In 1981, previous owners Irma and William Thalheimer, deeded the property- 118 acres with 2.5 miles of shoreline- to Bowdoin College. Five miles of trails encourage visitors to experience its beauty and develop an appreciation for its natural and cultural history. As you walk the trails your footsteps trace the storied history of the land’s previous occupants: the indigenous inhabitants; colonist Joseph Orr, for whom the island was named; the Wyers and the Hansons, New England farming families; the Winnewisser brothers; and the Thalheimers who for the second half of the 20th century enjoyed its beauty during retirement.

What we offer

The Coastal Studies Center has a variety of programs and on-site resources, including a farmhouse, terrestrial laboratory, marine laboratory with flowing seawater, a sailing center, and dock and piers. The Center supports a range of teaching, research, co-curricular, and recreational activities throughout the year, including the Bowdoin Marine Sciene Semester, beginning Fall 2015.