Bar Harbor: Gateway to Acadia National Park
 |
|
| The
Bar Harbor Inn Photo courtesy The Bar Harbor Inn |
ORIENTATION
Bar Harbor lies on the eastern side of Mount Desert Island. The island lies just off the central coast of Maine, joined to the mainland by a short bridge that spans Mount Desert Island Narrows. Maine, the easternmost state in the United States of America, is adjacent to the State of New Hampshire and shares a border with the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick in Canada, the U.S.A.'s northern neighbor.
HISTORY
Prior to the arrival of Europeans in North America, Native Americans called the Bar Harbor area home for approximately 6000 years.
In 1604, Frenchman Samuel Champlain led an expedition to the island. Seeing that the summits of the mountains were barren, Champlain named the area Isles des Monts Deserts, or Mount Desert Island in English, making the area part of New France.
When the conflict between France and England over North America ended, Mount Desert Island was a contested territory for a time. Then, with the Revolutionary War, the island changed hands again, this time to the United States of America.
 |
|
| Thunder Hole Point in Acadia National Park |
In 1796, the town of Eden was incorporated. A tiny fishing and farming village governed by Massachusetts, the town was quiet, offering a livelihood to its inhabitants and an absence of major development due to its remote locale. Frederic Church, Thomas Cole and other painters from the Hudson River Valley School of Painting, changed the area forever. The paintings that these artists produced of Mount Desert Island and Eden found their way into the salons of fashionable east coast homes. As well, the paintings inspired the wealthy to visit the remarkable landscapes of Mount Desert Island for themselves. Early visitors earned the nickname of the Rusticators, since the only accommodation was in the rustic homes of locals.
As the popularity of the area grew, entrepreneurs constructed hotels to accommodate the on-coming throngs, some capable of accommodating up to 400 guests. The Agamont House was Bar Harbor's first purpose-built hotel, constructed in 1855. And as further hotels were constructed, so too were summer cottages for some of America's wealthiest and most prominent citizens. The Gilded Age, as this time has become known, brought names such as Proctor, Vanderbilt and Pulitzer to vacation on idyllic Mount Desert Island. The island became more accessible when steamship service from Boston was introduced in the 1880s. Instead of following a difficult land route, vacationers could travel in style. A timely arrival was a necessity as many of the hotel rooms in Eden were booked up to two years in advance.
In the early 20th century, Mount Desert Island saw a few changes. Between 1906 and 1916, the U.S. Government began naming important antiquities and landmarks throughout the country. In 1916, in Eden's backyard, Sieur de Monts National Monument was named. In 1918, Eden was renamed Bar Harbor, after the long sand and gravel bar that extended across the harbor, a name that locals had been using for over 100 years. Sieur de Monts National Monument was designated Lafayette National Park in 1919, eventually renamed in 1929 as Acadia National Park.
Fire swept across the park and Bar Harbor in 1947, burning thousands of acres of land, numerous homes and summer cottages, and all of the town's most famous hotels. The fire marked the end of Bar Harbor's golden age. The next era started with the construction of new hotels and inns and with the recovery of Acadia National Park. With this recovery, Bar Harbor has grown to its present day status—a summer vacation hot spot.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bar Harbor Climate Norms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CLIMATE
Bar Harbor experiences four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter.
Spring is marked by high precipitation and mild temperatures that encourage wildflower blooms and the return of seasonal birds.
The busiest visitor season, summer, sees warm temperatures, regularly in the high-70s to mid-80s (25°C to 30°C).
With fall (September-October) comes one of the most beautiful times to be in Maine. Bar Harbor is no exception. With the change in temperatures, the foliage changes from a myriad of greens to spectacular reds, oranges and yellows.
And, with the arrival of low temperatures and snow, it is no surprise that the winter months of December through February are the slower months for visitors to Bar Harbor. But, temperatures usually hover around the freezing mark, making it still possible to explore.
TRANSPORTATION
It is far easier to reach Bar Harbor today than it was in the 1800s. Located in Trenton, halfway between Bar Harbor and Ellsworth, Hancock County Airport operates regular flights to Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. Augusta State Airport, approximately 100 miles (160 km) away, and Bangor International Airport, approximately 50 miles (80 km) away, service a wider range of locations. At all of these airports, rental cars from major International companies are available.
