Creating Chebeague’s “Center”: A Family Enclave’s Evolution to a Cultural and Economic Hub

In 1874, Chebeague Island had no public boat service to the mainland and had only one store. The incorporation of the Chebeague Wharf and Steamboat Co. changed that when a wharf was built on the land of the heirs of Benjamin Hamilton. Within a few decades, the adjacent area, 2/5 of a mile, became known as the island’s “Center” and was at one time home to a high school, a community hall, a post office, a firehouse, a garage, a variety store, 2 grocery stores, an ice cream parlor, a cottage subdivision, a windmill, a Native American enclave, a clam factory with another steamboat landing, and was the initial location of the U.S. Army when Chebeague was occupied during WW2.
Today, all that remains is a grocery store, a library/hall, a seasonal thrift shop located in the former high school, and a WW1 memorial. During the walk, attendees will learn about the architecture, family connections, development, and eventual decline of the “Center”.

Each attendee, who pre-registers, will receive a detailed illustrated handout about the neighborhood. Attendees will be transported back in time, and after the walk, may never look at the “Center” neighborhood the same way again!