Louds Island, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louds Island, Maine
Unorganized territory
Louds Island, Maine Location in Maine
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Lincoln
Area
• Total	15.0 sq mi (38.8 km2)
• Land	1.6 sq mi (4.0 km2)
• Water	13.4 sq mi (34.7 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	04564
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-41280
GNIS feature ID	1954727

Louds Island, also known as Muscongus Island, is a small island in Muscongus Bay. It is located off the coast of Round Pond, a village near Bristol, Maine, in the United States. The island is about 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide at its widest point. It is an unorganized territory of Lincoln County, Maine. This means it does not have its own local government. According to the 2020 census, only three people live on Louds Island.

History of Louds Island

Louds Island has a long and interesting past. In 1625, a man named John Brown bought a large area of land, including Muscongus Island, from two Native American leaders. He paid 50 animal skins for it. The next year, another agent named Abraham Shurt bought the island again for 50 pounds.

Louds Island's Unique Independence

In the early 1860s, Louds Island decided to separate from the town of Bristol. Some stories even say it tried to separate from the United States! Charles McLane, who wrote about the island's history, said this separation was real. Because of this, Louds Island has not been part of a town ever since. It also remained without a state government until the early 1900s.

Life on the Island Over Time

Louds Island once had a busy community, especially after the American Civil War. However, over the next 100 years, fewer and fewer people lived there all year round. The island's school closed in 1962. Soon after, the last year-round residents moved away.

Today, Louds Island is mostly a place for summer visitors. These visitors are sometimes called "rusticators." They come to enjoy the quiet island life during warmer months. In 2010, there were 43 houses on the island, all used for seasonal or vacation stays.

The Loudville Church is an important building on the island. It is located near the center and was built in 1913. The wood for the church came from a schoolhouse that was once on Malaga Island. Malaga Island was a settlement where people were forced to leave their homes. The Loudville Church is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography of Louds Island

Louds Island is part of an unorganized territory. This means it is a piece of land that is not part of any city or town. The total area of this territory is about 15.0 square miles (38.8 km²). Most of this area is water, about 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²). The land area of the island itself is much smaller, about 1.6 square miles (4.0 km²). As mentioned, the island is about 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide.

See also

In Spanish: Louds Island para niños