CHAPTER XVI

GREAT DIAMOND ISLAND

The history of this island, located just across the channel in a northerly direction from Peaks Island, dates back to the year 1635 when a lease was given to George Cleeves and Richard Tucker by Sir Fernando Gorges, the King of England's Representative. Diamond Island is one of the earliest settled parts of our state. There is an old chart dated 1760 that shows farm buildings on the south side of the island. One can still see the remains of an old graveyard with unmarked stones. The deep water near Diamond Cove was believed to be the area in which Captain Christopher Levett, the first white man to explore Casco Bay, anchored his vessel in 1623.

Sir William Phips, the greatest treasure hunter of all time, also anchored at Great Diamond before going to the Louisburg campaign.

There is a particular area that should be examined carefully. This spot is almost directly across the channel from Trefethen's Landing of Peaks Island. Here you will find an old abandoned ruin of a farmhouse cellar. This old cellar belonged to one of the oldest farms on the island. I most certainly would check this area very thoroughly, as articles of real interest may still be in the vicinity. Check the old brick walls then the inside area, after which proceed to go over the grounds surrounding the cellar. Some of the ancient tools and implements may be waiting for your metal detector to bring them to light.

At the beginning of this chapter I mentioned George Cleeves and Richard Tucker. They were the founders of Portland, Maine, so this section of Casco Bay is a hub of the wheel of history in this bay and the state itself. The south shore is the side towards Peaks Island and the metal detector should be used along the beaches and high ground on this side of the island. Don't forget to check around any large trees that stand alone, as the Indians liked to bury their dead in these areas. Stone clubs, tomahawks and grain grinding tools might be in the immediate vicinity.

Looking back over the history of this island it wouldn't be too far fetched to imagine the landing here of pirates, maybe to take on fresh water and lumber. Speaking of pirates, I would check the south-easterly end of the island, as this section is the closest to the open sea, a good landing spot for a longboat coming from the old galleon itself anchored a few hundred yards from shore. It could be a locality where a little pirate loot may be buried, who knows?