Bar Harbor can also be reached by the water. Seasonally, The Cat runs ferry service between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. For visitors interested in boating to Bar Harbor, numerous marinas with rental docks are offered in the area, some with access to hotel facilities. As well, over 70 cruise ships stop at Bar Harbor each year.
 |
|
| Acadia National Park on Schoodic Peninsula |
When in Bar Harbor, visitors can easily walk through the town and hike through Acadia National Park. Or, a number of companies offer bicycle rentals, allowing guests to go a little farther afield.
Finally, Island Explorer links visitors to numerous destinations on Mount Desert Island. This free service (provided with park entrance fees) transports guests and locals alike on a variety of routes to Acadia National Park and other island centers. This system is also available on the Schoodic Peninsula, across Frenchman Bay, near Winter Harbor and Birch Harbor.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park spans over 47,000 acres (19,000 ha)—spread over
areas of Mount Desert Island, Isle
au Haut and Schoodic Peninsula. The landscape rises from the coastline,
through dense forest to the tops of granite mountains, such as Cadillac
Mountain, Mount Desert Island's tallest at approximately 1500 feet (460
meters) above sea level.
Along with Ranger-led programs, there are numerous activities for visitors to the park. In the winter months snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular, while in summer visitors can experience the park through hiking, bird watching, fishing, horseback riding, climbing, camping and more.
Abbe Museum
For a look into the culture and life of Maine's Native American people,
the Wabanaki (or the People of the Dawn), a visit to the Abbe
Museum is a must. Over 50,000 objects, spanning 10,000 years,
comprise the Abbe's collection. Found in downtown Bar Harbor, the museum
presents permanent, changing and traveling exhibits. From Memorial Day
until mid-October, a second museum location is open at Sieur de Monts
Spring.
 |
|
| Acadia
National Park Photo courtesy Maine Office of Tourism |
Another area museum is the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, located in the College of the Atlantic and maintained by students.
Other Attractions
For an educational tour, visit the Mount
Desert Oceanarium (at either the Bar Harbor or Southwest
Harbor location). Open from May through late October, the Oceanarium
is home to the Maine Lobster Museum and the Lobster Hatchery. Marsh walks
are also offered, providing instruction on ecological principles.
Construction of St. Saviour's Episcopal Church was completed in 1878. One of the oldest buildings on Mount Desert Island, St. Saviour's has endured numerous additions since it was constructed. The most stunning of these additions was the installation of 42 stained glass windows, ten of which follow Louis Comfort Tiffany's technique. While many of these windows are in need of repair, St. Saviour's has established a Window Restoration Fund.
Activities
Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island offer activities for everyone. Visitors
can hike
or bike through the park, take boating
and whale
watching tours, canoe and kayak,
rock climb, or bird
watch, such as on a puffin cruise.
At the end of May, the Warblers & Wildflowers Festival celebrates the return of flocks of warblers and spring flowers to the island. Join in the festivities by taking a guided garden tour, a boat tour, a bird watching hike or one of the many other festival activities.
 |
|
| Foliage
on Mount Desert Island Photo courtesy Maine Office of Tourism |
Resorts, Bed & Breakfasts and Inns
In keeping with tradition, Bar Harbor has a plethora of accommodations
that enable visitors to experience Mount Desert Island and Acadia National
Park. Instead of chain hotels,
some of which are in the vicinity, rustic inns,
bed
and breakfasts, and resort-style
accommodations are in the majority. Most of these accommodations
are located directly in downtown Bar Harbor, making it easy for visitors
to walk to town attractions,
restaurants
and nightlife.
Other Mount Desert Island Options
If staying in the busy center of Bar Harbor is not appealing, guests can
peruse the options on what is known as the Quiet Side of Mount Desert
Island. In the villages of Southwest Harbor, Northeast
Harbor and Bass
Harbor visitors will find the same quality of accommodation, attractions
and activities in more limited numbers.
