Patrick Dempsey Gets Nostalgic About His Small Hometown in Maine Where He Worked in a Recycling Center
Patrick Dempsey Gets Nostalgic About His Small Hometown in Maine Where He Worked in a Recycling Center
Christopher EdwardsTue, April 21, 2026 at 4:24 PM UTC
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Credit: Jason Mendez/Getty; Turner Historical Museum/Facebook -
Patrick Dempsey reflected on his childhood in Turner, Maine, in an Instagram post
Dempsey credits his Maine upbringing for keeping him grounded, and opened the Dempsey Center near his hometown in 2008
Turner, a small town with historic roots, was settled in 1786 and features one of Maine's oldest town halls
Patrick Dempsey is reflecting on his small-town upbringing.
In an April 20 Instagram post, the actor, 60, shared an old photo of his hometown, Turner, Maine, and opened up about what life was like there.
"Town I grew up in, looks like it's from the late 19th century. The building to the left is where I worked with my father and Dennis Richardson, who sent me this photo this morning," Dempsey wrote in the caption.
The black-and-white photo shows several buildings, a bridge, and railroad tracks. The corner of the photo appears to be labeled "Turner, Maine."
In the post, the Grey's Anatomy star spoke about one of his early jobs there.
"It was the beginning of what was called recycling. The building was a redemption center where people would bring in bottles and we would give them $.05-$.10 depending on the size in the type of bottle and then we would sort them and them the companies who sold those specific brands would come and pick up the empties," Dempsey wrote.
"Many a fond memory. Wouldn't it be nice to step back in time and see and feel what it was like when this picture was taken. There were a lot of straight in manufacturing in those days many of those businesses are no longer, but the buildings still remain and remind us of what was once a great thriving industry. This particular building was a Masonic hall originally," he continued.
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Patrick Dempsey in Feb. 2026.Credit: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty
Located in southern Maine, Turner had a population of just 5,817 in the 2020 Census. The town was settled by early settlers from Plymouth and Pembroke, Massachusetts, and was incorporated in 1786.
It's also home to the Turner Town House, a historic town hall that is one of the oldest buildings of its kind in the state. Built in 1831, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
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In 2008, Dempsey opened the Dempsey Center near his hometown, which provides free quality-of-life care to people affected by cancer. In a 2021 interview with Maine Magazine, the Enchanted star spoke about his Maine upbringing.
"For me, Maine's very important. I think one of the best pieces of advice I got was to never forget where you came from. I grew up in a small town outside Lewiston-Auburn called Turner for the first 12 years of my life," said Dempsey.
"I went from having the luxury of getting lost in the wilderness of Maine to the New York City life at 17, but my roots and my origin, if you will, are in Maine. It's always nice to come back, go to the Dempsey Center, and also just be centered."
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