House Island

If ever there was a setting for a mystery, House Island would be it. It's the stuff that fuels childhood fantasies.
Thought to be the site of the earliest European house built in Casco Bay, it was referred to as "the island with the old house on it," or House Island. But the island has seen more than just a house. In 1808, the US government built a sprawling fort named Fort Scammel. Later, they constructed a quarantine station for immigrants on the other side of the island.

Neither the fort nor the quarantine station saw much action. That is, they didn't see the action they were intended for. Roberta Sheaf remembers living on the island with just her mother, father and sister in the 1910s and early 20s. And, Hal Cushing lived every little boys dream: his family owns House Island and he spent summers as a boy exploring the fort and the shoreline.

Still, it's a lonely island. Never heavily populated, only a handful of people have lived there for the last century. Not quite deserted, but not quite a home, House Island continues to evoke a sense of mystery. There's just something about a sparsely populated, thirty-acre island in the middle of a busy harbor that inspires curiosity.

House Island is located in Portland Harbor, less than 2 miles from the city's waterfront, with an unobstructed view of the city. Sit back and relax as you watch tankers from foreign ports, multi-million dollar yachts, down to one man kayaks ply the protected waters of Portland Harbor.
We are a family business, oriented to tourism, area conventions, weddings, and educational programs. This private, prompt, and pleasing service has been serving the area for over 50 years..... Groups under 20 to over 1200.
Lobster Bakes on House Island are a "Shore" thing and every meal is a very special event. Your tray is adequate to carry your food to your favorite spot...We make dining out on House Island an all-out event...The clubhouse rooms are heated when needed.

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