Allen and Benner Islands are interdisciplinary study centers located at the edge of Muscongus Bay, 5 miles south of Port Clyde, Maine. The islands were developed by Betsy Wyeth, the wife of American artist Andrew Wyeth, to serve as the inspiration for many of her husband’s last paintings. Colby College has taken ownership of Allen Island and Benner Island from the Up East Foundation and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art as part of an initiative to preserve these extraordinary areas and continue to utilize them as centers for learning, research, and creative inspiration. The channel between the islands forms a well-protected harbor with large commercial docks that support an active lobster fishery. The islands have homes, meeting spaces, classrooms, working barns, and a bunkhouse, allowing for up to 30 overnight guests. The south end of Allen Island is undeveloped and can be accessed via a dirt road running through large tracks of native trees. A professional staff of five maintains the Island Campus and provides year-round boat service from Port Clyde (weather permitting).
Island Campus Programing: As stewards of these extraordinary islands, the college is actively encouraging interdisciplinary programming that makes effective use of the islands’ facilities, landscape, wildlife, habitats, art, and culture. We expect most programs to run during warmer weather (April through October), but winter programming is also an option for smaller groups.
Overnight accommodations include seven private bedrooms, a sixteen-person bunkhouse, and abundant tenting options. Colby provides transportation to Port Clyde, food, and logistics support for faculty, staff, and students. Programming can be scheduled at all times of the year, but transportation to the island is more predictable from April through November. It is a five-mile, thirty-minute boat ride from Port Clyde to Allen Island.
Faculty and staff interested in Allen Island opportunities should contact Whitney King ([email protected]) and the Island Campus team ([email protected]) for more information on existing programs and to schedule a planning visit. Student groups are welcome but must have a faculty/staff sponsor.