Islands of Casco Bay: Peaks Island "Shore Dinners"

Today we offer a little more history on one of the more accessible Casco Bay Islands to Portland, Peaks Island.

Peaks has been enjoyed summer destination island for quite some time. Peaks was once a rendezvous point for Indians who went there for summer excursions and clambakes.

By 1850 William Jones had begun to turn Peaks Island into a tourist destination for day visitors from Portland. He turned his boarding house into a restaurant that served shore dinners. Guest enjoyed fresh lobsters, steamers and corn at Jones' Restaurant.

The arrival of the steam ferry to the area in the late 1800s brought a great tourist boom to Peaks. During this time Peaks boasted an extensive boardwalk, roller coasters, vaudeville acts, roller skating rinks and fireworks every evening.

The en vogue activity was to take the steam ferry from Portland to Peaks and take in a show. Ferry and show ticket cost all of twenty five cents.

Though today the boardwalk, roller coasters, roller skating rinks and daily fireworks no longer exists, elements of Jones' vision still do. Peaks still is a popular day trip destination from Portland.

These days every Sunday a great crowds coalesce upon Peaks to take in reggae at Jones' Landing, round trip ferry $4.10, buckets of beer $10. I've never seen a vaudeville act at Sunday reggae, but I sure have seen some interesting ones....

CHART metalwork's exhibit the "Islands of Casco Bay" is on display through the end of January at Hilltop Coffee Shop, 90 Congress St., Portland, ME. "Shore Dinners" features a medium silver pendant on sterling silver choker featuring Little John Island and a large silver pendant on choker featuring Peaks. The jewelry can be purchased separately or as a collection with frame and story...

...or, you can always customize your own special piece.

Find your way home... a CHART story

Hi there folks! Well, I know it's not due, but I received a "thank you" e-mail today with a picture and a great story behind a beautiful piece we made for the holidays and could not pass up posting today. Enjoy!

Just wanted to share a picture of the wonderful buckle you custom made for our 18 year old son. Josh has spent the last two years working on the Lily B out of Freeport Harbor. This year he will head off for college and we know he will always be able to find his way home to his family and the Maine coast when he has on his wonderful CHART metalworks buckle.

We thank you for your wonderful work.

Lisa and Tom

Looks like our belt buckle made a great holiday gift. Don't forget to gift a great gift this Valentine's!

Wear your world, tell your story. What is yours?

Islands of Casco Bay: Cliff Island - "Sunken Treasure"

Today we offer some history on Cliff Island. Watch out Johnny Depp, Casco Bay was once home to real life pirates!

Cliff Island was once the hide away for the villain pirate Captain Keiff. He lived alone on the island in a log hut. On stormy nights he would tie a lantern around the neck of his horse and would ride up and down the shore. Many a poor sailor mistook the glimmering light as a beacon guiding them to safety and misguided, would wreck upon the perilous ledges and reefs which surround the island.

The clever Captain Keiff would then salvage the cargo and kill any survivors. All his victims were buried in a grassy meadow on the island which is still know today as "Keiff's Garden."

CHART metalwork's exhibit the "Islands of Casco Bay" is on display through the end of January at Hilltop Coffee Shop, 90 Congress St., Portland, ME. "Sunken Treasure" features a large bronze pendant on sterling silver choker of Great Chebeague Island, a small bronze pendant on bracelet featuring Eagle Island and a bronze charm bracelet featuring Hope, Cliff and Jewell Islands. The jewelry can be purchased separately or as a collection with frame and story...

...or, you can always customize your own special piece.

Monday's CHART Story... a day late

Well today, Tuesday, Monday's CHART Story comes a day late but it's definitely not a dollar short!

We made a necklace for Kit of Christmas Cove. It's gorgeous, if you've never been, plan a trip. Christmas Cove is where Kit spends a good part of the summer, a place he looks forward to returning to every year to see his summer friends and spend time with his family. For Kit it's a place with many happy memories, sailing, boating, hiking, tennis and picnics. He wanted the necklace to help remind him during the winter months of happy summer days just around the corner. We're confident we accomplished that with his beautiful pendant.

