History

Southport Island

Steeped in history, Southport and the surrounding Boothbay Region were initially settled by Indians of the Abenaki tribe, followed by the English.

After the French and Indian Wars, a mixture of English and Scottish settlers established themselves in the area, brought here by promises of land grants.

Although shell heaps left by early Indian communities are covered today, archaeological digs in this area, as well as in nearby Popham and Pemaquid, continue to unearth artifacts from long ago.

Many island residents still make their living from the sea as did their ancestors before them, and each island harbor provides safe anchorage for working lobster and fishing boats.

Our House

First-generation houses on Southport were single storied and built in the lee of the land. As the economy prospered, these were eventually replaced by houses with two stories and a central chimney.

The Hendricks Hill Museum undertook a project in 1988 to trace the beginnings of 70 historic houses on the island using the tax list of 1771.

Our house is featured in this book.