Stephanie Bradshaw

Professor Bjelland

Geog 200 / Project 2

16 December 2013

Mount Desert Island: An Island Adventure

Two summers ago I traveled to the land of Maine, specifically Acadia National

Park, which I had fantasized about. My siblings had adventured there with my parents

before I was born, and I had envied their tales of wonder. We journeyed by car, through

Niagara Falls, Canada, through New York and New Jersey, and up the east coast of Maine

until we crossed over the long bridge into a landscape that I would not easily forget. I fell

in love with Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. The culture, the mountains,

the ocean, the history all intrigued me, and after only four days, I was reluctant to leave

but promised that I would return some day.

In some ways, I was familiar with the landscape and culture; however, there was

an awe and mystique about the maritime economy and the ocean that drew my curiosity. I

live in Michigan, and as such, the thick pine forests and hilly, green land give me a sense

of familiarity. The dialect of Mount Desert Island at first seemed familiar to me, being

one of the early English colonies and a “northern” state. However, the more I listen to the

place names and the island’s history, I notice the underlying French accent that drifts

through the veins of the long-time residents and the land itself. The island was originally

inhabited only during the summer time by the Etchemin Native Americans, later called

the Wabanaki (Pathmakers). The next influence on the land came from French explorers.

Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer, first named the island “l’Isles des Monts-

deserts” in 1604, which remains in the name today, Mount Desert Island (Oh, Ranger!

26). Another French explorer’s influence can be heard in the name of one of the most

popular attractions on the island, Cadillac Mountain. The landform was not named after

the car as some people might assume but rather the explorer, Sieur de Antoine de la

Mothe Cadillac, who would later found Detroit (Oh, Ranger! 26). Many other trails,

towns, and districts have traces of the French language. “Tremont” is composed of the

French words “trois” and “mont” because of the three mountains that can be viewed from

the main city.

The landscape shows its French heritage through, not just the place names, but the

layout of the land itself. Maps of the property lines in the early 1800s show the land

divided in a French long lot distribution around the island’s perimeter, where the majority

of residents lived, and a metes-and-bounds style in the less-populated, interior regions

(Pathmakers). The settlements around the exterior of the island shows the focus on the

maritime economy. “Because of its proximity to sailing routes, the western side of the

island was settled first” (Oh, Ranger! 27). Sailing and fishing have always been the main

benefits of the island so people cluster around the shoreline. The long-lot system provides

the most people with shore front property.

The inland regions of the 1800s and the rural parts of the island today are

distributed in a mostly metes-and-bounds method shaped by the many rivers, streams,

and mountains that form the island (National Park Services). The natural landscape molds

the culture and built environment of the island. Most obvious beyond the land boundaries

is the layout of the roads. The highways loop around the shore line of the island and few

roads except in the downtown areas are straight and parallel to other streets (National

Park Services / See “Transportation” Map in attached PDF) . Roads loop around

mountains and curve around the rugged boundaries of private properties and protected

lands. Park Loop Road is especially used by tourists to see the best views in Acadia

National Park. Hiking trails spiral up mountains and encircle ponds and lakes. The

locations of towns are largely impacted by the natural landscape as well. The main towns

on the island are Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and Bass Harbor. If it

wasn’t obvious from their names, they are all located around harbors. Harbors provide

protection from the ocean while allowing easy access to the water for transportation and

maritime jobs.

From the location of the major cities, we can tell a lot about Mount Desert

Island’s economy. Obviously, it is a maritime economy since every restaurant on the

island serves some sort of sea food. According to the United States Bureau of Labor, the

majority of jobs in Hancock county, which includes Mount Desert Island, were in the

fishing, hunting, and trapping industry (“Quarterly”). Southwest Harbor is ranked one of

the top ten commercial fishing harbors in Maine (Oh, Ranger!).

Specifically lobsters are very important to the Maine economy. In Tremont,

lobstering is the primary industry (Oh, Ranger!). When driving along the shore, the first

thing one notices is a million floating buoys in the water. Each of these buoys has a

specific color pattern that is registered with the government for identification of different

families and companies. However, these buoys are not just in the water; they can be

found on the sides of buildings, on fences, hanging from porches, everywhere. Buoys are

decorated with specific colors for some families like a family crest. Artists also paint

intricate landscapes and designs on buoys that can be bought in art museums and stores

around the island.

