Columbia Falls
Story
It’s hard to miss a 26-foot-tall blueberry! Dell and Marie Emerson built Wild Blueberry Land in 2001, instantly creating a roadside attraction and landmark for those traveling down the coast along Route 1.
Marie & Dell had always sold blueberries from their Wescogus Wild Blueberry farm, but when a hotel and restaurant shuttered just up the road on Route 1, they jumped at the opportunity for prime commercial real estate. Dell and Marie were inspired by the popularization of geodesic domes, thanks to architect and summer resident R. Buckminster Fuller, and hatched a plan to build a giant blueberry. They enlisted a Canadian engineer with experience building “Bucky Domes,” Marie’s father, and an army of friends to design and build their dream. They fabricated the timber and steel frame at their farm, numbering the pieces as they went along. Onsite erection of the frame began in 1999 and took an entire season to complete. The only thing they had to outsource was foaming the exterior envelope and sealing it with silicone. The finished dome measured 50 feet in diameter; dwarfing the average roadside farmstand.
The resulting Wild Blueberry Land pairs Dell and Marie’s passions. Marie, a certified chef and educator, whips up homemade baked goods featuring–of course–wild blueberries, while a museum space shares the 10,000-year-history of wild blueberries, from the controlled burns managed by the Passamaquoddy to the canning of blueberries to nourish Union soldiers in the Civil War. Dell worked more than 50 years for the University of Maine at the nation’s only wild blueberry research farm, where along with gaining an immense appreciation for one of the four indigenous fruits commercially cultivated in North America, he innovated systems to support the economic viability of small blueberry farmers. A blueberry-themed mini-golf course (now pollinator garden) rounded out the experience for visitors. In 2016, Dell and Marie helped found the nonprofit Wild Blueberry Heritage Center to transition management of the site and further the mission of sharing the history of wild blueberries.
Threat
Thankfully, the geodesic dome is structurally sound! The concern instead lies with a transition in stewardship. The Wild Blueberry Heritage Center board recently voted to dissolve the organization, which had been integral to expanding the onsite interpretation and educational programming as well as the overall management of the property. The nonprofit’s remaining funds were granted to the Passamaquoddy Nation to support the opening of museums in Sipayik and Motahkomikuk. Open only seasonally (June – October) and an hour-long drive past Acadia National Park means the margins are tight. To add to the uncertainty, the Emersons reported that their visitors represent an older demographic and they have experienced a decline in tourism to their part of Washington County.
Dell and Marie hold their roadside creation dear but recognize that it is time to pass their work on to the next generation.
How to Get Involved
Dell and Marie quietly put the property on the market and are in search of someone to carry out their legacy. They have had no shortage of offers on the prime commercial real estate along Route 1, but the buyers’ intent has always been to tear down the blueberry and redevelop the site. Their ideal owner for Wild Blueberry Land would be the Passamaquoddy Nation, who were the original stewards of the land where the property now sits. Dell and Marie are open to considering any potential buyers who agree to maintain the structures of Wild Blueberry Land and to continue its important educational work. Serious inquiries should be directed to Dell and Marie via email (wescogus@yahoo.com) or phone, 207-483-3884.
Designation of the Downeast Maine National Heritage Area in 2023 represents an exciting opportunity to leverage celebration of the wild blueberry in shaping the future of the region.
To directly support Wild Blueberry Land, consider visiting in person, indulging in Marie’s baked treats, and spread the word! Visit their website for more information - https://www.wildblueberryland.com/.
Photos Credits: Jim Stewart, Zach McClimon, Wild Blueberry Land
