Swans Island located off the midcoast area of Maine is about 6,000 acres and is located on a coasting route. The island was first charted by Samuel de Champlain while exploring the coast in 1604. He named the island 'Brule-Cote', or Burnt Coast. In 1786 the island and other islands located nearby were purchased by James Swan, a participant in the Boston Tea Party. Swan built a large mansion on the island and offered 100 acres of land to anyone who would live on the island for 7 years. Eventually, Swan ran into financial troubles and ran away to France and ended up in prison.