The red boathouse may have become 100 years old this year, according to a seemingly reliable report of its construction “around 1924.” When you say “the red boathouse” to a native or long-time resident around here, you don’t have to explain what you mean.
Dictionaries say that an “icon” is a symbol worthy of veneration. If so, this structure has become a regional icon – an adopted sign for the beautiful area.
It didn’t always look like this. It used to have a dock, which was subject to damage by storms and strong tides, and it was painted white. It was painted red with white trim in about 1954, and it was noticed that the hue and vibrancy of the red varied with the light. The dock reportedly was removed in the 1960s.
The change of color and simplification of structure seem to have made all the difference between a nice scene and an iconic one. They created a memorable symmetry in an ever-changing environment – a beautiful scene with a primary subject that often stands out, yet fits in at the same time.
We photographers can’t seem to stop ourselves from trying to capture the boathouse’s essence in changing light, but we never quite do. (Image taken at Conary Cove in Blue Hill, Maine, on August 12, 2024.)