housing needs, water quality B y T i n a F i s c h e r

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