Site of Annie C.Macguire Shipwreck
by Carla Parris
Title
Site of Annie C.Macguire Shipwreck
Artist
Carla Parris
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photograph
Description
This is the site of a mystery!
On Christmas Eve of 1886, around 11 P.M., the Annie C. Maguire, a British three-masted clipper ship sailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, ran aground on the ledge of Cape Elizabeth, right below the Portland Head Light.
The event is shrouded in mystery and intrigue because, although the waters are treacherous because of the rocks and the rocky coastal ledge, and it was a stormy night, crew members indicated visibility was not an issue; they reported they "plainly saw" the lighthouse before the shipwreck and were unable to account for the disaster. Was it a true accident, or maybe an insurance scam?
Thankfully, all onboard the barque were successfully rescued by lighthouse keeper Joshua Strout and his son, who ingeniously rigged an ordinary ladder into a gangplank between the shore and the ledge, and assisted each person across to safety, one by one. Mrs. Stroud lent assistance by tearing a blanket into strips and dousing them in kerosene, fashioning a light source for those helping with the rescue. She and the family also extended hospitality by serving Christmas dinner of chicken pie the next day to their unexpected guests.
We may never know all the facts behind that shipwreck, but the event is still commemorated by handpainted lettering on rocks at the site of the event which are clearly on display for visitors walking on the coastal sidewalk leading to the Portland Head Lighthouse and the museum in the former Keeper's House.
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November 25th, 2022
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