Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-19
Pemaquid's Untold Story.

something worthy of much more notice
than it is receiving that the tercen-
tennial of the first English settlement
in New England, that at Pemaquid'
occurred several years before that OF
the settlement of jamestown, Virginia
Element are now the object OF much
interest and research and the terceh
tennial exposition in 1907 is to De naoe
a matter of national and internatiolia'
importance Pemaquid, on the o'he'
hand. though more ancient than James
town and with more numerous ana III
teresting relics of the past SUI no
than are to be found on the famous
y;ro;nia cite continues TO be neglect
Cd Occasionally the members OF
historical society make a pilgrimage
to the place, or a masaZiiie "li'ei
hr;nes /, for a passing moment to the
,houeht Of the busy world. as Mr.. Nc
crillis has now done, but II has not
ha.r given the honor which is its due
,ud its story remains untOid.
Maine has long been proud in a
quiet way, that il was settled by the
English long before the landing of the
Pilgrims on the shores of Massachu-
sets, and that it was from the coast
Of Maine that the food was sent which
later saved the Plymouth colony from
being wiped out by famine. but it has
done little to make the priority of its
settlement understood and appreciated
by the world at large. Neither has it
done all that it should have done to
preserve what time has spared of its
first settlements and preserve for pos
terity the ruins at Pemaquid and at
Popham where English men and wo-
men first made homes on our continent.
The walls Of the old forts, the rude
pavements Of the streets and the
graves Of the pioneers are still to be
seen and the antiquarian finds a field
for research such as few places in all
the New World afford. We cannot
expect to find here the broken columns
and heaped -up ruins Of some grand
city. These are only the footprints Of
a nations beginning"
Summer cottages have arisen on
these beautiful shores, and the whole
region has become the Mecca of va
cationists. This section was very
early visited by explorers and adven-
turers. The records of the voyages of
Gosnold in 1902. Pring in 1903 and
Weymouth in 1906, give long accounts
of it, particularly of the islands. Penn
aquid was raided in 1852 by the pirate
Dixey Bull; destroyed by the Indians
in 1876 and 1859, and by the French
and Indians in 1896. Though the fort
was rebuilt in part at least, never
again did the town regain its former
life. Finally in the time of the Revo-
luton, with the destruction Of Fort
Frederic, the site was utterly aban-
doned. Grass, shrubs and vines cover
ed its site: the pillow was driven over
its streets.
The first movement toward unearth-
ing the secrets buried here was made
by the Maine Historical Society, when
held field days here in 1869 and 1871,
with the result of stimulating research
and preventing further destruction.
Much has been done here by this So
ciety. The graves of many of the
| original settlers are believed to be
here. but all unmarked and forgotten
long ago. Many have been the times
when men in digging one grave have
unearthed the contents Of some other
| Even the plow has been ruthlessly
driven over a part of this hallowed
| ground. The condition Of the whole
yard Is a strong argument for prompt
action on the part of some society to
data of historic interest in this spot
| AS the scene of the earliest explora
| ton and settlement this section vii
always be interesting, since about its
relies hang the mystery of centuries
We know the story Of Plymouth anc
| the Pilgrims. Here is another story
untold. Who shall tell it? 1t is a task
| for the novelist to weave into this
warp of fragmentary history the col
ored threads of romance. Did no
the ancient city fulfil its best mission
| though il be destroyed and buried
when ii fed the Pilgrims and CAV,
| them a business that they might bles:
the world with their undying princi'
pies? Surely. in those days wher
we shall celebrate 300 years o.
/ civilization in America, the ruined
capital of the East" which interested
the crowned heads of Europe and Owe
which three nations contended, snoul'