H
ollywood star Bette Davis’s former coastal retreat has just found a new chapter. The 8‑acre Cape Elizabeth, Maine, property changed hands last week for $13.4 million, a 10‑year peak for the state, according to the Portland Press Herald. Listed at $15 million in July, the estate—once dubbed “Witch Way” by Davis—sat on the market for only two months before closing.

    While $13.4 million tops recent Maine sales, it falls short of the state record: David Rockefeller’s former summer home sold for $19 million in 2008. Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty agent Sam Michaud, who co‑listed the property with Bill Gaynor, said the swift transaction was expected. “It drew international interest,” Michaud told The Post, adding that the estate is “one of the finest in Maine.”

    Davis and actor Gary Merrill met on the set of the 1950 film “All About Eve.” They left Hollywood for Maine, raising two adopted children—Margot and Michael—alongside Davis’s daughter from a previous marriage, Barbara Hyman. The family spent a decade at Witch Way, harvesting lobsters and even founding the local hockey team, the Merrill Marauders.

    The couple’s idyllic tenure ended with their 1960 divorce. Merrill later reflected that the years at Witch Way were the best of his life. Davis never remarried and died in France in 1989 at 81. The estate, now called “Seascape,” retains the 7,600‑square‑foot main house built in 2002, featuring five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a covered porch, a double‑height foyer, a cherry‑paneled study, and a fireside breakfast nook. An octagonal cupola crowns the roof, offering 360‑degree views of manicured lawns and the full 1,200 feet of granite shoreline.

    A 2,000‑square‑foot carriage house, also built in 2002, provides two bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the property. Additional outbuildings include a barn, animal space, and a pond, all within the 8‑acre parcel.