People and Vessels: Early Portraits of Monhegan Island

The people of Monhegan Island are and always have been rugged individualists who, for better or for worse, have needed to cooperate with one another. The island’s name means “grand island.” It sits isolated at the outside of Muscongus Bay, about 12 miles offshore. There’s only one good harbor. By contrast, the northeast side of the island is punctuated by rocky promontories over 100′ high.

These photographs span a handful of the Penobscot Marine Museum‘s photography collections, and describe in an impressionistic way the life of the island in the early 20th century. It is still an island of fishermen and artists, unique characters all.