Column: Marshall Island offers that ‘edge of the world’ feeling

SUN JOURNAL • September 5, 2026

Marshall Island is one of the largest undeveloped islands on the eastern seaboard of the United States. The 985-acre island is owned and managed by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Forty-some years ago, Marshall Island was slated for development, according to MCHT. “A developer wanted to create a private island of ‘kingdom estates,’ complete with high-end boutiques for the residents and guests. They got as far as creating an airstrip, dock, drilling wells, mining gravel and marketing buildable lots.” The development scheme failed and the property went into foreclosure. The island was purchased at auction in 1992 by a couple who had long summered on nearby Swan’s Island. In 2003, MCHT, with the strong support of the conservation community, acquired Marshall Island from the Heffering family, with assistance from generous private donors and the Land for Maine’s Future program. ~ Carey Kish