Articles
Cranberry Isles postmasters make their mark: Competition launches to design 180th anniversary postmark
The town of Cranberry Isles is celebrating its 180th anniversary this year and postmasters Joy Sprague and Eileen Richards are putting their mark on the town-literally. The Great Cranberry and Islesford post offices are holding a design competition for a Cranberries-inspired pictorial postmark. “We thought this would be a great way to bring attention to
Cranberry Isles residents consider paying for more winter ferry runs
For over 50 years, the town of Cranberry Isles has depended on one ferry service provider to bring the mail, transport residents to medical appointments, and be their dependable, year-round connection to the mainland. At the March Town Meeting, the town will be seeking funds from voters to subsidize a second morning and evening commuter
Islesford online market aims to expand the summer season
For the past 17 summers, the Islesford Dock has served as a mainstay of the Little Cranberry Island summer economy. This past year, owners Dan and Cynthia Lief opened an island art gallery to capitalize on the visitor presence. Now they are looking to parlay that success into a year-round opportunity for the island’s artists
Land trust to transfer 14 acres to Town of Frenchboro
A decade after the biggest land conservation project in the island’s history, the town of Frenchboro has once again moved to secure housing for current and future islanders. Over the next five years, over 14 acres of land will be transferred from the Maine Coast Heritage Trust to the town of Frenchboro for both housing
Portraits of islanders the focus of this art project
Most artists who do a residency on Great Cranberry Island at the Heliker-LaHotan Foundation are drawn to the island’s landscape. For decades, the combination of mountains, sea and forest has proven nearly irresistible to artists of all media and the printmakers, painters, and sculptors that participate in the residency program are no exception. But Janet
Year-round general store opens on Frenchboro
On an island, a general store is a precious commodity. Beyond a means to stretch out visits to the mainland by providing basic groceries, a store becomes a place to meet and socialize, talk over the events of the day and perhaps get a meal cooked by someone else. This summer, for the first time
A passion for cooking leads to island bakery
Postmaster, preschool treasurer, school board chair, library trustee, coordinator of grocery deliveries and telemedicine services, wife, mother of two; it would seem Marissa Rozenski of Frenchboro has enough job titles. But she added “bakery owner” to her list of duties when she opened up the Frenchboro Bakery and Island Candy Shop, a mostly online purveyor
Cranberry Islands underwater cable fixed; officials study long-term solution
Losing power periodically is a regular fact of life on islands, but recently Cranberry Island residents faced a more serious power situation when a critical underwater cable became unstable. In late February, Cranberry residents suddenly found themselves without electricity during a winter storm. Cranberry Isles Selectman Richard Beal went out to investigate and quickly discovered
Runners trot around Great Cranberry for hours and hours
Why would otherwise normal-seeming human beings spend up to ten hours running 50 miles, in four-mile laps, on an island several miles out in the Atlantic Ocean? Because they can. At least that is the reason given by Gary Allen, the organizer of July’s Great Cranberry Island Ultramarathon. “We do these races for the same
Downeast Library Tour
Island librarians and friends gather on the steps of the Swan’s Island library during the recent Downeast library tour. Sponsored by the Island Institute with assistance from the Maine Seacoast Mission, the tour provided an opportunity for island librarians to network and learn from each other. A group of almost 20 participants, including librarians, board