Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society

09/14/2026

🦞 A QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR VISITORS! 🦞

Today, Emily stopped by the Deer Isle~Stonington Historical Society and had a question:

Why did lobster traps used to have a round top? 🤔

If you’ve spent any time around the harbor, you know that lobster traps have changed quite a bit over the years. But those older traps with the distinctive rounded tops got Emily wondering, and now we’re wondering too!

So, all you lobstermen and lobsterwomen, retired fishermen, fishing families, and local maritime historians out there…

What’s the story behind the round top?

And since Stonington is Maine’s largest lobster port, we have a feeling there are plenty of people in this community who know the answer! 🦞⚓️

Help us answer Emily’s question! Tell us what you know in the comments, and if you have an old photo, story, or memory about these traps, we’d love to hear that too.

Sometimes the best local history comes straight from the people who lived it.

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09/14/2026

What a wonderful Community Day we had today, even with the rain!

Visitors came through our doors, explored all of our exhibits, enjoyed some treats, and took the time to share stories and memories with us. The rain certainly didn’t stop people from coming out to celebrate our history and our community.

We also had a special demonstration by Nat Barrows, who brought our antique printing press to life in the barn. Nat came to Deer Isle~Stonington and took over Island Advantages, becoming its editor and publisher. He used this type of equipment to print posters and later generously donated the press and other printing equipment to the Historical Society.

During his demonstration, Nat shared the fascinating story of the California job case, including how the compartments were sized according to how frequently each letter is used in the English language.

And for those who like a little challenge, here’s Nat’s TRIVIA question:

What letter belongs in the ONE compartment that is larger than all the others?

Put your guess in the comments!

A very special congratulations to Matthew Williamson, our 2026 Volunteer Docent of the Year! Matt has shared his time, knowledge, enthusiasm, and love of our community with visitors throughout the season. We are so grateful for all he does and hope to see him welcoming visitors for many years to come.

And finally, apparently we weren’t the only ones enjoying the grounds today. Before we even opened, a hungry fox stopped by, found a chicken lunch, and settled under our apple trees.

Those familiar with Cherie Mason’s Wild Fox, set right here on Deer Isle, may remember Vicky, the wild fox at the heart of the story, and her fondness for chicken. Apparently, some things haven’t changed!

Thank you to everyone who came out today, to our wonderful volunteers, and to everyone who continues to support the Deer Isle~Stonington Historical Society.

09/06/2026

COMMUNITY DAY

Join us Sunday, September 13 at the Deer Isle–Stonington Historical Society for a special afternoon celebrating our community, our history, and the wonderful volunteers who help keep the Society going!

Exhibits open at 1:00 PM (Archives will be closed)
Come explore the exhibits, bring your family and friends, and enjoy the Society one more time before we close for the season.

🖨️ 2:00 PM – Historic Printing Press Demonstration
Nat Barrows, editor of the Island Ad-Vantages, will demonstrate our historic printing press and share its connection to island community journalism.

🎉 4:00 PM – Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
After Community Day, we’ll gather to celebrate and thank our incredible volunteers, board members, friends and supporters who made this season possible.

🏆 We’ll also be honoring our Volunteer of the Year and celebrating the special contributions that make our Historical Society such an important part of our community.

There will be light refreshments, good company, and hopefully a few surprises along the way!

If you’d like to bring a non-heated, shareable treat or refreshment to contribute to the celebration, please reach out to Destinee.

Deer Isle~Stonington Historical Society
416 Sunset Road (Route 15A)
Deer Isle, Maine 04627

Come for the exhibits, stay for the celebration! We’d love to see our community there.

08/23/2026

What a beautiful, quintessentially Maine day on the water for the Deer Isle~Stonington Historical Society’s annual boat ride fundraiser!
Once again we departed from the original site of Stonington’s historic Eastern Steamboat Wharf landing, connecting us to the island’s maritime past. During the steamboat era, vessels like the J.T. Morse carried passengers, mail and freight along the Maine coast, long before the Deer Isle–Sedgwick Bridge opened in 1939. Today, passenger and mailboat service to Isle au Haut continues that enduring connection to the sea.

