Moose Island
Encyclopedia
Moose Island is an island in Maine
located at the entrance to Cobscook Bay
from Passamaquoddy Bay
in the Bay of Fundy
.
Connected to the mainland portion of Washington County
at Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation
by a causeway
, the city of Eastport
occupies several islands, including its major land mass, Moose Island. Other islands comprising the city include Carlow Island, Spectacle Island, Goose Island, and Treat Island, along with other islets. Quoddy Village lies at the northwestern end of Moose Island, while the city's downtown lies at the eastern end of the island. The Eastport Municipal Airport lies between Quoddy Village and downtown Eastport.
, Moose Island was seized by British naval forces who took control of the entire Maine coast from Penobscot Bay
to the St. Croix River.
Following the war, the United States relinquished its claim in 1817 on several larger islands in the Bay of Fundy that were also claimed by Britain (Campobello Island, Deer Island, Grand Manan Island) and Britain relinquished its claim on islands in Cobscook Bay
.
During the 1930s, the ill-fated Quoddy Project was spearheaded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
as a tidal power
project for the Cobscook Bay area as part of his New Deal
through the Public Works Administration
. Part of this project involved construction of a tidal barrage between Moose Island and Pleasant Point to contain the waters of Cobscook Bay, resulting in the present-day causeway carrying Maine Highway 190 and the abandoned Maine Central Railroad.
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
located at the entrance to Cobscook Bay
Cobscook Bay
Cobscook Bay is located in Washington County in the state of Maine. It opens into the Bay of Fundy immediately south of the city of Eastport and adjacent to Passamaquoddy Bay...
from Passamaquoddy Bay
Passamaquoddy Bay
Passamaquoddy Bay is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, between the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Most of the bay lies within Canada, with its western shore bounded by Washington County, Maine. The southernmost point is formed by...
in the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
.
Connected to the mainland portion of Washington County
Washington County, Maine
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 32,856. Its county seat is Machias.Sometimes referred to as "Sunrise County" because it is the easternmost county in the United States, and it is often where the rising sun first shines on the 48...
at Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation
Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation
Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation, also known as Sipayik, is an Indian reservation in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 640 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
by a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
, the city of Eastport
Eastport, Maine
Eastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
occupies several islands, including its major land mass, Moose Island. Other islands comprising the city include Carlow Island, Spectacle Island, Goose Island, and Treat Island, along with other islets. Quoddy Village lies at the northwestern end of Moose Island, while the city's downtown lies at the eastern end of the island. The Eastport Municipal Airport lies between Quoddy Village and downtown Eastport.
History
During the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Moose Island was seized by British naval forces who took control of the entire Maine coast from Penobscot Bay
Penobscot Bay
Penobscot Bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River. There are many islands in this bay, and on them, some of the country's most well-known summer colonies. The bay served as portal for the one time "lumber capital of the world," namely; the city of Bangor...
to the St. Croix River.
Following the war, the United States relinquished its claim in 1817 on several larger islands in the Bay of Fundy that were also claimed by Britain (Campobello Island, Deer Island, Grand Manan Island) and Britain relinquished its claim on islands in Cobscook Bay
Cobscook Bay
Cobscook Bay is located in Washington County in the state of Maine. It opens into the Bay of Fundy immediately south of the city of Eastport and adjacent to Passamaquoddy Bay...
.
During the 1930s, the ill-fated Quoddy Project was spearheaded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
as a tidal power
Tidal power
Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity....
project for the Cobscook Bay area as part of his New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
through the Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
. Part of this project involved construction of a tidal barrage between Moose Island and Pleasant Point to contain the waters of Cobscook Bay, resulting in the present-day causeway carrying Maine Highway 190 and the abandoned Maine Central Railroad.