Allen Island (Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Allen's Island
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | St. George, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre (listed area) |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003646 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 1983 |
Allen Island, also known as Allen's Island, is a large private island in Maine, United States. It covers about 450 acres (182 hectares). The island is part of St. George, a town in Knox County, Maine. You can find it in Muscongus Bay, located between the mainland of St. George and Monhegan Island.
Exploring Allen Island
Allen Island is the biggest of a few islands at the southeastern edge of Muscongus Bay. To its northwest is Benner Island, separated by a narrow water channel. To the east, across a wider channel, is Burnt Island. This Burnt Island is different from the one in Boothbay Harbor, which has a lighthouse.
The island's features match descriptions from an old explorer's journey. In 1605, an English explorer named George Waymouth visited the area. His trip was written about by James Rosier. The descriptions in Rosier's account seem to fit Allen Island perfectly.
In 1979, Betsy Wyeth bought the island. She was the wife of the famous painter Andrew Wyeth. Before she bought it, the island no longer had people living there all year. It had become a place where two fishing families stayed only during certain seasons. Their homes were old and surrounded by growing spruce trees.
Discovering History on the Island
Allen Island is home to important archaeological sites. These are places where scientists study human history by digging up old objects. In the early 1980s, experts surveyed the island. They were looking for proof of Waymouth's expedition landing there.
During their survey, they found a special site. This site showed layers of history from different time periods. It included evidence from the "Contact Period" and the "Middle Woodland" period. The Contact Period is when Native Americans first met European explorers. The Middle Woodland period was much earlier, from about 200 BC to 500 AD.
Because of its historical importance, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 15, 1983. This register is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. It helps protect these sites for future generations to learn from.
