Just south of Boothbay, Damariscove Island was among the earliest places on the Maine coast inhabited by Europeans. Before the Mayflower reached New England, fishermen from England, France, Spain, and Holland worked nearby waters, drying cod for shipment to Europe.
English fishing activity near the island was recorded by 1605. In 1622, while the Plymouth Colony faced severe shortages, supplies obtained from Damariscove helped the colonists endure the crisis.
Island at a glance
- Setting
- South of Boothbay
- Area
- 209 acres
- Dimensions
- About 1.7 miles long and one-quarter mile wide
- Character
- Treeless coastal landscape and sheltered harbor
- Municipality
- Part of Boothbay
- Recognition
- National Historic Landmark and nature preserve
Name and early settlement
According to an account by Dorothy Simpson, the group now known as Fisherman’s, Outer and Inner Heron, and Big and Little White islands was called Damarill’s Isles in the 17th century, reflecting Humphrey Damarill’s ownership. The deep, narrow inlet at Damariscove’s southern end may have encouraged the form “Damarill’s Cove,” which later developed into Damariscove.
Moments in coastal history
Over time, the island supported a trading post, dairy farming, an ice business, a small school community, and a Coast Guard presence. Those uses reflected both the advantages of its harbor and the demands of living on an exposed offshore island.
Landscape and wildlife
A narrow, low neck connects the island’s two broader sections, giving Damariscove the appearance of two islands. Its 209 acres include open, treeless coastal vegetation. The preserve provides habitat for nesting seabirds and muskrats.
The island is uninhabited. Its historic features and natural communities make it significant both as a cultural landscape and as protected coastal habitat.
