A record high tide has swept away three historic fishing shacks in Maine. These fishing shacks have stood since the 1800s and were an iconic piece of history in the state.
The tide in Maine, which set a record for the highest ever recorded in the state, measured 14.57 feet. This height usurped the previous record of 14.17 feet set in 1978 and was the highest since records began in 1912.
A storm surge was the catalyst for this record high tide, worsening what was already the highest tide of the month, according to Michael Cempa of the National Weather Service.
This record high tide was what swept away the historic fishing shacks.
What did the fishing shacks mean to the residents of Maine?
These fishing shacks were iconic in Maine. This was mainly because they had previously been a backdrop to many Maine resident’s photographs taken along the coast.
Portland resident Michelle Erskine was visiting Fisherman’s Point at Willard Beach in South Portland on Saturday. When there, she was able to capture two of the fishing shacks being swept away on video.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, she recalled how the shacks were the backdrop for her son’s senior pictures. Erskine said of the incident, “History is just being washed away.”
A brief history
The fishing shacks, which belonged to the city of Portland, had just had a fresh repaint last October before being swept away.
The shacks predate the city’s incorporation after their construction along the coast in Maine. They would then move to their most recent location in 1880. The shacks were said to have been a store for fishing gear and lobster traps in the past.
