Chebacco: Our Annual History Journal

Chebacco takes its name from a type of boat built in the eighteenth century in the Gloucester area of Massachusetts. In 1762, Abraham Somes sailed one of these vessels to Somesville with his wife and four young daughters, becoming Mount Desert Island's first permanent Euro-American settlers. That same spirit of voyage and discovery infuses every issue of our award-winning journal, which explores MDI's past from fresh angles, through new sources, and across unexpected subjects.

Each issue is built around an annual theme and filled with stories that go beyond the familiar: reexamined tales, emerging interpretations, and histories that surprise and entertain.

The current edition of Chebacco is available to members or for purchase online, at the Somesville Museum, or at the Sound Schoolhouse. All previous editions are free to read online below.

Not yet a member? Join the Mount Desert Island Historical Society to receive Chebacco every year and support the Historical Society’s work. You can also directly support the journal's publication by making a gift to our Annual Fund.

Dive deeper into the journal and hear from the authors themselves in our archived Chebacco Chats and Author Series.