Beyond the South End

A Visit to Monhegan—Guest Blog Aimee Moffitt-Mercer

I share this blog with the daughter of Rose Ann Small Chaisson, my best friend on Fulton Street back in the day. Amiee is my queen bee Facebook friend now. She is a beekeeper extraordinaire. Recently she posted these fabulous pictures of Monhegan on Facebook. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.

Monhegan is accessible via ferry from Port Clyde, just outside of Rockland. For trip hours call 207-372-8848. Ferries also run to Monhegan from Boothbay Harbor and New Harbor. See www.maine.gov/mdot/msfs/ for trip times.

Monhegan is a plantation of Lincoln County. Its Indian name, Monchiggan is Algonquin for “out-to-sea island.” Like Matinicus, it also endured pirate activity in the 1700s. The island was explored by Martin Pring in 1602; Champlain in 1604; George Weymouth in 1605; and Captain John Smith in 1614.

The island got caught up in the struggle for control between New England and New France. It also endured King Williams War in which it was captured by the French. After the French and Indian War ended in 1763, peace finally came. It became an artist colony in the mid-19^th century and continues to draw artists to paint its beautiful rock bound boundaries.

Here are Aimee’s beautiful pictures of the island. Also enjoy the YouTube video of the island at the end of this blog.

This is Rose Ann and her grandson, Randy, eating the lobster dinner special
 at the Trailing Yew. The menu was
 lobster, homemade cole slaw, herbed potatoes
 and carrots, red pepper soup, potato bread and a brownie.
 Sounds good to me.

Here's the YouTube video.