last used during World War II for coastal defense. That land was purchased by island residents in 1970. The island is now privately owned. The island has a US Coast Guard Cutter that bears its name, USCGC Cushing (WPB-1321), previously stationed in Mobile, AL and currently homeported in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Notable places The island is inhabited seasonally. A caretaker lives on the island year round. Some of the private homes can be rented. Little Beach faces Portland Harbor. Big Beach is located on the southern end of the island. Whitehead is a sheer rock cliff on the northern end of the island across from Peaks Island. Ferry service is provided by the St Croix, which departs from Long Wharf in Portland and lands at the summer dock, also known as Civilian Dock. Access to the island is for private/owners use only. Water taxi service is available from Portland. Much of the island is forested and there are walking trails. In 2021, the Cushing Island Conservation Corp. applied to the city of Portland for a waiver to allow it to spray herbicide Roundup Concentrate Plus on invasive plants on the island. The city of Portland prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides without a waiver. The Pesticide Management Advisory Committee requested more information and the application was put on hold. When the island applied Roundup to try to kill the plants in 2019 it did not work. The city had denied the 2019 waiver application, but City Manager Jon Jennings overruled the Pesticide Management Advisory Committee allowing the island to use the banned pesticide. See also List of islands of Maine References Islands of Portland, Maine Frederick Law Olmsted works Islands of Casco Bay 1623 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Private islands of Maine