Over a century of family stewardship and vision transformed a modest Maine property into a thriving preserve for wildlife and the public.
WRITTEN BY LAWRENCE MERRILL
“Beginning at a small spruce…” The story of the Carter Nature Preserve began at a small spruce tree, in a deed from Asa S. Green to Laura E. Carter dated May 22, 1886. It didn’t actually become the Carter Nature Preserve for over 100 years, but from 1886 forward it was land that was treated well, where wildlife was always welcome. Today there is no small spruce tree where the description began, but there is a large spruce stump where it once stood.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the transaction was that Laura E. Carter, who was my great-grandmother, was the named buyer. She was married and the mother of seven children, and in the 1880’s, most women allowed their husbands to handle important financial matters. Another surprising thing is that it was a substantial transaction. The deed covered two other parcels as well as the current-day Carter Nature Preserve. With hundreds of feet of shore frontage on a beautiful bay and many acres, it would all be worth a small fortune today.
Laura sold off the other parcels, and just before she died in 1909 she conveyed the future preserve to her husband, Jasper. He had joined the Union Army in the Civil War, and had lingering disabilities from his service. He cut firewood, dug clams, and fished from the land until his death in 1917.
Shortly after Jasper died, his seven children signed over their interests as “all heirs-at-law of Laura E. Carter and Jasper Carter” to Mary L. Carter, who would become my grandmother. She was the wife of Frank M. Carter, one of the seven heirs. He was a stonecutter, having carved at least two beautiful tombstones still located near the Carter Nature Preserve. Unfortunately, he suffered from debilitating lung diseases common to stonecutters, and wasn’t able to work enough to keep his family of four children above the poverty line. He died in 1920, and his family had to move across the state to live with one of my great uncles on his farm.
Mary kept the property, never really using it, until 1947, when she passed it on to her sons Leland and Frank, who were supporting her. Leland had no particular interest and Frank just thought it would be nice to put a camp on it, but access problems prevented that, so he gave Leland his share. Leland owned it all when he died in 1988, and his will left it to his sisters, Laura and Frances. Neither used the property after they acquired it, and they tired of paying taxes.
When they were approached about creating a nature preserve, they sold the property to the Blue Hill Heritage Trust for a bargain price. The transfer was made on July 4, 1995.
The transfer has been good for all concerned. Easements from neighbors have solved the access problems. Trails have been built and improved. Two landowners on the other side of the Cross Road got into the spirit of things and created the Furth-Talalay Nature Sanctuaries, with more miles of walking trails open to the public.
One thing that stands out to me is the great variety in an easy, short, pleasant walk. There are massive ledges and boulders. There are sand beaches and gravel beaches. There are clam-producing mud flats. There is soft wood. There is hard wood. There are shrubs and grassy areas. The other two nearby sanctuaries take you through more woods, meadows, and mossy areas. A trip to 38 Cross Road in Surry will be well worth your time. Parking is usually available.
Special thank you to the Blue Hill Heritage Trust for sharing these images and map of the Carter Nature Preserve.
For more about the Blue Hill Heritage Trust, visit bluehillheritagetrust.org.
