Land Trust Receives Gift of Land on Orr’s Island

HARPSWELL— Russell Houghton and Patty and Allan Graves have given the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust three acres of land on Orr’s Island.  The parcel extends from opposite the Lowell’s Cove Road to the shore of Beal’s Cove and includes most of the cattail marsh next to the road, grassy paths and fields, copses of trees and a path down to the shore.  The Trust will operate the land as a ‘pocket park’ for use by the public for walking, picnicking, and getting to the shore via the ‘hauling out place’. The Trust will call it the Houghton Graves Park in honor of the donors.  The park is the 10^th preserve acquired by the Trust.
 
The gift comes from a long heritage and a deep connection to and love of the land.  The donors’ family has owned the land since 1763 when Michael Sinnett bought 30 acres on Orr’s Island.  The land was divided over the decades as each new generation built house for their families.  Next to the gift parcel, Royal Graves built the “Royal Rest” in for his wife Susan Sinnett Farr whom he married in 1857.  Royal Graves was a farmer, he kept cows, horses and he did a lot of gardening. Royal had a business delivering milk all over the island. For his gardens, seaweed was one of the fertilizers. Royal had a “hauling out place” onto Beal’s Cove.  The cart path down to the waters edge gave him access the shore with his wagon and horses to load up the seaweed for the gardens.
 
Royal and Susan’s son George Graves (1857-1942) would be the next one to carry on the farm. Although George learned the ways of the land, he was more interested in going to sea. George pursued deep-water fishing and fished the Grand Banks.  George married a woman from up country, Josephine Beal. She was not fond of living down by the ocean, so they moved to Lisbon Falls and raised two children, but they kept the island property. At one point they did put the “Royal Rest” up for sale for $2,500, but it didn’t sell.  George and Josephine eventually moved back to Orr’s Island and in the late 20’s began taking in boarders.
 
Overlooking Beal’s Cove two cottages would be built, named The Snuggle Inn and Spyglass and now fallen into disrepair. Boarders would stay in the main house as well as the cottages and all the guests would take their meals in the main house.
 
George and Josephine’s children were Royal Graves II and Susan Graves (“Susie”). It would be Susie who would continue to keep the “Royal Rest” boarding house and cottages going, with the help of her husband Clyde Houghton.  Susie and Clyde had three children:  Pauline, Caroline and Russell.  Of those, it was Pauline Houghton, who had attended the Fannie Farmer Cooking School in Boston, along with her mother that kept the boarding house flourishing. The kitchen was busy and brimming with recipes clipped from the newspapers.  Susie and Pauline were always cooking and baking, creating something new for their guests to eat.  Pauline would also open the “Green Anchor” gift shop.
 
Russell Houghton can recall wonderful memories as a child with his Grandfather George: how George taught him to make hay, to feed and milk the cow, plant a garden, and dig clams down in the cove. He recalls how open the land was then; his mother could call him home as he fished from his rowboat out by the mouth of the cove.
 
Royal Graves III (Russell’s cousin) who spent many summers on the island remembers fondly family cookouts down at the shore, putting corn, potatoes and lobster on seaweed over a fire. Royal also remembers the Sebascodegan & Aucocisco, the mail boat that came from Portland. He and Russell earned 10 or 15 cents delivering mail on the island by bicycle.  One of Royal’s big childhood adventures was taking a trip in a rowboat with friends. By drilling a hole in the seat to allow for a sail, they set sail from Beal’s Cove towards the open land on Johnson Point.  As they sailed around Johnson Point they felt like Columbus. The explorers made landfall on the far side and camped overnight.
 
Access to the park will be via a path around the northern edge of the marsh.  The land trust will install a fence and shrubbery along the edge of the path to direct the public into the park. HHLT will also remove the two cabins at the south end of the park. 
 
Since 1983 the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust has been a membership supported non-profit land trust working in Harpswell.  The Trust holds conservation easements on 19 properties comprising over 950 acres and 5 historic buildings.  The Trust also owns 10 preserves comprising over 200 acres.  Eight of the preserves are managed for low impact public recreational use.  The Trust has built and maintains trails on 6 of the 8 preserves. 
 
HHLT also operates a day camp for one week each summer for kids ages 7-11 to introduce them to Harpswell’s natural world and has initiated a community garden program integrated into the curricula at Harpswell’s two elementary schools.  HHLT also sponsors walks and talks about Harpswell’s (and Maine’s) natural and cultural heritage, and cooperates with other organizations of like purposes.