A year on monhegan island, 1990

MAINE

Ten miles away from Maine's coastline is a beautiful island named Monhegan, where there are no cars and only 75 residents year round.  The main industry is fishing and lobstering, although tourist trade during summer months enables other residents to make a living.  The island is 1-3/4 miles in length and about 1/2 mile in width, traversed by trails, steep hills, rocks and ledges and spruce woodlands.  The village includes a few shops, a general story, a post office, library and one-room schoolhouse. Monhegan Island's population during the year is around 75 people and no vehicles are allowed except for a few trucks necessary to help the fisherman.

In 1989, I was offered a book contract from Ticknor & Fields, a Houghton Mifflin company, to produce a children’s book about how life on an island can be different, yet similar than other living situations around the world. I chose Monhegan Island, where I had been briefly 13 years prior with a college friend from R.I.T.. I pledged then that I would go back once I became a better photographer. In 1989 I did just that. I stayed for four months over a year's time, mostly in cottages or barns without electricity or running water. This is my story of Monhegan Island.

The last picture is one of my dog, Fred, and me on the island. Fred lived to be 15 years old. Monhegan Island was his favorite place simply because I was never out of his sight. When he died, I went back to Monhegan Island and threw his ashes over the 160-ft. cliff on the north end of the island. I was with my dear late friend Jason Stern, who took a beautiful picture of this momentous act.