On Mount Desert Island, lobsters are a symbol of place and pride. “Lobsters were

once so plentiful that they could be gathered at low tide along Maine’s rocky shore” (Oh,

Ranger! 18). It was not always a delicacy; because they were so abundant, people used

lobsters as fertilizer and, it is rumored, a cheep meal for prisoners (Oh, Ranger!). Today,

lobsters are still abundant, though they no longer wash up on shore. The fishing industry

has decreased the numbers of lobsters, but regulations on fishing conserve the population.

The average sized lobster is around one and a half pounds. If a lobster is under or over

the regulated catching size, it must be thrown back alive. One of the largest lobsters

recorded was forty pounds. Many restaurants serve lobster, and in Maine, they are not as

expensive as in the rest of the country, but whole lobsters are now considered more than a

cheep meal. However, lobster rolls are a very cheep common snack, much like hotdogs in

Chicago. Lobster rolls are pulled and shredded lobster meat on a hotdog or sub buns

usually with butter drizzled over it and sometimes other toppings. These treats are sold by

side shops, restaurants, and street vendors. Not only are lobsters a popular food, but also

a decoration. Almost all signs and advertisements on the island incorporate lobsters in

their design (Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor Port Directories). An ice cream

shop in Bar Harbor even offers “lobster-flavored” ice cream during the island holiday,

Lobster Fest. This ice cream shop also has a lobster sitting on a bench with and ice cream

cone for a tourist picture opportunity.

The second leading business type on the island is scenic and sightseeing

transportation and tourism (“Quarterly”). The island began attracting tourists after the

artists Thomas Cole and Frederic Church began depicting the pristine wilderness in the

1800s (Bar Harbor & Acadia). In the late 1800s, many wealthy summer vacationers

moved to the island and built large extravagant houses in the Bar Harbor region. Some

famous residents were the Rockefellers, Morgans, Vanderbilts, and Carnegies (Gilsdorf).

Many resorts opened in the area as well. This began an era of much development and

tourism. During this time, Lafayette National Park, now Acadia National Park, was

established due to the work of George B. Dorr and Charles W. Eliot in order to preserve

the wilderness. Nature wanted to remain pristine, and the fire of 1947 brought an end to

the summer-time exploitation. The flames raged for ten days uncontrollably, consuming

more than 2,000 acres of land in the Bar Harbor and Mount Desert districts, “incinerating

67 summer cottages, 5 grand hotels, and 170 year-round houses” (Bar Harbor & Acadia

11). The majority of the luxurious cottages and resorts were destroyed and never rebuilt.

Although many of the summer-timers did not return, Mount Desert Island remains

a large ecotourism destination. More than 2 million travelers come to Acadia National

Park per year (Bar Harbor & Acadia). There are many things to do on the island from

high adventure to mild walking trails and sight seeing or shopping. Acadia National Park

“has the what-to-do diversity of three national parks put together” between the

mountains, woods, and water activities (Gilsdorf 42). Hiking, biking, climbing, kayaking,

sailing, fishing, and many more activities attract all types of nature-loving people.

The geology of Mount Desert Island is exquisite, making it a prized destination

for geologists and rock enthusiasts. The island was part of the mainland before it broke

off into multiple islands (Chapman). The layers of rock are made of many sediments,

which later cracked and lava filled in forming basaltic dikes. These dikes are very visible

as a dark stripe between the lighter layers of sediment. Besides volcanic activity and

erosion, glacial movements also molded the island creating deep valleys and sloping

mountains. These glaciers also deposited quartz among the rocks all over the island.

Some other abundant minerals are feldspar, granite, and diorite (Chapman). The Maine

coast is known for its rocky beaches, so some of the beaches on Mount Desert Island

have been made by importing sand. However, the rocky coast also attracts rock climbers,

and a common pastime in the 1800s was “rocking,” when people would walk and climb

along the rugged shoreline (Pathmakers).

