Perry's Nut House is a tourist stop and store on Route One in

Belfast, Maine Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population was 6,938. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay (Maine), Belfast Bay and Penobsc ...

. Opened in 1927, Perry's Nut House is a classic example of an American

roadside attraction A roadside attraction is a feature along the side of a road meant to attract tourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere, rather than being a destination. They are frequently advertised with billboard (advertis ...

. Located on the coastal road to

Bar Harbor Bar Harbor () is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. The town is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory, and MDI Biological Laboratory. ...

, Perry's Nut House features many large painted animal sculptures outside the building. And, until 1997, inside the building was a display of stuffed animals, exotic nuts and seeds from around the world. Perry's also makes and sells traditional homemade

fudge ''Fudge'' is a generic role-playing game system for use in freeform role-playing games. The name "''FUDGE''" was once an acronym for ''Freeform Universal Donated'' (later, ''Do-it-yourself'') ''Gaming Engine'' and, though the acronym has since b ...

and candies along with

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

-themed

souvenir A souvenir ( French for 'a remembrance or memory'), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and trans ...

s, retro and wooden toys and gag gifts. In 1997, the third owners (Diane & John Bailey) sold most of the original

taxidermy Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body by mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proces ...

animals and display items in an auction that was held in the store. , however, the current owners of Perry's Nut House are working hard to restore the feeling of the old Perry's. Several original items have been acquired and have reappeared in the store, including a gorilla (Ape-Raham, restored Jan. - May 2012), a 21-foot python skin, a very large stuffed albatross, a 13-foot alligator, a cougar and a baboon. In the early 1950s, Perry's Nut House used a catchy radio jingle: "Pack up the kids. Jump in the car. Drive to Perry's Nut House, and there you are. Right on the coast, route number 1. Belfast, Maine, Oh golly what fun."

External links

Roadside America entryOfficial websitePerry's Nut House ClosesPerry's Nut House on the Rebound
- WCSH Television - Summer, 2009 {{coord, 44.43325, -68.99845 , format=dms , type:landmark_region:US-ME , display=title Buildings and structures in Belfast, Maine Tourist attractions in Waldo County, Maine Roadside attractions in the United States 1927 establishments in Maine