Monhegan Island, Maine

A trip to Monhegan Island

Monhegan Island is about 10 miles from Port Clyde, ME. It is a small rocky island about a square mile in area accessible only by boat. There are no paved roads, no cars on the island only a couple of trucks transporting luggages for tourists as well as supplies to the shops.

Islanders make their living from the sea, fishing and lobstering. In the summer seasons, tourists flocks to this island and the population increases from 50+ to 500+.

Why am I visiting this island? It is in search of the one room school. One room school is still operating in this island since the 1800s. In 1986, there were 13 one room school in Maine, mostly were the island schools. As of this Fall, I believe there will be only 4 remaining.

This is a 1840 picture of the school.

There is the original structure of the school since it's beginning, taken in May of 2009. You can see there are a couple of additions in the back.


The journey and the adventure to Monhegan Island

This is where I purchased the ticket at Port Clyde

The "cruise ship" leaves the port and we are on the way and Port Clyde behind us.

Just like other ports, there is lighthouse to guide the boats

After about an hour, Monhegan Island is in sight.

On top of the hill is the lighthouse of the Monhegan Island. At the right side is the Museum where the records are kept

The port is getting closer. Before you could see the sea port, the sight of the hotel captures your full attention

One third of a mile to where I live, the island "superstore" is on my left.

and the fine dining Carina is on the right.

Further down on the right, I could see ropes and buoys

and lobster traps dotted at the left side of the road

Finally, I see a land mark (The church) where diagonally on the right is the store,

the Black Duck. I am supposed to meet owner of the lodging there and she will show me the way to her inn.

From the Black Duck store, walk around the church, we come to a steep hill. Luckily, I gave the luggage to the truck lady to transport it out to the inn for me.

After another steep hill, there is the sign of the Hitchcock House.

This is it, the island's "Hilton" Hotel.

It is not so bad. The place is clean and "roomy".

After a little rest and get the luggage the truck lady promises to leave at the side of the road, I walk down the hill.

Somehow, I turn my head and see the one room school way off at a distance.

About a mile or so tracing back where I came from, walk pass the T junction toward the school on the left, Icome upon another hill that I need to take to the museum. Mom was supposed to come with me on this trip. I wonder if she could take it.

Here I am, at the lighthouse on top of the hill and a part of the museum. The light house is no long man by the keeper since the automation in the late 20th century.

Here is an Aeriel perspective of where I traveled. In the center is the fancy country inn. To the left about a mile is where I stay, the Hitchcock House. To the right, about another mile is where the road leading to the light house and museum. The one room school is hiding behind the tall pine tree.

Painters come in the summer months to paint the nature wonders of the island. She is an early bird. The season has not started at this point.

Opposite to the light house is the research museum where the records are kept. This is Jennifer Pye, one of the curators who helped me with the research. I am only here for two days. Her help is greatly appreciated. Without her, I couldn't have done it all.

School is also the public gathering place. It is the life and blood of the community. Without the school, the community will die. In fact the school did close down for a period of 7 years waiting for the young islanders to grow up to attend the school. This is the "billboard" in front of the "superstore" encouraging people to participate in the kick ball event. The kick ball event happens to be on the day of my departure from the island.

Because I leave in the noon hour, I am able to take some pictures of the event. This is after the kick ball and the adults cook the traditional great American lunch. You guess it, hot dogs and hamburgers.

At the dock, I took this picture of a distinguished red house, I believe this is the only red building on the island.

The storage shed with the hotel in the background

and the lobster boats.

Upon departure, this lady plays the hand organ to the guests to wish them goodbye.

Looking back to the island on the boat, I could now identify the school house. It is the second one from the bottom right corner of the picture.

Goodbye, Monhegan Island. "It has been a slice."

This is the "cruise ship", Elizabeth Ann .

It was such a lovely day, people are on deck soaking up the sun and saying goodbye to the island.

The light house is once again in sight, signaling the arrival to Port Clyde shortly.

Welcome back to the "in shore" as the islanders would have said. The mainland if you may.

Here I am. The car is parked on top of the hill for the past 3 days. There is another 2.5 hours drive to Bangor.

Study Visit

Clarence's Study Visit to Bangor (April 20 - 27, 2009)

Clarence's visit was rather eventful (or uneventful) depending on your perspective. Other than eating dinner and watching once a movie with Dad, he practically devotes 10-12 hours in Nancy's bedroom to study during his visit to Bangor.

This is his upright position staring at the computer. Is he studying or playing computer games? Who knows!!

This is his slouching position when his doesn't have enough backgones.

After 7 days of hard studies, it is time for him to depart.

This Honda CR-V looks familiar. Is that Mom and Dad's car? He is nice enough to take it off Dad's hand. Since Mom's passing, Dad has no need for two cars. He keeps Mom's favorite Toyota and sells the Honda to Clarence. It is good to keep the car in the family, at least this is what we think.

It is sad to see the green "stallion" leaving home for good. This is the way it goes.

"Up, up the road and away"

It is disappearing and soon will be gone.

Noah's Ark (March 19 - April 2, 2009)

Follow the Prophet

Noah was a prophet called to preach the word.

Tried to cry repentance, but nogbody heard.

They were busy sinning - Noah preached in vain.

They wished they had listened when they saw the rain

Yeah! it was too late. The flood came and swept the face of the earth.

"Everything" was destroy.

Except the food storage on the right

and some other stuff in the ark

After 14 days, god has compassion on his servant and sent his angel to rescue him,

to drain the water out

into the stream

further away in the back yard.

When the dove brought the olive leaf back to the ark. That meant the water had receded and all was well.

Christmas and Box Day

Christmas Day

I went to bed fairly late the night before. Almost forgot to put the stockings on the couch let alone cookies and milk for Santa. Santa was such a forgiving person. Even with my forgetfulness, he....

left us with some goodies in our stockings. We must have been pretty good all year round!

Christmas breakfast consisted of potato pencakes and bacon strips. After breakfast, we set up our web cam with Clarence and family to view the grandchildren opening presents. There was a strong gust of wind knocking out power in Bangor. That was the end of that. We only watched 10-15 minutes of the happpy faces in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I had to go to the homeless shelter at 10:40 a.m. to serve dinner.

The homeless shelter is the place where Amy and I had planned to serve the Christmas dinner to the poor. To honor her, I went. It was nice to see these people being fed. I had a great time serving some of God's children along with other volunteers. I was the gravy maker along with some other chores that were assigned to me. Christmas is about giving. I was glad that I was able to give some of my time in serving them.

The wind had died down and the power was retored. We turned on the web cams again so that the children in Michigan could watch me opening my presents. These is what I have received. Many thanks

This is an ariel shot of the presents and what Santa has given us.

In the evening, I watched the Ann of Green Gable series as we have been doing it for the past years. But this year, I was watching it on the big TV screen . Thanks to Pres. Bush for his stimulus package.

Boxing Day

We invited the Lee family from Ellsworth Branch and our Bishop and his wife, the McCumbers for hot pot this day. The Lees are from Korea. The children were born in the United States.

This is Jenny and Douglas Lee

Jenny Lee was playing with her doll

Sommer was playing with her doll house.

Whereas Douglas was playing with the car transportation truck.

Bro. Lee was sitting at the head of the table with Karen McCumber sitting in between the two children

Sister Lee sat between Bishop McCumber and her daughter. We had a marvelous time. Sister McCumber made an orange cake for dessert.