A significant someone have a beautiful summer spot to bring them through the winter months? Gift them a special Valentine's gift.

Wear your world, tell your story. What is yours?

Islands of Casco Bay: Haskell Island - "From Rats to Cats"

Today we offer some history on Haskell Island. If you're a rat or a cat lover you may not want to proceed.

There once was an old lobsterman who resided on Haskell Island. He lived there alone with the exception of a plague of rats. One day the mainlanders noticed there was no smoke coming from the old lobsterman's chimney and they sent over an expedition to check on him. To their horror, they found him dead and half eaten by rats.

Two younger lobstermen, the Mills brothers, devised a plan to get rid of the rats. They brought a dozen of the meanest, toughest and largest cats from the mainland to the island. The cats emerged triumphant over the rats but as the young and foolish lobstermen did not confine their selected rate eaters to one sex, soon, the island became overrun with feral cats.

The Mills brothers grew to love their cats and cared for them as they could, however, soon, it became impossible for visitors to land on the island without being attacked by the vicious pack. The Owner of the island demanded the young lobstermen remove their cats but they would not comply. One morning they awoke and ventured to check on their cats to sadly find the whole of Haskell covered with dead cats.

An investigation lead to the discovery that under cover of darkness a brave soul had invaded the island and spread poison for the cats to eat. The heartbroken Mills brothers never returned to Haskell Island again.

CHART metalwork's exhibit the "Islands of Casco Bay" is on display through the end of January at Hilltop Coffee Shop, 90 Congress St., Portland, ME. "From Rats to Cats" features a medium bronze pendant on sterling silver choker of Haskell Island and a silver charm bracelet featuring Hope, Cliff and Jewell Islands. The jewelry can be purchased separately or as a collection with frame and story...

...or, you can always customize your own special piece.

Islands of Casco Bay: Little & Great Chebeague - "Innovative Caretaker"

Today we offer some history on the Islands of Great and Little Chebeague. These stories are more fun then listennening to someone not from Chebeague try to pronounce "Chebeague!"

Chebeague is derived from the Indian word "Chibidisco" meaning "Island of Many Springs." An odd choice for an island located in a state with only two seasons: winter and visitors. They must have been referring to springs of the liquid sort.

The first owner of Great Chebeague was Sir Fernando Gorges, known as the "Father of Maine," or more commonly in his time "Senor Gorges."

The isolation of Great Chebeague has been threatened from time to time by plans for a bridge from Little John Island connected to the mainland via Cousins Island, but, so far, the idea has never come to fruition.

On Little Chebeague there used to be a fair sized colony but during World War II the government took over the island as a recreation center and evacuated all the inhabitants. After the war it was abandoned and left to a caretaker, his family and a flock of sheep, no joke.

Under normal circumstances in order to hail a ferry the caretaker would do what any other islander would do, no, not buy a ticket at Casco Bay Lines, but rather, hang a red lantern. However, in some seasons the island was so shrouded in fog that the ferry helmsman could not see the lantern and the caretaker had to be creative.

Under these circumstances the caretaker would catch one of his flock and tie it to the end of the wharf. Naturally the isolated sheep didn't like this very much so it plunged around, "baa-ing" at the top of its lungs. Upon hearing this the ferry helmsman, who couldn't miss the lamb made siren, would obediently stop.

CHART metalwork's exhibit the "Islands of Casco Bay" is on display through the end of January at Hilltop Coffee Shop, 90 Congress St., Portland, ME. The "Innovative Caretaker" features a belt buckle of Great Chebeague and a key ring of Little Chebeague. The jewelry can be purchased separately or as a collection with frame and story...

...or, you can always customize your own special piece.

Monday's CHART Story

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

Hope everyone had a great holiday season and thanks to everyone that supported us through the holidays and 2009, because of you it was a great success!

Please continue to support us through 2010.

Our Monday CHART metalworks story is about Jasper, a local Portland bar tender, who I am sure some of you know well. For Jasper we made a sharp small bronze on Leather Cord of Higgins Beach. Higgins Beach is where Jasper enjoys to walk his Egyptian Basenji Dogs.

Wear your world, tell your story. What is yours?