After this past year, I think we all feel a bit like an island unto ourselves. So to celebrate the state of Maine’s 201st birthday, which was yesterday, Asa and I are sharing some fun facts about the islands that dot our favorite state’s coastline.
The largest island in Maine is Mount Desert Island. When Samuel de Champlain explored the area in 1604, the lack of trees on the summit inspired him to name it “Ile de Monts Deserts,” which means “island of the bare mountains.”
Speaking of Mount Desert Island, that island is home to Acadia National Park, one of the most visited National Parks in the United States with over 2 million visitors each year!
But don’t worry, if you like your space and don’t want to spend your visit with 2 million other people in Acadia National Park, Maine has over 5,000 miles of coastline to stretch out in…that is if you stretch the distance to include all the islands off of its shores and in its lakes. Or an impressive 3,478 miles of coastline if you just want to sit on the mainland and admire the islands from afar.
Although there are 3,166 registered islands in Maine ranging in size from a mere rock at low tide to large enough to be home to multiple towns, only 15 are inhabited year round. According to the Maine Coastal Island Registry, eight are independent towns, two are part of one town, three belong to municipalities on the mainland, and two govern themselves as unincorporated towns. Many more are privately owned, while some are state and federal properties. There are also two that both the United States and Canada want to claim as their own.
Now many people know that Bar Habor is the name of the popular tourist destination on Mount Desert Island. But not many know that Mainers are a bit repetitive when it comes to naming things. Many islands have the same name! In fact there are 26 islands with “Bar” in the name, and a whopping 34 islands named after Crows!
However, you’ll be amused to know there is only one island named “Asa” in Maine! No, it’s not named after my brother, Asa. We’re not sure who earned the honor of bestowing their name to it. We aren’t even sure how big or small it may be in size. What we do know is it is privately owned and part of the town of Swan’s Island, which is only accessible by ferry….
…or perhaps a pirate ship!
