August 6, 2019
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There are so many tiny towns up and down the coast of Maine that we just have to throw a dart at the map and choose one! We only have a few more days here so we decided on the city of Castine, Maine and it turned out to be a good choice! What an ADORABLE little coastal town and talk about HISTORY… WOW!!! Sooooo much stuff has happened in this little tiny town, where the streets are lined with beautiful elm trees and shade the lawns of darling cottages, so if you are interested in history I will try and cover a few of the things that we learned today.
First off… we needed some LUNCH, and we headed to the cutest little fish stand right on the docks. I’m not even sure if it had a NAME but the line was long and people just sat wherever they wanted all around the water’s edge. We found a darling hand-painted table and settled ourselves there for a “grilled-cheese lobster sandwich.” OH MY GOSH I can’t believe my parents are still eating lobster!!! ??? We got a little pinch, so we aren’t complaining! ???? After walking around and watching a few boats come in, we decided to see the rest of the town from the truck to speed things up a bit.
Beautiful little cottages dotted the narrow roads, with flower-covered fences and trellises in every yard! The adorable old church called OUR LADY OF HOLY HOPE sat right at the water’s edge and Mummy said if she lived here she would go to church EVERY SUNDAY in that church!!! A plaque out front said that it was the site of “Saint Peter’s Chapel” built in 1648 over the Gateway of Fort Pentagoet by Daulnay, Brother Leo of Paris was the Chaplain. This house was built in 1880 and was converted into the chapel you now see in 1921.
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There were several hand-painted signs around the town, at various historical locations… each one telling of the event that had happened at that site. We tried to find as many as we could during our afternoon in Castine, and listed below are some that we found. It is just AMAZING to think that so many things happened in this teeny, tiny little town!!!
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* Here landed – November 6, 1611 Sieur de Biencourt, Governor of Port Royal, Sieur Claude de LaTour, Founder of Fort Penagoet, 1613, his son Sieur Charles de LaTour afterwards the forts Commander and Proprietor, and Fr. Pierre Biard, S.J.
The first Europeans positively known to have set foot upon these shores.
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* The site of Fort Pentagoet which was originally a trading post, was built during the winter of 1613. It became the first PERMANENT SETTLEMENT in New England, and its actual Political and Commercial beginning!
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* Burial place of five Dutch seamen and three French soldiers killed during the engagement August 10, 1674
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* Here in 1674, Captain Jurriaen Aernouts of the Dutch Frigate Flying Horse having captured Fort Pentagoet August 1674, took formal possession of Acadia in the name of his Sovereign, William of Orange, by burying a glass bottle containing a copy of his commission and a declaration of his official act, naming the conquered territory NOVA HOLLANDIA.
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* The Battle Line of Four Nations
French-Dutch-English-American
1674-76 and 1779
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* Site of Half Moon Battery -Six Guns-
Near Aaron Banks house
Captured by Americans Aig 1, 1779 and recaptured by the British the same day with heavy losses on both sides.
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* Burial place of American officers, soldiers and marines. Killed while carrying these heights by assault July 28 and during the Seige. July 25-Aug. 14, 1779
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* Site of Hatch’s barn. Seized and used by the British as a hospital. July 1779-Nov. 1783
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* Oakum Bay – On this shore the British transport ship Providence was wrecked by the fire of the American batteries on Nautilis Island and Wescott’s Point, during the Seige, Aug. 1779.
