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It looks more valuable than it is. This is just a penny, found while gardening
at the Isles of Shoals this summer. But every discovery, as we see it, unlocks
a treasure trove of nostalgia. Island correspondent Linda Anderle offers another
installment of exclusive on-the-scene photos from recent renovations in and around
the historic Oceanic Hotel.
SEE ALSO: Treasures from Star Island
EVEN MORE SHOALS HISTORY TREASURES
The Bar in Gosport House
No, not that kind of bar. This is a steel bar found under the floorboards during
renovations at the Gosport House in the summer of 2005. We don’t know exactly
what it was for – yet. But some have speculated that this sturdy item was used
to help raise the building and move it to its current position. The Gosport House
was originally run by Origin Caswell, a member of a prominent Star Island family. When the original Oceanic Hotel
burned soon after it was built in 1875, earlier buildings were recycled to create
a quick new hotel that survives today. The Gosport House with the Atlantic House
(run by brother Lemuel) were raised and moved a short distance. This item may
have helped in that process. Other ideas? Email us. (click for more pix)
Good Luck Penny
Find a penny, have good luck all day. That may be especially true when you find
a large US cent dated before the Civil War. Somebody sorely missed this 1853 penny,
since back in those days, many of the fishing families at Gosport, NH were desperately
poor. With any luck the penny was lost by one of the early visiting tourists like
Nathaniel Hawthorne who visited in the year before. Staffer Laurence Saunders
found the coin and displays it proudly. To discourage a horde of treasure hunters
with metal detectors, we are not showing you exactly where the penny was found.
There is a rumor that gold coins were once found on the Shoals and Sam Haley reportedly
discovered two silver bars. But with all the tales of treasure we hae yet been
unable to authenticate any money found on the islands -- excpet for this penny.
(click for mroe pix)
 Message in the Chapel Attic
Once torn down for firewood by the poor Star Islanders, the Gosport Chapel has survived amazingly well despite brutal weather. The latest renovations uncovered
a message in the rafters from Uncle Oscar that reads: "This side of roof blown
of (sic) in the great November gale of 1898, Repiared in July 8th 1899 by Oscar Laighton."
According to photographer Linda Anderle, the roof is merely being replaced with
cedar shingles that should last as long as Uncle Oscar -- 100 years. Bob Frye's
guys are doing it, she says. The inside was cleaned of soot and repainted this
season by Dave and Patty Boynton's volunteer paint crew. It is quite bright in
there now, Linda says, when the candles are hanging. A number of 'soft' plaster
spots were removed and redone and a bit of masonary work at the door also. (click for more pix)
 The New Turnstile
It seems a funny concept. In the middle of Star Island stands the turnstile,
allowing one visitor through at a time like in any city subway station. But on
the other side, instead of a subway, is the wild end of the island with low lying
bushes, tons of poison ivy, and a series of graves, tombs and anceint nineteenth
century monuments. The turnstile was likely designed to keep animals out rather
than let people in during the days when sheep, goats and cows were raised as food
for hundreds of hotel guests.
The turnstile has seen a number of repairs. This year it was replaced. The wider
turnstile is based on early photos and sits between the renovated mortarless stone
wall built in recent years by Pelicans under the direction of Dan Snow. Initially
the wall may have gone from one side of the island to the other and there is talk
of expanding it again. The new turnstile was hand-crafted by Will Fielding of
locust wood with old fashioned tools and pegs. A model of it was presented to
outgoing Star Island Corp directors Paul and Lisa Jennings. (Click for more pix)
 The Date in the Wall
This series of photos began in the spring during the work on the Gossport House.
Last year opening a wall revealed a load of junky treasure. This year there was
a single scrawled date – 1868 – with indecipherable initials. This would have
been before the arrival of John Poore who bought up most of the land in the center
of the island to build his hotel in competition with the Laightons on Appledore.
Poore built his Oceanic Hotel in 1873 and after the fire, purchased the two surviving
hotels owned by the Caswell brothers. Eventually the Laightons bought the Oceanic from Poore and held a virtual tourist
monopoly at the Isles of Shoals. (click for more pix)
Photos and text copyright (c) 2005 by Linda Anderle and SeacoastNH.com. All rights
reserved.
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STAR ISLAND DISCOVERY PHOTOS
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