Peaks Island, Maine

Peaks Island is the most populous island in Casco Bay, Maine. It is part of the city of Portland and is approximately 5 km (3 mi) from downtown. The island became a popular summer destination in the late 19th century, when it was known as the Coney Island of Maine, home to hotels, cottages, theaters, and amusement parks.

Hollywood film director John (Feeney) Ford was known as "The Mayor of Peaks Island" because of his great affinity for the island. He vacationed there from boyhood through the early 1960s, worked as an usher at the Gem Theater and was a deckhand on the Casco Bay Lines ferries in his youth. Ford family members still live on the island.

Besides the Gem, which featured famous performers including the Barrymore family, two other summer theaters were located on the island. One, the Pavilion, opened in 1887, is said to be the first summer theater in the county. The Greenwood Garden Amusement Park sported the Greenwood Garden Playhouse.

George M. Cohan tried his productions out at the island's theaters before taking them to Broadway. Circa 1908, D.W. Griffith was torn between continuing to appear in plays produced at the island's playhouses as he frequently did or heading to Hollywood. Jean Stapleton's first professional appearance in the summer of 1941 was in a production at Greenwood Garden. Martin Landau also made his professional stage debut in a 1951 production of "Detective Story" at Greenwood Garden where for several seasons he was a resident cast member.

Most of the hotels were lost to fires over the years. The Gem Theater was destroyed by fire on September 7, 1934. 17 buildings burned to the ground on June 2, 1936, including the new Union House Hotel. The only original hotel structure remaining on the island is the Avenue House, which has been converted into condominiums.

During World War II, the island was home to a large military defense installation, including the largest structure, Battery Steele, which housed two 16 inch (406 mm) guns. When Battery Steele's guns were first tested, windows on the opposite side of the island shattered.

According to the 2000 census, Peaks Island is home to 843 year round residents, but in the summer its population swells to 5,000–6,000. The island is served by Casco Bay Lines ferry service and is home to its own elementary school, library, and police station.

In 2005, after a property tax re-evaluation made by the city of Portland, a group of island residents proposed that Peaks Island secede and form their own town. Following the procedure set out by the Maine state statute adopted following the successful secession of neighboring Long Island in the early 1990s, the group seeking secession supplied the requisite petition to the City seeking separation. Subsequently, in June, 2006, at an election supervised by the City, participating voters voted 58% to 42% to secede from the City in a very contentious and emotional vote. The Portland City Council in turn voted unanimously against the proposal, triggering a series of negotiations between a team representing the City Council and a team representing only the secessionists. Concurrently, the secession group introduced a bill in the state legislation in early 2007. After vigorous debate before the joint State and Local Government Committee by both the group pushing for secession and islanders in favor of staying part of Greater Portland, the secessionists were unable to prove to the committee that the island could be better run and financed by the residents without substantial aid from the city of Portland and the state. The bill was assigned an "ought not to pass" designation and the Committee chair refused to send it on to the full legislature for a vote. As a result of the secession fight, the Portland City Council, with urging from the State and Local Government Committee, set up a seven-person Peaks Island Council to advise the City Council on matters affecting Peaks. The PIC will be formally elected by registered Peaks Island voters on the first Tuesday of each November, commencing on November 6,2007. It is hoped that the new Island Council will help heal some of the deep personal wounds that have been the result of such a divisive issue and narrow vote.

References

* Clough, Leon S., editor; "Peaks Island 1776–1976 Bicentennial Directory"

External links

* [http://peaksisland.com PeaksIsland.com]
* [http://cascobaylines.com Casco Bay Lines]
* [http://www.peaksisland.info Official Peaks Island site]