Eagle Island (Casco Bay, Maine)
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Eagle Island
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Peary's house on Eagle Island
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| Nearest city | Harpswell, Maine |
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| Coordinates | 43°42′40″N 70°3′10″W / 43.71111°N 70.05278°WCoordinates: 43°42′40″N 70°3′10″W / 43.71111°N 70.05278°W |
| Area | 17 acres (6.9 ha) |
| Built | 1904 |
| NRHP Reference # | 71000069 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 23, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | August 25, 2014 |
Eagle Island is an island in Maine's Casco Bay and the site of the retirement home of the polar explorer Admiral Robert Peary (1856-1920). The island and home have been preserved as a Maine state historic site. Peary bought the island in 1881 and retired there in 1911, after he had achieved fame and glory with his (sometimes disputed) expedition to the North Pole. His family continued to live in the house until the property was donated to the people of Maine in 1967. Eagle Island was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 2014.
The island is part of the town of Harpswell, in Cumberland County, and is located about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Portland. Eagle Island is a 17-acre (6.9 ha) island in the outermost portion of the archipelago of islands that make up Casco Bay. Administratively part of Harpswell, it is 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Portland and 15 miles (24 km) south of Brunswick. The island has a maximum height of 40 feet (12 m) above sea level, and is rocky with a thin layer of topsoil. Most of the island is covered with conifers and brush; there are trails providing access to most of the island. The island was purchased by Admiral Peary in 1881. At the northern end of the island is a Y-shaped clearing in which the site's buildings are located, and a small beach area with a long wooden pier. There are three major structures on the island in addition to the pier: the Peary house, a caretaker's cabin, and a small visitor's center. The pier was constructed in 1969, and the visitor's center in 2012. There are gardens, originally planted by Mrs. Peary, which are now maintained by park staff.
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