From discover-acadia.com
In October of last year
I brought you the story of the terrible fire at Acadia National Park and Mount
Desert Island. October 17 was the 65th anniversary of that terrible
fire which changed the face of the area and the face of our Maine economy for
many years to come.
As the summer season
approaches us we will again see many visitors to the popular Bar Harbor area
and Acadia National Park. I would like to give a short history of that area to
our summer visitors to carry with them as they visit this historical site.
The mid 1800s saw the
area of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island and what was to become Acadia
National Park turn into a rustic haven for the rich. Tourism was a booming
industry.
The wealthy folks from
out-of-state who became our first “summer visitors” chose to spend their
summers in the area. Names such as Rockefeller, Morgan, Ford, Vanderbilt,
Carnegie, and Astor eventually built immense “cottages” and followed a lavish
summer lifestyle. Some of these “cottages” had 100 rooms. These folks came for
“the season.” In the days before income taxes and before the Great Depression,
they had a lot of money to spend and our state benefitted from their summer
presence.
Whole families would
relocate to the Bar Harbor area for the summer. When cars began to appear they
were not allowed on Mount Desert Island. Therefore for this and other reasons,
the summer residents referred to themselves as “rusticators” believing they
were living a rustic life. No Mainer ever lived such a lavish “rustic” life.
Today we have other
summer visitors to Maine. Not only to Mount Desert Island, but to other areas
all over Maine. (See list at the end of this story.)
The first hotel on the
island was built by Tobias Roberts in 1855. In 1868, Alpheus Hardy was the
first person to build a summer home. It was called Birch Point.
The
History of Acadia National Park
The
Land:
The land, of course, has
been here for many eons. The pink granite cliffs called Otter Cliffs were
formed 350 million years ago. Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake and other bodies of water
were formed when glaciers 3000 feet thick dug its way through the area. The glaciers
also left behind huge boulders like “Bubble Rock,” which are called glacial erratic.
Early
Residents:
The original settlers
were Native American Wabanaki Indians. When the Europeans “discovered” Mount
Desert Island, including the Jesuits, they were intent on converting the
natives. Early explorers were Samuel Champlain and Sieur de la Mothe Cadillac,
for whom Cadillac Mountain is named. For nearly a century and a half the
English and French fought for control of the area.
By the end of the
Revolutionary War, The United States took control and by the 1800s there were
several settlements on the island.
Establishment
of Acadia National Park:
The wealthy visitors to
Maine in the summer did more than take from the area, they also gave. Some of
the landowners saw a need to preserve Acadia for future generations. Men like
George B. Dorr and John D. Rockefeller saw to it that many lands were donated
and/or set aside…6000 acres by 1913. They were directly responsible for the
establishment of Acadia National Park.
The name of the park
started out as Sieur de Monts National Monument but the status and name changed
to Acadia National Park in 1929. Today the park consists of more than 47,000
acres.
These pictures are from
the National Park Service site. The first one is of Cadillac Mountain in the
fall and the second one is of Otter Cliff.
Acadia National Park contains more than 120
miles of historic hiking trails. Many of these trails were established by local
village improvement societies in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today many of
the historic features, such as stonework, are still visible.
Today the park sees more
and more visitors which is putting a strain on the over-burdened and
underfunded national park system. Thanks to the dedication of federal employees
and volunteers, Acadia continues to welcome its summer visitors.
The
End of the “Cottage” Era
The Great Depression,
tax problems and finally the great fire of 1947 saw the end of the “Cottage”
era of the 1880s. Maine’s summer economy suffered for many years. A brick
mansion called “High Seas” is one of the last remaining summer cottages in the
area of the fire. It sits on a point overlooking Frenchman Bay. The mansion is
surrounded by National Park land and is owned by Jackson Laboratories.
I remember when I was
very little that I went on a boat trip with my parents along the area where
many of the cottages were. Some abandoned cottages were pointed out along the
way. It must have been just before the fire or else I wouldn’t have remembered
it. Those places would have all been gone after the fire. It was a ghostly
feeling to imagine how many people once called these places home in the
summertime and who now were all gone.
There are still visible
areas that show where the fire was in the form of barren spots and new growth
along the coast—65 years later! It takes a long time to grow a new forest.
Here are
just a few of our more recent famous summer residents. There are many more. If
you want a complete list there are several sites on Google to go to:
John Travolta and Kelly Preston,
Islesboro: They have owned a house on Isleboro for decades now. We
had to ask John not to fly his big plane into Knox County Airport, however. I
believe he now flys into Bangor.
Glenn Close, Scarborough:
lives part of her summer in the Cumberland County town.
Willem Dafoe, Otisfield:
The “Spider-Man” star owns a winter retreat on Thompson Lake in Oxford County.
Stockard Channing, Georgetown:
She summers here.
Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes,
Belfast: The couple — she known for her work on “General Hospital,”
he as Commander Riker on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” — own a house and
business in Belfast.
Patrick Dempsey, Harpswell:
is a born and bred Mainer — born in Lewiston, grew up in Buckfield — now has
property in the Cumberland County town of Harpswell.
Kirstie Alley, Islesboro:
Though it appears she has now sold her home, the star of “Cheers” owned a
palatial estate on the Penobscot Bay island, along with her friends John
Travolta and Kelly Preston.
Susan Sarandon, Bar Harbor:
The Oscar winner has spent a number of summers on Mount Desert Island.
Martha Stewart, Seal Harbor:
The domestic goddess’ second home is in Seal Harbor, in a beautiful, well-kept
estate.
George and Barbara Bush,
Kennebunkport: The 41st president of the United
States has summered in Kennebunkport for decades.
Our beloved State of Maine will
always draw those people who love our special natural beauty. We welcome them
all.
Note:
Next month I will try to bring you more on activities and special places of
interest at Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. For an online guide to the
park go to:
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