Pilgrim's Inn
The oldest continually operating inn on the island, built in 1793 and on the National Register of Historic Places. New ownership brought it back to life in 2025 with a rotating guest chef model that's turned the dining room into a destination on its own.
Ignatius Haskell built this gambrel-roofed house in 1793, overlooking the tidal waters of Mill Pond in Deer Isle village. He'd moved from Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1778 with his father, a sea captain, and went on to run grist mills, saw mills, a store, and a shipbuilding operation. He served as selectman and justice of the peace, and was a delegate to Maine's constitutional convention in 1819 — though he opposed statehood.
The Haskell family held the property for over 150 years. In 1890, descendants converted the home into a boarding house called The Ark. It stayed in family hands until 1944, then fell into disrepair before being revived as Pilgrim's Inn in 1975. A few years later, it earned its place on the National Register.
The inn changed hands several times — Albert and Lindsay Schmurr operated it from 2022 before selling to Ark Deer Isle LLC on New Year's Eve 2024. The sale was reported at over $2.2 million for the waterfront property.
The new ownership has brought energy. The 2025 summer season featured a rotating guest chef program — a different chef each month bringing their own style and menu to the inn's dining room. It's a model that keeps the restaurant fresh and gives visiting chefs a chance to cook with Maine's seasonal ingredients in a setting most would never find on their own. The dining room and tavern are open to the public, not just inn guests.
The inn has 12 rooms in the main building (some with the original slanted floors you'd expect from a 230-year-old house) and three guest cottages overlooking Mill Pond. USA Today named it the 4th best bed & breakfast in the country.
Local Tips
- The restaurant and tavern are open to the public — you don't need to be a guest to eat there.
- Check their website or social media for the current guest chef and menu. It changes monthly in summer.
- The inn overlooks Mill Pond — request a room on the water side.
- FarmDrop uses Pilgrim's Inn as one of its Deer Isle pickup locations on Wednesdays.
- Book early for peak summer. 15 rooms go fast, especially during Haystack sessions.
Connected To
- FarmDrop — weekly pickup location at the inn
- Haystack Mountain School of Crafts — many visiting artists and students stay here
- Deer Isle village — walkable to 44 North Coffee, galleries, and the library