Matthew’s Island

The 14-acre Matthews Island Preserve, acquired by MCHT in 2012, is located in eastern Cobscook Bay in an important feeding area for sandpipers, plovers, and other migratory shorebirds. Connected to the mainland from low tide to mid tide, the island rises steeply from the shoreline on all sides and is surrounded by vast mudflats. Once burned to promote blueberries, the flora is now a mix of raspberries, blackberries, and alders with forest trees on the north end. Matthews Island features 4,100 feet of saltwater frontage, a bald eagle nest site, and is highly visible to motorists heading south into the city of Eastport. 

Beware of the invasive red fire ants that are common in the Eastport area—bites are painful, so check your gear closely to avoid bringing these insects home with you. The island is available to the public for low-impact outdoor recreation as well as shellfish and other marine resource harvesting during daylight hours.

The island has a long history of human activity, dating back to when the Passamaquoddy would carry their canoes across the bar from Carrying Place Cove to access Cobscook Bay. The island was part of a 1765 land grant to Robert Bell, and Captain Charles Matthews later purchased it in 1798, calling it home until his death in 1849. Decades ago, the island was mostly open and served as a favorite destination for berry picking.