The owner of three businesses destroyed in Wednesday's waterfront fire in Port Clyde says several original works by Jamie and NC Wyeth were lost in the blaze. And in a press release issued Friday, L.L.Bean heiress and entrepreneur Linda Bean says she hopes to restore the premises and resume business as fully and as soon as possible.
In her written statement, Bean says that losses in the fire include three original paintings by Jamie Wyeth, and an illustration by his grandfather, NC Wyeth, from Henry David Thoreau's book "Men of Concord." Also lost, Wyeth books, prints, photographs and memorabilia all housed in the Wyeth Gallery that was destroyed along with the Port Clyde General Store and Dipnet restaurant. No estimate was given of the lost art's value. Bean, who has owned the properties for the last 16 years, says she has tried to respect the long history of their past owners, managers and customers, and hopes to learn more about what can be done to get up and running as soon as possible.
The fire also heavily damaged the offices of the Monhegan Boat line, but local fire officials say it did not damage the mail boat or the docks, and the company says it is still providing service from Port Clyde to Monhegan.
