Editing Criehaven, Maine (section)

== History ==
Criehaven is pronounced "cree-haven", after Robert Crie (1826–1901), an early landowner. He and his wife, Harriet Hall (1829–1919), moved in 1849 to Ragged Island, where Robert became successful in farming and lumbering. Island chronicler Charles McLane wrote that in 1879, Robert owned the whole island, and in 1896, all of their five children with their wives and husbands and children lived there, too. He incorporated Ragged Island as the plantation of Criehaven in that year, and for the next few decades it was a thriving small community. In addition to fishing, sheep raising, and farming, Mr. Crie for many years kept a general store at Criehaven. McLane asserts that after Crie's death, the "vigor of the community was gradually drained by natural disasters and changing times."<ref name = "McLane">{{Cite book| last =McLane  | first =Charles | title =Islands of the Mid-Maine Coast   | publisher = Island Institute  | volume =I   | edition = (revised) | year =1997   | pages = 48–49   | isbn =0-88448-185-9  }}</ref>

With its population dwindling, Criehaven plantation dissolved in 1925 to revert to a 'wild land' obviating the need for town meetings and further taxation. The school continued to operate until 1941.  After the school's closing, the accelerating departure of year-round families cost the island its general store and post office as well. A "lively summer community of fishermen and vacationers" continues to occupy Ragged Island according to McLane, but there has "rarely been year round habitation in recent years."<ref name= "McLane"/>

Ragged Island on early charts in 1754, 1776, and 1819 is shown as "Ragged Arse Island".<ref name = "McLane"/> McLane asserts the name "Ragged Arse Island" might have been an attempt to render "Racketash", Abnaki for "island rocks". Charts in the mid-19th century began calling it Ragged Island but, McLane asserts, the Matinicus lobstermen continue calling the island Ragged Arse "out of perversity".<ref name ="McLane"/> Ragged Island dubs itself the "Island of Lobsters", and boasts of being the farthest offshore inhabited island on the East Coast.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.criehaven.org/|title=Criehaven|website=www.criehaven.org|accessdate=June 25, 2023}}</ref>

The island is the former home of writer [[Elisabeth Ogilvie]] and the inspiration for her "Tide Trilogy."{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} Writer Dorothy Simpson lived on Criehaven for many years.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}  A fictionalized version of Criehaven is the setting for the web series "[[Ragged Isle]]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bangordailynews.com/2011/03/21/living/maine-island-of-mysteries-featured-in-web-episodes-of-the-new-‘ragged-isle’/|title=Maine island of mysteries featured in Web episodes of the new ‘Ragged Isle’|first=Emily|last=Burnham|date=March 21, 2011|website=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=June 25, 2023}}</ref>