Picture yourself standing on an island off the rocky coastline of Maine.

It's really more of a glorified rock protruding from the sea if we're being honest.

It's only about a half mile long and even narrower than that, about 10 miles from the

mainland of Kittery, Maine. It's barely inhabitable in modern day. There are no facilities or

electricity, no protection from the offshore

elements save for two structures that are somehow still standing after 200 years.

Smuntynose Island in the Isles of Shoals has become an iconic part of the dark side of Maine and New Hampshire history.

The island's name is part of local folklore, said to have earned the moniker after Fisherman thought the fulsome seaweed on one end

looked like the smutty nose of some sea creature.

The Isles of Shoals is made up of nine islands, with five belonging to Maine and four to New Hampshire.

The islands have been inhabited for over 400 years and were once the site of fishing

camps for indigenous peoples until colonial settlers staked to claim on the many coves and inlets, as they were known to do.

Captain John Smith even tried to claim them as his own namesake, calling them Smith Isles in 1614, but the name never did stick.

Isles of Shoals was once considered all one town named Appledore, all part of the Massachusetts

Bay colony, before Maine and New Hampshire were their own states.

One by one, the little islands grew modest populations and separate towns formed.

Among the main islands today are tiny and privately owned Cedar Island, Duck Island,

Appledore Island, and Malaga Island, which is connected by a breakwater to the

infamous Smutty Nose Island.

I'm Kylie Lowe and infamous Smuttynudnyose Island.

I'm Kylie Lowe and you're listening to Dark Down East.

Smutty Nose Island has a robust collection of legend and lore surrounding it.

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