South Berwick is a vibrant, mid-size community located on the New Hampshire border and is one of the faster growing communities in Maine. With its rural New England village setting, proximity to Boston MA, Portsmouth NH, Portland ME, and the joy of Maine living, South Berwick is 'the way life should be'.
Originally part of Kittery, South Berwick was created in 1814, followed by North Berwick in 1831. The Berwicks have had diverse economies that included textile and shoe manufacturing, lumbering, farming and fishing. During South Berwick’s heyday, a boat called a gundalow was used to haul goods from the smaller inland rivers to the Piscataqua River. You can see a replica of a gundalow during the summer months at various wharfs throughout the region.
South Berwick boasts hundreds of historic houses and buildings, including the homes of author Sarah Orne Jewett and shipping merchant Jonathan Hamilton. Hamilton built his striking Georgian mansion c. 1785 on a bluff overlooking the Salmon Falls River, making it an ideal location for his shipping business. Today, Hamilton House is recognized as one of the region's quintessential Colonial Revival-style country estates. The Sarah Orne Jewett house is an eclectic blend of 18th century architecture, antiques, and old wallpapers with furnishings showing the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement. The visitor center features exhibitions, year-round public programs, a resource room with an interactive kiosk, and preservation staff on site. Owned by Historic New England, both the Jewett and Hamilton houses are opened to the public during the summer. Built in 1932, The Portsmouth Company Cotton Mills Counting House is a historic industrial building at Main and Liberty Streets. It is the only surviving element of the Portsmouth Company Cotton Mill, one of several textile mills operating in South Berwick in the 19th century and is now home to the Old Berwick Historical Society, which operates it as the Counting House Museum.
The South Berwick downtown village offers several dining establishments and specialty shops as well as basic necessities. It has the feel of a true downtown, with the local elementary school, town hall and community center all within walking distance. Extensive retail outlets are minutes away in Dover and Somersworth NH. Portsmouth, NH and the noted factory outlets in Kittery are nearby.
Opportunities for family recreation abound in the Berwicks. Paddle along the Salmon Falls River, or bike or hike Vaughan Woods, one of the best woodsy river walks in all of Southern Maine with smooth trails in pine forests. Powderhouse Hill, a small, town owned ski hill that includes a sledding area, offers 3 trails and one of the few remaining rope tows in the state. The Berwick Bark Park offers a fun exercise area for your 4-legged friends. Listen to the Hot Summer Nights Concert Series, weekly in the center of town. The South Berwick Strawberry Festival draws more than 20,000 visitors, offering entertainment, food, artisans and best-of-all, strawberry shortcakes. For the endurance driven, the annual Pumpkinman Triathlon is sure to thrill and challenge. Boasting many restored period homes, small village charm, and a strong sense of community, South Berwick is truly great place to call home.
Town Statistics
Population: Approximately 7,300
Land area: 32.64 square miles
County: York
County Seat: Alfred
Tax rate: $19.36 / thousand for 2020-2021
% of Value: 100%
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Office/Department |
Phone Number |
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207-384-3001 |
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207-384-3300 ext. 111 |
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Fire Dept. (emergency) |
9-1-1 |
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Fire Dept. (non-emergency) |
207-384-2731 |
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Police Dept. (emergency) |
9-1-1 |
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Police Dept. (non-emergency) |
207-384-2254 |
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207-384-3300 ext. 117 |
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207-384-3306 |
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Powder House Hill Ski Facility |
207-384-5858 |
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207-384-3308 |
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207-384-3300 ext. 110 |
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207-384-3309 |
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207-384-2257 |
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207-384-2760 |
Public School Information
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Office |
Phone Number |
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207-439-2438 |
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207- 384-5703 |
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Name of School |
Grades Covered |
Phone Number |
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PreK-3 |
207-384-2333 |
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4-5 |
207-384-4010 |
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6-8 |
207-439-1399 |
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9-12 |
207-384-4500 |
Private/Parochial Schools
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Name of School |
Grades Covered |
Phone Number |
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Berwick Academy, South Berwick, ME |
pre-K-12 |
207-384-2164 |
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Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH |
9-12 |
603-772-4311 |
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St. Thomas Aquinas H. S., Dover, NH |
9-12 |
603-742-3206 |
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Portsmouth Christian Academy, Dover, NH |
Pre-K to 12 |
603-742-3617 |
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St. Patrick School, Portsmouth, NH |
Pre-K to 8 |
603-436-0793 |
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Saint Mary Academy, Dover, NH |
K to 8 |
603-742-3299 |
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The School Around Us, Kennebunk, ME |
K-8 |
207-967-3143 |
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The New School, Kennebunk, ME |
9-12 |
207-985-3745 |
Other Contact Information
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Office, Dept., etc. |
Phone Number |
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207-363-4422 |
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207-384-0000 |
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* (serving Kittery, Eliot, So. Berwick, York, York Beach, York Harbor and Cape Neddick) |
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Area Hospitals
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Hospital |
Phone Numbers |
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York Hospital (York, ME) |
207-363-4321, 877-363-4321 |
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Wells Regional Medical Community (Wells, ME) |
207-646-5211, 877-363-4321 |
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South Berwick Medical Services (South Berwick, ME) |
207-384-8130 |
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Portsmouth Regional Hospital (Portsmouth, NH) |
603-436-5110, 800-685-8282 |
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Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (Dover, NH) |
603-742-5252 |
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Exeter Hospital (Exeter, NH) |
603-778-7311, 800-439-3837 |
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Southern Maine Medical Center (Biddeford, ME) |
207-283-7000 |
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Maine Medical Center (Portland, ME) |
207-871-0111 |
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Goodall Hospital (Sanford, ME) |
207-324-4310 |