Walking and hiking has always been the largest attraction for tourists. In the

1800s paths went through private properties, but today the majority of the trails used and

maintained are within Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park consists of half of the

108 square miles of Mount Desert Island (Gilsdorf 44). The walking trails themselves

have a visible history as one walks along. The very first trails were portaging routes made

by the natives to move their canoes past treacherous waters (Pathmakers). Then, residents

created more paths which they maintained for public use before many donated the land to

Acadia National Park.

Before National Park Services, several organizations took over the path systems

adjusting and modifying the names, maps, and markers each time. These modifications

can be seen still when walking the trails. Blazes, metal trail markers, from previous years

can be spotted in trees and fences (Olmsted Center). Several different types of cairns,

stacked rock formations that mark trails, are scattered along trails. Today, the Bates cairn

is the main method of trail marking besides the orange, diamond-shaped blazes (Olmsted

Center). Bates was a man who created many of the trails on the island. He designed the

Bates cairn, in which two rocks are set parallel on the ground and a larger rock is set atop

them with a smaller stone pointing the direction to go on the very top (Olmsted Center).

National Park Services maintain these trail markers today and asks walkers to leave

stones as they are and not make their own.

The different organizations’ modifications can also be seen by the memorials and

trail names. Plaques engraved on signs or embedded in stone commemorate the people,

who have helped maintain Mount Desert Island’s environment. Path names originally

referred to the destination when used by the indigenous people, such as Path to Jordan

Pond and Path up Newport Mountain. Then, the Village Improvement Association (VIA)

named paths by describing the features on the path or generalizing existing names, such

as Hemlock Path and Newport Mountain Path. At this time, new paths were also named

after landowners, such as McFarland Path, geographic features, such as Ladder Path and

Goat Path, and benefactors or builders of the trails. Waldron Bates built “Chasm Path,”

which was renamed “Waldron Bates Memorial Path” after his death. Under the

administration of the Civilian Conservation Corps, “paths” were renamed “trails.” Then,

the Mission 66 Program and National Parks Services renamed the trails again, sometimes

misspelling the original names. Paths named after families were sometimes misspelled;

Jesup Path became Jessup Trail, and Gurnee Path became Gurney Trail. Some of these

mistakes have been corrected, but some names remain misspelled. Some of the older,

“historical” trails have been returned to the original name of “path” in order to honor the

past. Because of the many different groups, some trails have multiple different names

because of the many people who have impacted the land (Olmsted Center).

Name changes reflecting the island’s history can also be seen in the National

Park’s name. The name of the park changed from Lafayette to Acadia when an English

benefactor donated land on the Schoodic Peninsula to the park under the stipulation that

the name have no French ties (Oh, Ranger! 26). The source of the name “Acadia” is

uncertain. Some think that it is based off of a Wabanaki word, while others think that it is

a corruption of the scenic land of “Arcadia” in ancient Greece (Oh, Ranger! 26). Though

the names on the island are not all original, they show the history and growth of the

island.

One of the most impressive facts about the island is that the land was completely

donated. Acadia was “the first national park created entirely by land donated by private

citizens” (Gilsdorf 44). It is encouraging to think that people care so much for the

environment that they want to keep it safe for generations to come. One of the most

recognized contributors to the park is John D. Rockefeller Jr. who build forty-five miles

of carriage roads at his own expense then donated the roads to Acadia National Park

(Gilsdorf). John D. Rockefeller Jr. loved the natural landscape of Mount Desert Island

and feared what it would become when the automobile took over. In order to preserve the

land, he built the carriage roads, which are now protected by the National Park Services.

Rockefeller Jr. built the roads between 1874 and 1960, with 150 acres of land around Seal

Harbor, and permission of other landowners, he spread his road system to cover a large

portion of the island. The carriage roads are made of crushed granite and cobblestone.

The seventeen bridges are especially spectacular arches of cobblestone (Gilsdorf). Today

the carriage roads are reserved for walking, biking, horseback riding, and carriage tours.

Automobiles are banned from the carriage roads; although, the two types of roads

intersect in some places, Rockefeller’s efforts were successful. Many other

philanthropists donated land and money to the park in order to conserve the natural land.

