It all began on a beautiful June day in 2006 when Emmy Award-winning producer Andrea Melville visited Star Island with her family. That day, she rediscovered the magic of the Shoals and had the idea of producing a television documentary.

She learned there had never been a television program featuring the complete history of the Isles of Shoals. With an extensive program outline in hand, she began writing grants to fund her one–hour documentary, An Island Kingdom. Books were read, historians were found and the first grant was awarded; taping began in May 2007. Since then, more than twenty hours of interviews, historic photographs and beautiful views of the Shoals have been taped—with more to go!

An Island Kingdom includes important historic events dating from 1614. The program features interviews with historians familiar with the history, culture and characters of the Isles of Shoals, historic photographs, film, drawings and paintings. Music spanning four centuries is featured, composed by seacoast musicians. Actors reading letters and poetry written by residents and guests of the Shoals enhances the program while an actor portraying Nathaniel Hawthorne, who visited Appledore House Hotel in 1852, becomes the “host” of An Island Kingdom.

Many current, on-going projects that highlight present-day restoration and conservation efforts that sustain the history of these islands and strengthen their importance off the New England coast are also be featured.

An Island Kingdom has received generous support from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the New Hampshire Humanities Council. This project is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization that will receive donations in behalf of An Island Kingdom. Copies are available for purchase in the Oceanic Hotel gift shop on Star Island.