Old foundations from earlier centuries on Damariscove Island

Island Journal

Islands Were First Footholds for European Settlers

At one time, 300 of Maine’s nearly 5,000 islands had year-round communities. Today that number has dwindled to 15 islands that are occupied through all four seasons. “When Europeans got to the coast of Maine, they set themselves up on islands first, because they were uninhabited and they were, or… SEE MORE
1822 map of the state of Maine

Island Journal

Maine Triumphs Through Coastal Law

In September 1816, William King, a politician and businessman in the District of Maine (and at one time, the wealthiest ship owner in the region), was certain that finally, after 30 years of trying to leave Massachusetts, Maine would succeed in getting the votes to become its own state. Voters… SEE MORE
old marble headstones, white house in distance

Island Journal

The Secret Soul of an Island Shoe

PHotos By Peter Ralston Its sole gouged with holes, the leather top cracked and ripped, the shoe, a woman’s, had been hidden in the west wall of an upstairs bedroom in our Gotts Island house. Nestled behind the plaster, it had endured Maine winters when the winds howled out of… SEE MORE
aerial view of Schoodic Peninsula, Maine

Island Journal

The Schoodic Story

Schoodic Point and its acres of pristine shoreline and deep woodlands dodged a bullet more than a century ago when plans by John Godfrey Moore to develop the pristine property were derailed by his premature death. Moore, the son of a Steuben sea captain, made his fortune in the telegraph… SEE MORE
aerial view of frozen river

Island Journal

Taking Stock of a Downeast River

Five degrees above zero and the wind peels northwest. Sky and river both black dark. Headlights shine in the small parking lot. The wind howls, rocks the truck. Out there in the headlight shine lies a slick mud bank and a river of churning brown water. Bobby Beal’s at the… SEE MORE
paintings by Daniel Minter

Island Journal

Othered: Displaced from Malaga

Daniel Minter uses his art as a tool for dialogue with his community. He is the co-founder and creative visionary of the Portland Freedom Trail, a system of granite and bronze markers that constitutes a permanent walking trail highlighting the people, places, and events associated with the anti-slavery movement in… SEE MORE
N.C. Wyeth painting of Black Rock, Monhegan Island, Maine

Island Journal

Maine Islands: Paintings From the Farnsworth Collection

The Farnsworth Art Museum’s collection of approximately 15,000 works focuses on American art from the 18th century to the present, with a special emphasis on artists who have lived or worked in Maine.  Since the mid-nineteenth century, the state has been both host and inspiration to many of America’s most… SEE MORE
old photo of hurricane damage shot from above

Island Journal

Is Maine Still Hurricane-Proof?

The role weather plays in Maine life is as important as the sun rising— and far more likely to be talked about. On the coast, and especially on islands where life revolves around boats and ferries, knowing the weather in advance and preparing for it is vital. Often, it's a matter of survival. But preparations can prove inadequate. High winds, pounding rain and excessively high tides can knock out power lines, smash boats, wash buildings out to sea or fill them with water. When storms include snow and ice, the damage can last longer if power lines go down all over the state. In the Atlantic region, hurricanes are one of the most destructive weather forces. New Orleans is still recovering from the utter devastation of 2005’s Katrina, one of the country’s deadliest hurricanes ever, while being battered by other, more recent destructive storms, and the New York-New Jersey area is still rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy. SEE MORE
old photo of a man in a canoe

Island Journal

The Alluring and Enduring Maine Coast

The Alluring and Enduring Maine Coast Historic images from the Penobscot Marine Museum By Lisa Mossel Vietze The Penobscot Marine Museum’s photographic collection is vast — overwhelmingly vast . . . . . . Lucky for me, I had the privilege of working with Kevin Johnson, the museum’s photo archivist,… SEE MORE