The town of Machias is the county seat for Washington County and a lovely but less-traveled part of Downeast Maine. The word Machias in the Passamaquoddy language means “bad little falls”, which refers to the beautiful and rugged waterfalls located on the Machias River in the center of a town that became famous as the location of the first naval battle of the American Revolutionary War, 251 years ago. In 1775, locals were told of the battles of Lexington and Concord. When a small Royal Navy ship demanded Machias provide lumber to be used by British forces in Boston, the locals decided on a defiant alternative—they sailed after the British ship, fought its crew, and captured it! Today, you can visit Burnham Tavern (built in 1770), where the Patriots came up with their audacious plan, and which served as a hospital during the battle. Nearby Machiasport is known for the 1810 Gates House Museum and the unique Jasper Beach, a sandless beach covered in beautiful stones worn round by the sea—its only match a beach in faraway Japan. This trip will include a guided tour of Burnham Tavern and visits to Jasper Beach, The Gates House, lunch at Helen’s Restaurant (famous for their blueberry pie), the stunning Bad Little Falls, and the Art Gallery at the University of Maine at Machias, founded by the artist John Marin and his wife Marie Jane Hughes. No meals or admission donations (optional) are included. We will meet at Camden Hills Regional High School then travel on a coach bus to Machias with a brief rest stops in Ellsworth. Tour leader Elyse Socker was delighted to discover Machias when he son became a student at UMaine-Machias. She has enjoyed many intriguing and educational visit to this special place and is excited at the opportunity to introduce more people to this gem.