As the morning fog lifted, we traveled around Deer Isle, taking in granite shorelines, homes, islands, lighthouses, unique navigational landmarks and some iconic schooners and boats enjoying a Sunday morning sail. Making our way under the bridge that forever changed the way islanders and visitors planned their travel then finally returning to where we began.

Many thanks to Captain Garrett Aldrich, local historian William Haviland and Chris Sockalexis of the Penobscot Nation. Chris’s beautiful drum performance was an added highlight of the day.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported the Historical Society as we preserve and share these stories for generations to come.

08/07/2026

REMINDER: THE ANNUAL FUND RAIDER BOAT RIP IS SCHEDULED ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 23RD. Tickets are being sold now and must be pruchased beforebefore the trip. This season the trip is around the Island. Either call #207-348-6400 or stop into the Society's Gift Shop/Post Office. Hope you join us for the fun!

07/27/2026

This past Saturday, the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society was honored to once again partner with the Island Fishermen’s Wives Association for the annual Fishermen’s Hall of Fame Ceremony. Family, friends, and community members gathered to celebrate three outstanding local fishermen whose lives and careers reflect the hard work, dedication, and traditions that have shaped our island.

Congratulations to our 2026 Hall of Fame inductees:
⚓ Timothy C. Eaton
⚓ Theodore “Ted” Boyce
⚓ Jonathan A. Eaton

Each of these men has left a lasting mark on our fishing community through their skill, leadership, mentorship, and commitment to preserving our island’s proud maritime heritage. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this special tradition another memorable success.
Be sure to stop by the barn and check out our new video about the work of the Fishermen’s Wives association and how it all began. You will find it the boathouse.

Coming Up This Thursday, July 30 at 2:00 PM

Join us at the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society for “Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for Finding Long-Forgotten Gravesites,” presented by Dr. Bert Yankielun, P.E.

Learn how this fascinating, non-invasive technology is helping uncover forgotten chapters of Maine’s history, including historic burial grounds in Stockton Springs and Stonington, and hear about a proposed survey of Deer Isle’s historic Settlers Cemetery. It’s a unique opportunity to discover how science and history come together to preserve our past.

Admission is ALWAYS free, and everyone is welcome! We hope to see you on Thursday at 2:00 PM.

07/22/2026

Join Us for a Weekend of Local History at the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society!

We have two wonderful programs this week celebrating the people and stories that have shaped Deer Isle and Stonington.

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 23 at 2:00 PM
Early Deer Isle, the Early Church & the Island’s Early Black Settlers

Join Drs. Barbara and Alan Chesney as they share years of research into Deer Isle’s early history, the Deer Isle Sunset Congregational Church, and the island’s early Black settlers.

Barbara Chesney is a retired educational psychologist, program evaluator, business owner, and longtime leader in the Daughters of the American Revolution at the chapter, state, and national levels. Her passion for Revolutionary War history led her to research the life of Salome Sellers, a Real Daughter of a Revolutionary Patriot, and she is currently documenting the 250-year history of the Deer Isle Sunset Congregational Church.

Alan Chesney is a retired sociologist and higher education human resources administrator who has spent decades studying how organizations and communities thrive. A summer resident of Deer Isle for 80 years and a full-time resident for more than a decade, Alan now serves as Barbara’s research partner while also volunteering on local town committees and at the Deer Isle Sunset Congregational Church.

Together, they will explore how and why the island’s earliest Black settlers came to Deer Isle, the important contributions they made to our community, and the enduring legacy they left behind. (Can’t make it?-they will present it again on August 27th. )

Saturday, July 25 at 1:00 PM
Honoring Our Fishermen – Fishermen’s Hall of Fame Ceremony

The Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society is proud to once again co-host this annual event with the Island Fishermen’s Wives Association to honor the 2026 class of local fishermen.

