Life on the Ocean’s Edge

Life on the Ocean’s Edge. Prospect Harbor. , Dorcas Library In 1932 the Dorcas Society, a Christian women’s group in Prospect Harbor that did good works for the community with money raised from sewing projects, erected a small building here with two rooms. One room was for sewing and the other for a lending library. Over the years, the efforts of library patrons and friends resulted in building additions that include a 10,000 volume collection and a children's room. Visit the beautiful cove behind the library and imagine anchored schooners., Freshwater at the Ocean's Edge , Forbes Stream flows under the bridge on your left and down over ledge rock into the inner harbor behind the library. The different elevations of the fresh and salt water made this spot ideal for schooners to sail in on the tide and resupply with fresh water. A 1772 Mariner's map named this area Watering Cove., On the high tide schooners brought dry goods to stock the three general stores in town. At the busy wharf, barrel staves, fish and ice were loaded for export., Ice Harvesting , From 1860-1890, ice was one of the largest exports in the U.S., second only to cotton. By the 1860's Forbes Stream was dammed to form a “mile-long” pond. In winter, thousands of 300-pound blocks of ice were cut by hand and stored in a huge icehouse (see map). Sawdust insulated the ice, keeping it frozen as it was shipped to Boston, New York, and as far away as the West Indies., General Store , The corner building across the street once housed the L. S. Ray store that sold general merchandise, and even furniture, from the 1910's until the 1950's.,