Two hundred and fifty years
ago a 21 year-old man bought a parcel of land on Great Chebeague Island. By the time he married seven
years later he owned over 100 acres on the north shore of the island. Ambrose Hamilton and his wife Deborah
Soule raised their family of fourteen on Chebeague. As the years went by the many of their progeny settled
there, but in each successive generation folks moved off the island and in some
cases settled for economic reasons on other Maine islands or in coastal
communities.
This summer Chebeague will
celebrate its settlement with several special events. On June 3rd The Museum of Chebeague History will
open a new exhibit entitled Creating Community: The Hamilton Connection. The exhibit will focus on the
entrepreneurial spirit of the Hamiltons, as they adapted to economic and social
changes over the centuries. The entrepreneurial spirit of the islanders will be
highlighted, and a section of the exhibit will include stone slooping and the
role of Chebeaguers as marine contractors who built breakwaters, lighthouses,
and set navigational markers up and down the eastern seaboard. The evolution of tourism and the
creation of an island mercantile center will also be explored. The Maine Historical Society will hold
their annual meeting on Chebeague on June 3rd the day of the
exhibitıs opening.
The Chebeague Historical
Societyıs annual meeting on June 17th will focus on genealogy. Three Grannell siblings, who have deep
island roots and are avid students of history, will share their amazing
journeys following their intuition about their roots.
All Hamilton descendants from
near and far are invited to come to Chebeague on July 15 to join in a Hamilton
Family Reunion. If you have ever
wondered if you have a Chebeague connection this is the time to find out! Local genealogists and historians will
be on hand to share stories and to help you find those missing links! Numerous activities are planned and the
day will culminate with an illustrated talk by local historian Donna Miller
Damon, who will tell the story of Chebeague and the people who created and
sustained this island community, which is soon to become the newest town in
Maine!
For more information about
any or all of these events call the Museum of Chebeague History at 846-5237,
check the Chebeague WEB site at WWW. Chebeague.org or email Donna Damon at publicservant1@aol.com.