RICHMOND, Maine — When Jeremy and Michelle Purington bought a plot of land on Main Street in Richmond two years ago, all that really sat on it was a big rock ledge. From that rock ledge, Moose Mountain Mini Golf was born.
The 18-hole course opens Saturday, July 1. It’s right off the Richmond exit on I-295, making it easily accessible for those already in the area and those who may just be passing through. The first nine holes are also handicap accessible.
"If people are en route to somewhere and want to do a stop and have a break for the kids, they can come grab an ice cream, play some mini golf, and get back on the road," Michelle said. "Or maybe they want to spend some time in Richmond."
Jeremy and Michelle Purington have lived in Richmond, where their construction company Purington Construction is based, for the past 18 years. The fact that they were able to build the course in their own community makes it even more exciting.
"I think we kind of were discussing this for the last 10 years," Jeremy said. "It just came to light about two years ago. Just the right place, right time. We found this property and decided this was the spot."
"There really isn’t anything around for people to do in a fairly large radius," he added. "So, I just felt like this could be a nice destination attraction. Starting with mini golf and ice cream and expand into something else."
The couple has a vison of expanding the mini golf facility into a full adventure park with additional activities like a climbing wall and a ropes course. For now, it’s mini golf and ice cream, and they encourage people to hang out and have ice cream even if they don’t feel like swinging a putter. Moose Mountain also does birthday and event bookings.
Jeremy said about 99 percent of the course is built out of real rock—built right into the ledge across three different tiers. They had to blast some of the ledge, but they took that blasted ledge and incorporated it into the course.
The course has a theme of all things Maine and the Maine wilderness, and the craftsmanship really stands out. There are animals spread throughout, like a bald eagle in a nest and a bear fishing with its paws. There’s also a tree house, a campfire, a beaver dam, multiple waterfalls, and more.
"The heart of Maine," Michelle said of the theme. "Things that people think of when they think of Maine."
The Puringtons have two sons, ages 11 and 13, who they’ve already put to work. They said they’re also employing about 15 local kids for the summer.
For more information, check out Moose Mountain's Facebook page and website.