Often when Dave and I are sitting watching the news and weather, whenever there are weather headlines- rarely is it about Maine. We joke that Maine is usually behind the weatherperson’s head, when they are talking about east coast weather. And that often, when the headlines say there will be an impact on New England, they often only mean New York and Boston. Until this year, when wildfires were mentioned, it was always California and Arizona, and aided by high temperatures and the Santa Ana winds. This year, though the East coast has had a smoky tinge to the sky we have been affected by the wildfires from our Canadian neighbors in Quebec and the Eastern Townships.
In the past we have had some hurricanes that have caused some loss of life and destruction of homes and businesses. In 1635, long before hurricanes were named or recorded for posterity, a doozy came up the coast of Maine. The reason I know about it is that there is a book about the event and a ship called the Angel Gabriel II. Another reason this particular hurricane is important, at least to me, is the fact that on August 17th, the Angel Gabriel II landed in Pemaquid, which was a small settlement of English and Native Americans on what we call the midcoast of Maine. Pemaquid was then part of the Northern District under the prevue of Massachusetts, since Maine would not become a state until 1820. The other reason I know a little bit about this is because my 9th great grandfather came to New England on the Angel Gabriel II and was one of the people who refused to get back on the ship to ride out the storm. I can only imagine that after months on the ship they wanted to be on firm soil, and they remained in the settlement with some kind folks who took them in. Those who remained on board the ship perished as the ship was sunk somewhere off the coast, and the debris field went for a mile or two, be report. My g-grandfather William Furber was an immigrant with little to his name (since most of his limited possessions were indeed spread out over the rocky coast. And it was a good thing for our family that the folks in the settlement took them in and most likely supported them through the winter, since they arrived in late August, and few had the ability or the funds to move elsewhere as fall rapidly approached. Another bit of trivia, another ship mate George Cogswell was with William that night. His toolbox is the museum at the site of the Pemaquid settlement. He is the 9th great grandfather of my sister-in-law, Gail. When I asked my mom, who was an accomplished genealogist, what were the chances that our family would have two relatives who were smart enough to get off that fated ship? She answered that if you happen to have family who settled in New England so long ago, the chances are much higher than you think. Apparently, given the relatively low numbers of immigrants living in MA and its northern district, now Maine, the marriage pool was somewhat limited.
For most Mainers the hurricanes that stay in people memories were in the twentieth century. 1938 brought an unnamed hurricane which spread its destruction from Connecticut to Maine and beyond. The first church I served in Maine was a lovely old building with a short square steeple thanks to 1938 hurricane. It originally had a tall spire with a clock in it and a bell of course. Facing the Kennebec River, it was noted that many ships looked for that steeple to mark their progress up the river. The steeple was badly damaged and so the spire part was removed, and the square support remained. I can imagine that congregations thereafter would hope to restore the steeple but did not ever have the funds to do so. They did, however, keep the weathervane and the clock works until the early 2000’s. The weathervane went into someone’s barn for storage and was subsequently sold by the survivors of the estate. It is now in a private collection worth a million dollars or so. The clock was sold in 2002 and it is in a private collection now and while it is worth more than the church got for it ($500.00) it does not hold a candle to the weathervane for rarity and value.
There has been a steady progression for tropical storms which have reached us after they lost hurricane status. The very southern part of Maine is most vulnerable due to the number of homes built on beaches down there. It is amazing how they all lament at the damage but then rebuild in the exact same spot. Makes you want to shake your head at the logic of it all. Our rocky coast further north stands up to the hurricane forces which contribute to the damage and death toll. However, Hurricane Bill hit Acadia National Park’s Thunder Hole in 2009 and swept twelve people into the water. A seven-year-old girl did not survive. The National Park is more cautious these days and closes down the park and the park road to prevent another occurrence. Still, huge waves attract people who are awed by their power, and some continue to make some questionable decisions that put themselves at risk. Last month we were scheduled to camp at Schoodic point on the sight of a former naval base that was once the hub of naval intelligence training. We canceled for a reason that was not weather related, but it turned out that all of the campgrounds of Acadia were being evacuated anyway.
I suspect more unusual happenings weather-wise will be in order as the summers get hotter, and the winters resemble the wintery mix winters more common to Pennsylvania. For our first decade here, we became acquainted with a snowfall totals of 60 to 100 inches or more. It was not unusual for there to be three feet of snow remaining in our back yard when we left for our annual mud season camping trip to warmer states. Spring was fully in bloom in Virgina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and the panhandle of Fl, and by the time we made it back to Maine, spring came with us.
I suspect as the global warming continues to happen; Maine will find itself more than the unnamed territory behind the head of the meteorologist. And as for the rest of us Mainers, we keep hoping for a real winter. We might even get mentioned in the national news report. One thing for certain, Maine people are tough and when given a challenge like the ’98 ice storm of the century, they take care of each other: delivering firewood and food by snowmobile; churches and fire stations open as warming centers; and bright orange or yellow extension cords decorate the snow drifts, to provide a little electricity to run the furnace or fridge, until power is restored. It restores your faith in humanity.
Till then we will enjoy being a place where the weather is pretty benign.
Be safe, be well.
weftalone 