Where in Maine?
It's becoming increasingly difficult to find traces of old-time Maine in the southern reaches of the state. But the tradition is still here, as this working waterfront in one of our most famous communities attests. The great French explorer Champlain visited the cove in 1604, and he put the place on the map, counter-intuitively proclaiming the spot: Le Port aux Isles -- Island Harbor. Legend has it that the current name of the community came from Captain John Smith, who saw a lot of sea life on his visit in 1614. English fishermen were drawn to the region by his accounts, and by the 1690s there were enough colonists in the area that the natives felt it necessary to shoo them away. A series of attacks drove out the settlers, and the harbor was unoccupied until 1718, when a group petitioned the Massachusetts legislature to allow them to reestablish a fishing colony. People from away have been moving in ever since. Centuries ago, they built ships, farmed fields, worked in granite quarries, and fished for lobster and cod. Today, many commute to jobs in Greater Boston. Have you ever visited this picturesque harbor? Send us a note if you can identify this sunny scene.
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