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There were many more plaques around the town but we were just unable to see them
all! What a little GEM we found in CASTINE, Maine. On we drove, until we happened upon the lovely old lighthouse located at the entrance to Castine Harbor. It is called “Dyce Head.” It too has a long history, going back to 1828 when it was first built. The very first lighthouse keeper was 75-year-old Captain Jacob Sherburne. The lighthouse light shined from 129 feet above the water and could be seen 17 nautical miles out to sea, to guide ships safely into the harbor or away from the rocky peninsula. By 1935, it was decided that more modern lighting methods could be utilized and the light was extinguished, replacing it with a light and bell buoy on the rocks below… but in 2007 when a storm destroyed that light, the old lighthouse was RE-LIT AGAIN in 2008! Today the home is a private residence used by the caretaker, but the grounds are open for the public to walk around. You cannot walk inside the lighthouse. Ummmm… just to let you know, Mummy didn’t know ANY OF THIS before visiting the place, and there were LOTS of cars parked along the road with LOTS of people wandering about… so Mummy and Daddy decided to just take turns walking out to see the lighthouse and the view. The first thing Mummy wanted to see was THE HOUSE that was attached to the lighthouse, so she just walked up on the front porch and looked in the windows and saw it was all decorated with cute furniture and stuff. She was just about to open the front door and walk inside, but she noticed that no one else was IN THE HOUSE… or ON THE PORCH! Where WAS EVERYONE??? Uhhhhhh, was she supposed to be on this porch? Was this house part of the tour? She looked up to see Daddy running across the yard saying, “GET OFF THE PORCH! THAT’S SOMEBODY’S HOUSE!!!” OMGOSH… well, yeah… there it was… a tiny little sign on the step saying “PRIVATE RESIDENCE.” JEEZ LOUISE… they should have BIGGER SIGNS and maybe a fence around the place or something!!! Apparently the lighthouse keeper’s actual HOUSE is lived in by the caretaker… but you can’t TOUR their house. Whoops. Well… they have cute furniture in their front room! ???? But if you come here… don’t walk up on the porch of the little house!!! Just sayin ???
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We had seen as much of Castine as we could and now we were hungry and getting sleepy too, so we turned the truck toward our campsite and talked about what we had seen today. Once we ate dinner, we piled into the big bed and CONKED OUT! Man Oh Man we were exhausted! Learning all of this stuff is wearing us out. ????
It looks like a beautiful little town! Thanks for the tour! ❤
We have really enjoyed Castine!
Your Mom is funny….walking into the porch of a private house. By the way….I did that once too.
OMGOSH…. you did?!?!?! Lololololol
Love the history, and you made me giggle talking about the nice furniture in the living room lol
??? It was a cute front room!!! Lololol
It sounds like a great place Millie, and you are having such a wonderful time in New England. The posts are great, and I am seeing lots of places through your eyes.
We are having such a great time here in Maine! ?❤️????
Wow! What an amazing amount of history packed into one small town! The pictures are beautiful. That little church would be the perfect setting for a lot of weddings!! Thank you for the wonderful tour…and I had to smile at Daddy’s warning to Mummy about the caretaker’s house!
The little church was ADORABLE and OMGOSH, the front porch fiasco… what can I say?!?!?! ???
I can just picture your daddy running across the lawn towards mummy, I was rolling on the floor laughing, sounds just like something I would do! ??❤️ I love reading about your adventures.
Good Grief… they need BIGGER SIGNS!! Lololololol
Today’s post is so entertaining… mommy shared all the descriptions with us.
She laughed so hard when she read your visit to the “front porch” of the tiny house.
OMGOSH Mummy was sooooo embarrassed!At least the owner didn’t come out and say GET OFF MY PORCH LADY!!! ???
Sounds like a beautiful little town, Millie, and very historical! ?
Oh yes! We were surprised at all of the historical signs everywhere!!! ?
What a great town. Grilled cheese & lobster sounds great.
It was YUMMY!!! ????
We have been to Maine many times seeing we live in Vermont. You should plan a trip into Vermo t to Shows. The Van Trap family from the Sou d of Music all came there and lived. All the original are buried there, the lodge is still to this day run by Van Traps
We wanted to fit Vermont into the trip but we just didn’t have enough time. We will have to come back!!! ?❤️??
The weather looks amazing!!
It was a lovely afternoon. ❤️❤️❤️
I Love the Pictures and your History of this town. Absolutely Amazing. I am
Surprised though that they don’t have Bigger, Brighter Signs. Glad you all are Enjoying your trip. Stay safe and Rest Well.
We were surprised that a town this small had SO MUCH HISTORY behind it!!! You should come here if you are ever in the area. ❤️??
Looks like y’all have been blessed with great weather!!!
Yes, the weather has really been nice. There has hardly been any rain… although it has been hot on several days.
I’d be like Mummy. Looking in the house and missing the tiny sign. Thanks for sharing. I feel like I’m there with you. It’s so much fun to read about your adventures.
Thank you… I’m glad you are enjoying our posts. ??
