BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 11, 2023
In June 1604, a ship carrying 79 French sailors made its way up what is now called the St. Croix River in what is now Washington County, and landed at a small island in the river. The island, called Metnegwis by the Passamaquoddy people, had been seasonally visited by them for many centuries, but was empty at the time. The sailors, led by French explorer Pierre Dugua de Mons, created a settlement on the 6.5-acre strip they named St. Croix Island, with plans to lay claim to the region for France and bring more people to the area. In all, 35 out of the 79 died from scurvy that winter, and 20 more were severely sickened. In June 1605, a French relief ship came to St. Croix, and Dugua de Mons and Champlain quickly chose to pack up and leave for what is now Nova Scotia. Today, St. Croix Island International Historic Site is maintained by the National Park Service and Parks Canada as the only international historic site in the parks system.