Monhegan Island

Margot Sullivan, Cynthia Hagar Krusell, John J. Galluzzo

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN: 9780738564654
• eBook ISBN: 9781439637333
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Monhegan Island, Maine has historically attracted a number of different visitors and workers, each with their own unique reasons for being there.The natural beauty of Monhegan Island has continuously attracted generations of artists, day-trippers, and summer sojourners. White Head, Pulpit Rock, and Cathedral Woods are names that resonate throughout New England and beyond. Long before the first ferry full of seasonal visitors arrived, the Monhegan Island fishermen had established a permanent community on the island, scratching out an existence on a remote offshore outpost. As early as 1890, prominent artists Robert Henri and George Bellows, followed by Rockwell Kent and Jamie Wyeth, captured the magnificence of Monhegan. They shared the cliffs and coves with the lighthouse keepers, carpenters, lobstermen, and the island people.

One

AROUND THE VILLAGE

Monhegan Island harbor has been the subject of many, many photographs for its picturesque landscape, fishing activity, and village buildings lining the shore. This is an early photograph of the harbor. Clearly shown are the fish houses on the right, the lighthouse, and the very open, bare landscape. (Cynthia Hagar Krusell.)

This view of the shoreline and harbor shows fishing vessels and skiffs. The small beach left of center is still Swim Beach. Beside it was the dark house, built around 1784 by Henry Trefethren when he was first married. The artist Jamie Wyeth made the so-called red house famous in one of his paintings. Next to the dark red house is the square house, the Influence, built in 1826. (Cynthia Hagar Krusell.)

The tercentenary of 1914 on Monhegan Island was celebrated in grand style. Here the harbor is filled with graceful schooners and various fishing vessels. Visitors are surely here to attend festivities, which were held beside the schoolhouse. The villagers decorated homes, boats, and shops with huge flags and banners.

Clearly the harbor and surrounding waters were not just used for fishing purposes. Dolly Underhill and Walter Davis obviously are enjoying sailing about the island on Walter’s sloop, the Leslie and Alice, probably in 1905. Note the very formal attire; perhaps they are heading to Boothbay Harbor for some social event.

Continuing along the shoreline to the right of the Influence, this photograph gives an excellent view of the Fish Beach area, including the fish houses of the local fishermen hugging the beach. The large many-windowed building in the background is the new Monhegan House. (Cynthia Hagar Krusell.)

Frank and Alonzo Pierce (around 1900) are standing outside one of the fish houses built by Alonzo. He then built one in 1873 and, with Claudin Winchenbach and a man named Frederick Hodgkins, built another fish house in 1897. The fish houses stored gear, provided space for cutting the fish, and probably saw many a poker game.

Dwight Stanley and Maynard Orne, perhaps in front of a fish house most likely owned by lobsterman Dwight Stanley, confer on some island matter (around 1950). Dwight grew up on the island. His son and grandson, both fishermen, live on the island today. Maynard was an expert carpenter and a descendant of one of the original Horn settlers.

Not every house gets a chance to hop a boat to Monhegan. This home came over on a barge from Boothbay Harbor about 1919. Cass Brackett had carefully watched the weather and gauged the conditions to make this voyage. The house came in past the old dock and was hauled up on Fish Beach, where it stands today and is owned by a descendant of Brackett. (Cynthia Hagar Krusell.)

Here is another view of the Fish Beach area. The large home on the right, known as Harbor Spruces, was built in 1898 by Boston artist Eric Hudson. In 1897, he sailed into Monhegan harbor and fell in love with the island. The home remained in the family with his two daughters until 2001. Julie Hudson was rare book librarian at Princeton University. Following in her father’s footsteps, Jacqueline (Jackie) Hudson became a very well-known artist with a studio in the house and a studio at Calf Cove. (Cynthia Hagar Krusell.)

This wonderful early photograph shows the shoreline toward the south end of the island, and Lobster Cove reveals how bare and open the land was years ago. Cottagers and homeowners had clear views to the ocean in many directions. The two houses on the left were built around the beginning of the 20th century by William Stanley and were two of the early summer homes. (Cynthia Hagar Krusell.)

This panor...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - AROUND THE VILLAGE
• Two - DOWN TO THE SEA
• Three - A WORKING ISLAND
• Four - HERE THEY COME
• Five - THROUGH THE ARTIST’S EYE
• Six - SHIPWRECKS, NAVIGATION, AND WEATHER
• Seven - A FOREVER ISLAND