PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025
Shackford Head in Eastport is a rugged promontory extending nearly a mile out from Moose Island into the turbulent tidal waters of Cobscook Bay. Shackford Head State Park protects the 90-acre headland, where some 3 miles of hiking trails lead to fine views. In the 1970s, Shackford Head was the proposed site of an oil refinery, but the project was strongly opposed because of the navigational hazards imposed by Cobscook Bay, as well as the scenic and wildlife values of the land. The Pittston Company abandoned the plan in 1983, and six years later, the property was acquired by the state of Maine with help from the Land for Maine’s Future Program. ~ Carey Kish