Maine island bought by 27-year-old in 1964 later became wildlife sanctuary
Witch Island, located off the coast of Maine, has a storied history involving pirates, fishermen, and a colorful former owner named Anna Loomis. Loomis, a clairvoyant and financial seer known as the 'Witch of Wall Street,' eventually sold the island, which was later donated to become a wildlife sanctuary.
Why it matters
The story provides a historical look at land conservation and the intersection of private ownership with public environmental preservation.
Before it was a wildlife sanctuary, it was a woman's abode. Witch Island is an approximately 18-acre land area off the coast of South Bristol, Maine, United States. Named after the woman who used to live there, it was sold off to another who donated it to become a wildlife sanctuary, as per a report by Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust.The island's earliest known name was Stewart's, held by a settler whose identity dissolved into a rumour. Local lore claimed the pirate Dixey Bull once made his hideaway there in the 1630s, and a French and Indian War legend told of a corvette that ran aground nearby while fleeing a swifter British sloop. Ownership passed through the Gamage family of South Bristol before Captain Samuel H. Davis acquired it in 1830.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in