Mount Desert Island still encourages conservation and holds onto its historic ties

with museums and festivals. The island has a great diversity of wildlife with 165 native

plant species, 60 land and marine mammal species, and more than 150 bird species (Oh,

Ranger!). Mount Desert Island also boasts some of the darkest skies with clear views of

the stars. The Starlight Festival celebrates this minimal light pollution and encourages the

continuation of sustainability on the island (Chamber of Commerce). The island

incorporates many environment friendly technologies, such as the Island Explorer shuttle.

The shuttle is free to all users and takes people around the island. The Island Explorer has

no carbon dioxide emissions as it runs on propane (Chamber of Commerce). Museums

are another way to learn about Mount Desert Island’s past and respect for the land. From

the indigenous people to the colonization of Eden, now Bar Harbor, to the current fishing

industry there are over twenty museums in the island region (Chamber of Commerce).

Historical shows and festivals also reflect the island’s history from indigenous basket

weaving to lumberjack tournaments. Forestry and logging is still a major industry today

as it was when the first European settlers arrived though the methods used today are

much different (“Quarterly”). The island is a large tourist hub, but it still retains its

historical ties and influences while conserving for the future.

The culture can also be seen in the buildings. The residential houses are in the

New England style, much like my home in Michigan, and incorporate many arts-and-

craft features, showing their early settlement history and connection to nature. The

religion of the region can be seen by the type of churches on the island. There are fifteen

churches on the island the majority of which are Episcopal and Congregational, but the

island also has a few United Church of Christ, Catholic, and Baptist (Southwest Harbor

58). There are no synagogues on the island. This shows the conservative Christian

influence on the island. The majority of the residents on the island are white although

there is a small percentage of Chinese, Native American, and African American

(American Fact Finder). From the population pyramid, we can see that the majority of

residents are retirees and young couples likely beginning families (American Fact

Finder). There are mostly single-family houses around the island. There are only a few

subdivisions and apartment buildings near the downtown areas. Another type of building

with cultural impact is the lighthouse. Although there is only one lighthouse on Mount

Desert Island, Bass Harbor Head Light, there are several lighthouses on nearby islands

(National Park Services). Several tourist cruises advertise a “lighthouse” tour cruise to

see all of the lighthouses in the area. Lighthouses show the history and tie the culture

back to the ocean.

Unlike my home town, Mount Desert Island has a long history that shows clearly

through the dust of ages, as well as the unfamiliar sea lifestyle, in which residents have

immense pride. The natural, pristine landscape and the numerous public events and

activities and local food make this place an ideal tourist destination but also the home to

many nature-loving and sea-loving folks. Acadia National Park just adds more to the

wonders of this magnificent island. The park is now featured on a US quarter as part of

the National Park Quarters Collection, and with its long history, it deserves this esteem.

Mount Desert Island is teeming with history, nature, and culture and will continue to

impact the lives of many for years to come.

Works Cited

Acadia. Acadia National Park Maine. National Park Service U.S. Department of the

Interior, 2011. Map in Print.

American Fact Finder. United States Census Bureau, 2010. Web. 6 Dec 2013.

Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Bar Harbor, ME: Chamber of Commerce, 2012.

Print.

Chapman, Carleton A. The Geology of Acadia National Park. New Haven, CT: The

Chatham Press, Inc, 1962. Print.

Gilsdorf, Ethan. “Water Meets Wonder.” National Parks: Common Ground. National

Park Services, Summer 2008. 40-45. Print.

North East Harbor Port Directory and Chamber Guide. 25th ed. Mount Desert Island:

Chamber of Commerce, 2012-2013. Print.

Oh, Ranger! Acadia National Park. 2012-2013. APN Media, 2012. Print.

Olmsted Center. Acadia Trails Treatment Plan. Boston, MA: National Park Services,

2006. Print.

Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation. Pathmakers. Boston Massachusetts:

National Park Services, 2006. Print.

“Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States

Department of Labor, 2012. Web. 8 Dec 2013.

Southwest Harbor and Tremont Port Directory and Chamber Guide. Vol. XXII. Mount

Desert Island: Chamber of Commerce, 2012-2013. Print.

Techno Ocean. The Thunder Child, 2007. Web. 9 Dec 2013.