Hope Island (Maine) facts for kids

Hope Island is a privately owned island located in Casco Bay near Portland, Maine, United States. This beautiful island is part of the town of Chebeague Island in Cumberland County. It covers about 89 acres of land.

Hope Island: A Special Place

Hope Island is known for being a private retreat. It offers a quiet escape in the busy Casco Bay area.

Who Owns Hope Island?

In 1993, a developer named John Cacoulidis and his wife, Phyllis, bought Hope Island. They made many changes and additions to the island to create a comfortable home and facilities.

What's on Hope Island?

The island already had a large house built in 1913. This house is quite big, with nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and five fireplaces. The Cacoulidises added even more buildings. They built a separate guest house, which is also quite large. They also added a boathouse that includes an apartment.

To make getting around easier, they built roads that loop all over the island. For their animals, they put up horse stables and even a chicken coop. There's also a garage for vehicles. Interestingly, they even built their own church on the island. For travel, they have a boat dock and a special helicopter pad.

Island Life and Challenges

Living on a private island can have its challenges. At one point, the owners had a disagreement about property taxes with the town of Cumberland. They tried to make a law that would allow them to separate from the town, but their attempt was not successful. This shows how even private islands are connected to the rules of nearby towns.