For many years, this meaningful ceremony was held at the fishermen’s pier before moving to the Fishermen’s Hall of Fame, located in the Historical Society’s barn. Established to recognize both past and present fishermen, the Hall of Fame pays tribute to the hardworking men whose dedication, skill, and perseverance have sustained our island’s fishing heritage and helped shape our community for generations.

Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society
Museum exhibits and gift shop will be open for visitors to enjoy before and after the ceremony.

We hope you’ll join us for this special weekend celebrating the people, history, and traditions that make Deer Isle and Stonington such extraordinary communities. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome!

07/06/2026

Thursday, July 9th, The Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society invites the community to Salome Sellers Day and Open House from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at 416 Sunset Road, Deer Isle.

This lively afternoon celebrates Salome Sylvester Sellers, a true Daughter of the American Revolution, whose 1830 homestead stands at the heart of the Society’s campus. Visitors can enjoy demonstrations, speakers, exhibits, and a special appearance by the Society’s own “Salome Sellers,” bringing island stories to life with warmth and a little old-fashioned charm.

Don’t forget to stop inside the historic Old Post Office and gift shop. You will find , lots of books about the local history, T-shirts, hats, prints and copies of historic island maps.

Admission is always FREE and any donation makes you a member!

Come explore the stories that shaped Deer Isle and Stonington, from the native first peoples, island families to granite, steamboats, the working waterfront, and more. Bring your curiosity, and a love of local stories for a memorable afternoon.

For more information, call 207-348-6400.

07/03/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July from the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society! 🇺🇸

As we celebrate America’s 250th this holiday weekend, we invite you to stop by this summer to explore, and reconnect with the incredible history of Deer Isle and Stonington!

Admission is always free, because we believe our island history belongs to everyone.

We are also excited to invite you to join us for our 2026 Boat Trip, Sunday, August 23rd. This year we’ll sail around beautiful Deer Isle and Stonington while enjoying the stories, scenery, and history that make this island community so special.

Tickets are $80 per person
We leave from the Isle au Haut Boat Services dock in Stonington
*Departure is at 9:00 (arrive to the dock by 8:30AM)
*Return is around 1:00 PM

Don’t forget your camera and binoculars! From the water, the harbor, village, islands, and working waterfront can feel almost timeless, like a view from another era.

Boat trip tickets may be purchased in advance at the Old Post Office, located on our Historical Society campus during normal open hours. While you’re there, check out our tiny gift shop for T-shirts, hats, books by local authors, prints, including two print sizes of a stunning Jill Hoy painting of Salome Sylvester Sellers’ homestead.

For more information or to reserve your spot, please call 207-348-6400 or stop by the Post Office on campus.

416 Sunset Road, Deer Isle, Maine
Exhibits are now open Wednesday through Friday, 1:00–4:00 PM
June 25,2026-September 18th, 2026.

This coming week, we hope you’ll join us for our Open House and Salome Sellers Day on Thursday, July 9th. Bring your family and friends and enjoy live demos, including our printing press and more as we celebrate the people, places, and memories that continue to preserve our history.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Caroline Smith Rittenhouse, who passed away peacefully at her home in Stonington on June 14, 2026, at the age of 95. Caroline was a dedicated supporter of the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society, and her work helped preserve treasured pieces of island history. Her books about people and places of this beautiful island include An Island Woman: Salome Sylvester Sellers 1800-1899, Stonington Scraps, and Phenie Warren Bray Remembers South Deer Isle and Burnt Cove. Her contributions continue to be part of the living history we are proud to share.

Whether you stop in to browse, purchase a book or gift, share a memory, or join us on our annual fundraising boat trip, your support helps keep Deer Isle and Stonington history alive.

Our Society is run by one part-time employee and a dedicated group of generous volunteers. While admission is always free, any donation gives you membership and helps us preserve our buildings, care for our collections, share local stories, and continue welcoming the community for generations to come.

Please consider joining today by making a donation by scanning the QR code included with this post or stopping by during open hours.

Thank you for your support. We hope to see you soon!

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and meaningful Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

07/01/2026