Sounds wonderful just lovely. ?
It was such a charming little town!!!
Good Afternoon Millie and clan.
Seems mommy doesn’t miss a beat.
I think she knows more about New England than the New Englanders.!!Me included.
I think mommy and daddy have had lobster in any way imaginable.
Have a wonderful evening.
Hugs and y
Oliver. And mommy
Mummy is keeping a list of all the ways she has now had lobster!!! ????
What an interesting story until Mummy had to do a quick exit off the private front porch. If they wanted privacy, they needed a bigger sign, your toasted cheese with lobster sounds outstanding! Thank you for sharing your trip with us. ❤️❤️
Lolololol I know!!! Mummy will try to duplicate that lobster grilled cheese when we get home!!! ???
Have fun Millie your a darling
Thank you! Today is a travel day and we will be driving to New Hampshire for our next stop! ??
I have been to Maine a few times in the past but I can’t wait to go again now that I’ve moved to Vermont. Your trip has me very excited to spend a few days traveling through this little town.
Ohhh it was just wonderful! Down at the dock they offer a tiny little tour of the town by a lady on a golf cart… try and take that tour! They also Offer tours of the 449 foot long STATE OF MAIN ship but we were not able to take the tour… you should do that!!!
So cool! So much history!!! My mummy said she would have been on that porch too!!! Such a great adventure your sharing with us
It was a precious little town. Mummy picked out the house she wanted to buy and everything!!! ???
OH ALL THIS HISTORY IS SO GREAT TO READ AND I LOVE THIS TOWN YOU HAVE STOPPED AT. I COULD LIVE HERE. IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL. THE PHOTOS ARE ALSO. I WISH I WERE THERE AND COULD SEE ALL OF THIS.
THE BABY’S ARE RESTING SO SWEETLY. ILOVE THEM. WELL ENJOY FOR ALL OF US AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LETTERS AND PHOTOS. APPRECIATED A BUNCH.
Thank you for your sweet comment. We have enjoyed reading everything from our friends on our trip this summer and are happy that you are enjoying the posts. ??
Castine is great! I stayed at the Castine Inn. Did you see the Maine Maritime Academy? I was on a bike trip to Maine and this was a stop on the tour. Great little town. I fell in love with it!!!
We saw the outside of the Academy and toured all over the town. It was charming! ??
Loving this history tour Thanks
I am so happy you are enjoying our posts. We love hearing from everyone too. ??
Wow, so much history! Are you lobstered-out yet?? Lol.
Mummy is just about to turn into a lobster! They ordered CHINESE the other night! ????
That’s funny…walking up to a private house and looking through the windows! LOL. Sounds like a quaint little town!
It was a darling town! Thank goodness the owner of the house wasn’t sitting in the front room! OH MY LORD!!! ?
What a beautiful town and thank you for the information. I absolutely love lobster – this place sounds like heaven. You should be tour guides.
Mummy wanted to move to Castine and she could be a tour guide THERE!!! ❤️?❤️
Oh my, u sound like me i get so excited i dont always read the signs lolol,what a time u all have had in Maine,wonderful, that place has always sound so exciting to me, now i k ow why all u have seen and did, wowza!!!!!!id love to see it ,i have famy have been there they stand amazed at it, so glad ur all being blest with good food,visitors,seeing the girls, ,love all the info,thank u,prayers and safety for u all, much love sent to Maine from Missouri?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Thank you so much… we have really enjoyed your comments too. ??
I am so glad you stopped there and spent a little time!!! I love those little towns along your way! So glad y’all are enjoying your trip. ??????❤️❤️❤️
The little towns are the BEST!!! ?❤️?
Well if the people living in the house had been home I bet they’d have invited you all inside to see it! Grilled cheese and Lobster? hmmm wonder what Gordon Ramsey would have to say about that? He’s ALWAYS saying you don’t put cheese with seafood! EVER! LOL I’m glad your Mummy enjoyed it maybe she could teach Chef Ramsey a few things!
Mummy doesn’t EVEN like Gordon Ramsey! He is VERY MEAN to people… and he has OBVIOUSLY never had a Grilled lobster-cheese sandwich or he would change his mind! ????
Wow! I got behind! This is so cute!!!
Thankyou… it was adarling little town! ??