Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-13
The Pcmsuuid Myth Aqain.


seems to he the victim of the persist
ent Pcmaquid myth which gets into
circulation every little while to confuse
the minds of people regarding Maine )
early history. In commenting upon u
quarrel between two Of the oldest
Massachusetts towns. Gloucester and
Weymouth. as to priority OF settle
nent. the Boston Journal takes occa-
sion to refer to Pcmaquid as follows:
The first genuine settlement on the
mainland of New England was made
at Pemaquid, a few miles east OF
Boothbay, iii the State Of Maine.
There is some doubt as to the exact
date of the planting of the colony. but
there is plenty of evidence that as
early as 1915 Pcnauuid was a we'll
established and prosperous place, and
it is-or should be-wcll known that
the Plymouth colonists in their second
terrible winter were saved from starry
alton by food sent from Pemaquid out
of the abundance OF its own stores and
granaries. At that period the Pema
luid people were engaged in profitable
fisheries and trade with the Indians.
and were actually building vessels in
their own shipyards. For u long time
the place was the metropolis Of these
parts"-meaning the whole of New
England. And yet the elementary his
tories were for years absolutely silent
as to the place or its prior claims tC
antiquity over all other settlements in
New England.
The excavations recently made at
this Pompeii of New England reveal II
state of affairs at once fascinating and
suggestive. Already a number of
paved streets have been unearthed. the
stone foundations Of many houses dis
covered, great grain cisterns. found
ries, shipyards and implements re-
vealed. Everything indicates the eX-
istence OF a once highly prosperous and
important town. under the shadow Of
three succeeding forts. one OF which
was in its day the strongest in Amer
lea Here in land and naval battle
between the English and the French
were bombshellS used for the tiIst time
IN this hemisphere.
There is no spot in this part Of the
world around which clusters SO much
Of the romance OF history and tradi-
ton. all OF which is intensified b. the
fact that for years the wonders Of
Pemaquid lay hidden under the soil,
forgotten by succeeding generations.
Much yet remains to be discovered.
and meantime let us not forget that
long bef"r" Weymouth. Gloucester.
Plymouth or Boston were. Pemaquid
was
The baselessness Of the cXtravagant
claims that have been made regarding
the early history of Pemtiquid have
leading historical writer's in this coun-
try and England, and frequently en-
bodied in papers read before the Maine
Historical Society. And yet the Penn
dqud myth continues TO thrive from
| the fact that truth always has much
| difficulty IN oYcrtaking error when the
| latter gets start in the race. No
body. denies that Pcmaquid is one ol
| the most interesting places for the his
| it has enough real and we'll authcnti-
Gated historical interest to make I'M
necessary any 6f the preproSpcrous
| claims u hich have been made in Ger
tain quarters and for certain reasons
regarding it.
The best historical authorities are
agreed that there is 10 evidence that
| Pemaquid was settled or occupied by
white people previous to 1920. In fact
there is much good evidence that it
was not settled before that time
| Yet SOM. writer's have asserted that it
| was settled i'll 1907 or before and en-
! tcrprisnS parties have painted the
date 1907 III great figures upon a
boulder at Pcnaquid. The Popham
colony, as everybody has been made
aware by the recently announced plans
| to celebrate its Iercentennial. was cS-
! tablished in 1907 and abandoned in 1903
and little later it is known that there
We're fishing and trading settlements at
| Monhegan and Damariscovc. but be-
| yOnd being visited by English sailors
and by d party of the Popham colo
| nists who made only Il short stop, no