Maine's Standing Railroad Stations offers a great gallery of extant buildings associated with Maine's railroads—stations, towers, roundhouses, yard offices and freight buildings.
A memorial plaque, which had been obscured by trees for 30 years, was rededicated at the site of the Pepperrell tomb and cemetery, off Pepperrell Road across from Frisbee's Market.
The Pepperrell Tomb was built in 1720 as a family cemetery site. When Col. Pepperrell died in 1734, Sir William purchased the Georgian monument which rests above the tomb. The memorial tablet was erected and dedicated to the two Pepperrells in 1907 by the Pepperrell Association.
The tombstone is angled to face the water; back in the early 1700s, Estes said, there were very few of the present houses in the area, and the view would've included Pepperrell docks, Pepperrell warehouse and a fleet of Pepperrell ships, clear out to the Isles of Shoals. [Link]
At the funeral obsequies of his father, Mr. Pepperrell bestowed every mark of respect that filial affection dictated. He, shortly after, ordered from London the marble structure that now stands over the vault containing the mouldering remains of the Pepperrell family, which was erected about the year 1736. This is almost the only relic of Pepperrell's day now remaining as it was at Kittery Point; and even here the vault beneath became so dilapidated a few years since, that water gained admission through its crumbling roof, and washed the dissolving remains of the tenants into an undistinguishable mass, and but for the respect entertained for the memory of the illustrious dead, by a female remotely descended from the baronet, the whole structure would long since have fallen into ruins. By her exertions and limited means the tomb was put in good repair.
Champlain gave the name of this island on that early map as Brule cote, "brule" meaning burnt, and "cote" hill—Burnt-hill. It is supposed that Champlain designated the island by some hill that had been burnt over. Some later discoverer translated "brule" burnt, but did not translate "cote", hence on his map he incorrectly gave this island the name Burnt Cote. Another, more stupid still, thought the former had made a mistake in spelling, and on his map had Burn Coat by which name it is called in a deed given October 28, 1790, as recorded in Hancock registry, book 1, page 28. Later it was generally known as Burnt Coat or Burnt Coal Island. [Link]Brûle côte is more commonly translated as "burnt coast," and suggests that the island had been scorched by wildfires before the arrival of the French explorers.
Driven mad by the violence of the American Revolution, Kench deserted the Continental Army in 1776 and escaped to this remote place, where he lived as a hermit, far from the drums and destruction of war. As a deserter, he was said to have "burned his coat" or uniform: hence the name. [Link]The island's name was again changed in the late 19th century, when the United States Geographic Board (consistent with its opposition to apostrophes) declared that it would be called Swans Island in official charts and documents—"Not Burnt Coat, Swan, nor Swan's."
