Popham: the Forgotten Colony

There were a number of settlements that attempted to become the first successful colony on the Eastern Seaboard of North America, and that failed quickly in the face of myriad challenges. One of those colonies, established shortly after the considerably more famous one at Jamestown, was established hundreds of miles north, on the rocky, irregular coast of Maine, and called Popham.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

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Script by JCG

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[themercer]

"No matter what we think about history, there is always more to be discovered." that is a great line.

[SacredWaves]

As someone that lives in Maine, and has been to Fort Popham/Popham beach. It is fantastic, and so historical. Thank you for covering yet another piece of forgotten history.

[robbrown]

As a lifelong Maine island resident, I have been to Popham many times and recall stories of there, Plymouth and Jamestown and how my family had connections with all of them. I guess it's time to call on my family historians for the information. Thanks for another great historical video!

[scottpooler]

I live in Bath, there is currently a replica of the Virginia under construction by a local society, being built in period correct ways with period tools

[Seafoam]

As a resident of Phippsburg, Maine and fan of The History Guy, thanks for a wonderful episode ! The Phippsburg peninsula is beautiful and is rich with history. Every time I go for a walk, I wonder how many people before me have walked these paths, including early European settlers and the Native Americans long before them who fished and hunted these shores. . Truly humbling to consider.

[TheKulu]

I had never heard of the Popham Colony until now. It's amazing what sort of history can fall through the cracks as time goes on.

[allen_p]

Note to self: Do not kidnap people then expect their family and community to help you. Check!

[awesomeferret]

6:58 that's a fascinating example of how reliance on a certain level of technology can be crippling and life threatening. The natives could survive and the colonists could not without outside supplies.

[stephencody]

I'm sure you're gonna get a bunch of us Mainers saying thanks for this. The first successful colony on the Maine coast, Phippsburg, still exists to this day.

[AlexMartinez-meyc]

The rediscovery of the Popham colony caused such a stir that I NEVER heard about it until today!!

[fancyfarmgirl]

water falls at 6:10 are Screw Auger Falls in Newry Maine some 76 miles northwest of Popham, the coast at 6:27 is Acadia Park near Bar Harbor 86 miles east - the coastal rock formations in Popham are Precambrian volcanic marine sedimentary while Acadia is Silurian mostly granite

[peterhaag]

I always bring up Popham and people ap rarely know about it. Popham was my favorite state park growing up so I read about the colony at least once a summer

[outpostraven]

Great episode. We vacation in Bath every year and have been to visit the site of Popham colony

[hdwarrior]

I live in Maine and have an interest in archeology and hubby and I used Staycations as home school opportunities for our daughter. We first became aware of the new dig when we were visiting the fort and we actually got to participate in unearthing and processing artifacts over the years. We were actually there anytime they had funding and good weather to help process all the finds. We were always finding hidden bits of history. We've ranged all over Maine and the most important places in Boston and Salem, Mass. (we had to go there because hubby and baby girl are descendants of Rebecca Nurse) and of course we had to check out the "witching scene" but not the main tour, we always had inside people we would run into when we would do our living history impressions or go attend one and it's a wonderful community who delights in showing the hidden treasures that the general public doesn't get to see. Like Richard Chamberlin's house... and a bunch of folks dressed in Confederate uniforms sitting on the stairs while we decided whether we were too drunk to go upstairs. Since I was the sober sister I had to make the boys go back to their tents and come back in the morning for the official tour, but I was thinking Chamberlin must be spinning in his grave, and knowing what a vain man he was and what a jerk he was I really don't care. I figure the 15th Alabama got in the last lick by occupying his house and having a drink to the ANV in his stairwell. Sometimes little things mean a lot! lol

We actually have so much history still to learn and new finds are being made every day. It is SO exciting. We could spend a life time in New England and never find all the mysteries and certainly we hit as many places on the East coast between Maine and GA (where I was from) as we could on family trips. It would take many lifetimes to explore the wonders of our land and take in all the history. I wish I had the ability to teleport just so I could see the interesting places. Touch that little piece of comb and wonder who it belonged to, how it got there. Were they sad when they lost it or did they never know? Were they past caring by then? Sometimes the family story is told in a series of tombstones and it is always heartbreaking, and you realize heartbreak was a constant companion. It was a hard life. Folks don't realize how tough it was. People were made of sterner stuff. We could use a little more of that fortitude. Edit: left out the best part... we also know some Pirate re-enactors and have been on a couple of their ships! All good stories have pirates!

[HMSGT]

While we're on the subject Of Colonial Maine, you might consider doing a piece about Paul Revere's defeat in Maine, his loss of ships and artillery and the March back to Boston.

[mbvoelker]

It continually amazes me that not just one, but many colonies were sent out with no plans to start growing food in a timely fashion.

[stuartriefe]

Another fantastic education! Lance must have a staff of thousands! (Well, dozens hopefully) You can’t make me me believe a husband, wife,
son (I only know of the son from the pod casts) and most importantly, some really smart kitties, can put all this together several times a week
without at least some help! My favorite YouTube channel hands down!

[colgategilbert]

Thanks. As a Historic Researcher in the North East, there are tons of stories like this buried away in local documents and the archeological record. While small and not paying for results, they can be fun and enlightening to uncover.

[HMSGT]

Almost makes me wish I was a kid in Primary School again. Those wonderful field trips we enjoyed from central New Hampshire to these places of colonial historical significance. It would be wonderful to visit Popham colony.

[Raptor]

I’m disappointed this was just posted! I just had left Maine after spending 6 months there for work. I flew over the Penobscot where the Americans battled the British in Reveres failed attack. This is my first of learning about this colony and now I need to go back and learn more!