A granite pier in Damariscove Island’s narrow, sheltered harbor has been rebuilt by the Boothbay Region Land Trust.
The pier, at least 150 years old, was showing its age – eroding and collapsing – a part of it submerged at high water. Now, with a $132,000 investment by the land trust, it has been restored with fresh cut blocks of granite, plus pressure-treated wooden pilings and ladders. Peggy Voight, spokeswoman for the trust, said the pier is reserved for local fishermen, who have used Damariscove for generations. The island is about five miles out to sea from Boothbay Harbor.
Last month, a barge and tug from Prock Marine of Rockland nearly blocked off the harbor as a crew worked with a crane to shore up the old pier. Prock has also been working on an access ramp at Matinicus Rock (WWF July 05).
Europeans fished cod in the region in the early 1600s, using the 210-acre island as a fishing station. Fragments of clay smoking pipes found on the island may even date from the 1500s, and there is no doubt Indians used Damariscove before it was occupied by Europeans. Historians say Damariscove fishermen may have saved starving English settlers at Plymouth with an emergency shipment of food.
Damariscove flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries, at various times boasting a pub, a school, a dairy farm, U.S. lifesaving station, fishermen’s shacks and tourist cottages. Today, all that remain are three small wooden buildings, the privately-restored lifesaving station and a hilltop lookout tower.
The island remained in private hands until 1966, when most of it was acquired by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). That organization turned it over to the Boothbay Region Land Trust last spring, although the local trust began caring for the island a year ago, aided by a $100,000 endowment from TNC.
Boothbay Region Land Trust has raised $1 million to preserve Damariscove and several mainland properties, and to create educational programs.
About 1.7 miles long, Damariscove is nearly treeless. It has a variety of ledgy outcroppings, a trail system and a small museum open. All of the island is open to the public, with the exception of the lifesaving station property. A dock with ramp and float, separate from the restored pier, serves recreational boaters and other visitors.