A Prodigal Inn & Gallery, Bethel Maine

Just what possessed inn- keepers Tom and Marcey White to move from Texas to Bethel, Maine in order to open a most unique inn, A Prodigal Inn & Gallery, is the question I had recently posed to this charming couple.



For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bethel, this tiny village is located in the western mountains of Maine 70 miles from Portland. Since its settlement in 1768, its population at approximately 2360, including the surrounding school district communities, has remained quite stable. However, during the peak seasons it swells to about 6000.

What is noteworthy about this scenic area in the heart of Western Maine is its convenient location to the popular Sunday River Ski Resort, as well as snowmobiling, hunting, tubing, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, antiquing, kayaking, canoeing, golfing, historical research, and not to forget the brilliance of the fall foliage.

Marcey indicated to me that when she and Tom moved to Maine, they were trying to find a way whereby Tom could leave the construction/carpentry field and concentrate solely on his art career. Apparently, about ten years ago Tom discovered that he had an innate artistic talent for sculpting and painting. Quite amazing is that Tom is a self taught artist- hardly having taken a lesson! Their objective was to find a property that would permit them to have an inn and at the same time a place to display Tom