Native Americans harvested this rich estuary, camping on Casco Bay Casco Bay’s four thousand years of sustainable, stable productivity islands to hunt, fish, and dig clams. Indigenous peoples' intimate Native peoples depended on Casco Bay Estuary, By the 1730s, Europeans had begun drastically Some fish begin their lives in freshwater knowledge of the Bay’s ecosystems streams but spend much of their lives at Prehistoric spear and harpoon points, fish bones, an extremely productive natural habitat. affecting the Bay and its native residents. sea. Alewives, sturgeon, salmon, and helped them survive this dynamic coastal stripers returned upstream to spawn until and shell heaps found on Casco Bay islands system. They hunted, fished, and gathered The Estuary’s ten foot tides swept salt water upstream Dams blocked fish runs. Disease, war, and politics hydro dams blocked their passage using sophisticated tools made of wood, 4000-5000 help trace ancient peoples’ late winter, stone, bone, and clay. into freshwater streams, coves, and marshes to displaced Wabanaki tribes. The industrial revolution spring, and summer camps. While evidence year old point would bring unchecked pollution. This once-stable Using weirs, nets, nurture abundant marine life: seabirds, of ancestral Wabanaki (People of the Dawn and spears, Indians rich, ecosystem shows signs of strain. harvested fishruns shellfish, lobsters, fish, and sea mammals. Lands) dates back 2000 years, other [Left: Plummet, a sinker weight for a fishing net] artifacts reach back over 4000 years. Presumpscot Estuary Though the first people likely walked into deering Archeologists find Maine 12000 years ago – here, rising sea Stroudwater Back Cove many Deer bones in Casco Bay's prehistoric levels washed away any record of those falmouth shell middens first 9000 years of human presence. Susquehanna-era Current man-made shoreline point may be Imagine the centuries of 3000 years old 17th century natural shoreline [Nathan Hamilton, USM] Native American cookouts Machigonne [The Neck] that it took to create this midden You are here (mound) of discarded shells Many Wabanaki consider the earliest in mid-coast Maine. 2000 year old pot X occupants of Casco Bay to be their ancestors. found in a Casco Bay Today’s Wabanaki include: Passamaquoddy, [Photo: 1886] Oyster midden site island shell midden Early Mainers hunted Sea Mink was active from 2200-1100 BP Fore River Penobscot, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, and Abenaki. [Bruce Bourque, and Seals. During the 1800s’ Maine State Museum] They maintain an active maritime culture – booming fur trade, sea mink hunting, fishing, and gathering were hunted to extinction [At right] 1000 year-old carved walrus tooth found in Casco Bay midden Casco. What's in a name? In 1614, explorer Captain John Smith described south “the Country of Aucocisco, in the bottome of a large deepe bay, full of many great Iles.” portland Aucocisco (uh-kos-is-co), captures the sound of this Mi'kmaq word in English. It means Once plentiful, Cod grew Native peoples big enough to eat mature “head of bay, mud.” Is Casco a clipped form of Aucocisco’s last syllable? hunted the lobsters sturgeon which grew to over 14 feet The softshell clam middens Or, some Wabanaki scholars suggest the Abenaki word kasqu' once found on Casco Bay’s (Great Blue Heron) became “Casco.” Since migrating peoples usually named Lobster anyone? For at least 4000 islands are still being lost places for unique wayfinding landmarks, it would have been unusual to name years, harvesting shellfish has been to rising sea levels. a bay for such a common bird. How might kasqu’ have become Casco? a part of Casco Bay life As climate changed over time, marine life changed too. Clams replaced Quahogs and Oysters • Thanks to Dr. Nathan Hamilton, Dr. Arthur Spiess, Dr. Bruce Bourque • Cultural advice: Maria Girouard, Donald Soctomah Bruce advice: • Maria Bourque Arthur Girouard, Cultural Dr. Spiess, Dr. Damariscotta, ME Oyster Hamilton, Midden, Shell • Nathan Whaleback Thanks to Dr. RIGHT:

n Glaciers carve coast n Climate warms, glaciers retreat n Rising Sea levels n Climate stabilizes about 4000 BP n Europeans disrupt ecosystem 22000 years ago First Mainers arrive 12000 years ago wash away signs of possible human use Sustainable rich habitat 1730s settlements: Dams block fish runs peaks Island Casco Bay over time n Native Americans leave behind remains of cod, clams