Episode 21: Maine Island Living: Community, Family, and the Beauty of Chebeague with Erika Gabrielsen Neumann

What does it really mean to build a life on one of Maine’s most enchanting islands? In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with my friend and client, Erika Gabrielsen Neumann, to talk about the unique joys and challenges of living year-round on Chebeague Island.

Erika shares her remarkable journey from California to Chebeague Island where she and her family settled in the signature Log House, raised children, and became deeply woven into the island community. We talk about:

• The magic of Chebeague — why the island itself feels like a character in residents’ lives.
• Community at its finest — from civic engagement to the unforgettable “chicken funeral” that brought neighbors of all ages together.
• Raising a family on an island — the logistics of raising children and going off island for middle and high schools, and how island life gave her children independence, resilience, and confidence.
• Tradition and change — how Chebeague seceded to become its own town, and how its small scale fosters civility and meaningful conversation across differences.
• The natural beauty and daily rhythm — from her porch at the Log House overlooking Casco Bay to lobstering at age eleven, life here is grounded in both hard work and extraordinary beauty.

Erika also reflects on the deeper lessons of island living: tolerance, resourcefulness, and the elegance of welcoming others to share in what makes Chebeague so special.

Whether you’re curious about Maine’s islands, dreaming of a more connected community, or simply love a good story, this conversation will make you smile, nod in recognition, and maybe even long for a ferry ride across Casco Bay.

✨ Don’t miss the follow-up episode, where Erika and I dive into her career, conscious capitalism, and the next chapter of her life centered on “the Log House.”

The Log House

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