Wednesday, November 29, 2017

ABANDONED CARRIAGE ROAD ENTRANCE TO POND

Today this is more of a well worn path, but back in the day this was once one of the main entrances onto the Aunt Betty Pond Carriage Road.  At its starting point, at the bottom of a steep shoulder along route 3, there is an old iron park gate near three large boulders, so you know this route was once pretty well used, most likely as a short cut to the pond.  You enter Park Headquarters off the Eagle lake Road to the far right, go to the stop sign, and look for a paved path on the right beyond the stop sign.  This threw me off because I was looking for a dirt path, but the first section of the path is paved.  The paved path takes you quickly to a small field with a generator, along with several small storage units or sheds.  Here the path turns to dirt and crosses one edge of the small field to a series of steps that lead down to a make shift bridge that connects to the Aunt Betty's Pond Carriage road.
So if your parking your car at Park headquarters, this short cut can really save you time walking to Aunt Betty's Pond.


EAGLE LAKE CARRIAGE ROAD
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK




On the Carriage road end this make shift bridge kind of gives away the fact that there just might be a path there.


In the photo above you can see some of the stone steps leading to the small field.


In this photo you can see the storage areas near on end of the field.


This photo shows the paved section of the path between the field and the Park Headquarters parking lot.


AUNT BETTY'S POND - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK











Saturday, November 25, 2017

SECRET PARK RANGER TRAIL







At the intersection, a right hand turn quickly came out well behind Park Headquarters at a kink of car graveyard of sorts, other cars further back included an older ambulance.  At first we had no idea where we were at, there were cars, trucks and machinery all around the place.  But once we got around the corner we knew it was well behind Park Headquarters.



How would you like to change a wheel on this thing.....not sure this would come in handy in a high speed chase.
As I have said many times, often when you go on a search, no matter how well you research it, you often end up finding something you were not counting on, as was  the case today.  Went back to the Brewer Ice Company area for more photos, located parts of an old rusted truck.  Decided to go explore the area around the stone bridge, when close to the intersection there we spotted what appeared to be a path leading up into the woods.  We followed it and it soon came out by the Eagle lake road, with an old paved road running to the left - it begged to be followed.

It is really a short section of paved road that quickly comes to a storage area used by the park Service, mostly piles of granite blocks and a storage trailer.  But just before we arrived there, we made note of a very well worn trail which entered the woods, so we returned back to that worn path.  This path was not your average abandoned trail, this was a well worn and well maintained trail, brush trimmed back, fallen limbs and trees removed from the trail, well kept up - we knew we had a good find.


MAP OF EAGLE LAKE
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK



We arrived at an intersection and my son said we should go right, but I over ruled him and we went left.  Even though we were passing through deep woods, the trail was amazingly kept up and soon we came to the Aunt Bettys Pond Carriage Road.  We looked at the path we had just stepped off of and it was hard to tell there was even a path there.  And directly on the other side of the carriage road the path continued down through the woods until we came to the Eagle lake carriage Road, we looked back and again could hardly tell a path was there.  Directly on the other side of the eagle lake carriage Road the path continued down to the edge of Eagle lake - but why?
We retraced out way back to that intersection where my son wanted to go right, and followed it.  A short ways through the woods we crossed a small wooden bridge, and a short ways beyond that we came out behind the Park Headquarters, with one sing post that read, "Park Employee Eagle Lake Path."
It was than that I started thinking about how this well maintained path simply ended at the edge of the lake - why?  I remember looking across the lake, there was a clear view of the Boat landing, as well as much of the shoreline on the other side of the lake.  Could this be a look out point where rangers could secretly scan the edge of the shoreline with binoculars, keeping an eye out for anyone violating the NO SWIMMING law that applies to Eagle Lake?  Clearly this well groomed and well worn trail runs from Park Headquarters to the edge of the lake for a reason.
One thing is for certain, this is an unmarked trail and not easy to find, with only one trail sign by the park Headquarters, way out in the rear and around a corner where a large number of park trucks, plows, and other equipment is kept.  We even saw an old ambulance back there.

SECRET PARK RANGER PATH
by Eagle Lake bridge
Latitude  44 22' 38" N
Longitude  68 15' 12" W
Trail by Old Road
Latitude    44 22' 35" N
Longitude  68 15' 22" W
Intersection
Latitude    44 22' 31" N
Longitude  68 15' 21" W

Trail by Eagle Lake Bridge (unmarked)
Abandoned Road
Abandoned Road - Park Storage Area Ahead

Trail from headquarters to lake

Here the trail crosses the Aunt Betty's Pond Carriage Road and continues down to the Eagle lake Carriage Road.  Even though the trail is well worn, it is still hard to see from either of the Carriage Roads.

GO-PRO VIDEO OF UNMARKED PARK RANGER TRAIL


Wednesday, November 8, 2017

"Schistostega Cave." of Bald Porcupine Island




 The following story concerns a deep cave on Bald Porcupine Island, which I had not heard about until now.



BALD PORCUPINE ISLAND - Acadia National Park

The group went out in Leonard Youngs boat and after failing to effect a landing in the surf below the cave circled the island and went ashore in the calmer harbor waters just north of the breakwater.  With 150 feet of 3/4 inch rope furnished by the Park Service they worked their way about a mile through the woods to the top of the cliff above the cave.  The rope was tied to a tree  and than lowered over the precipice so that it hung across the mouth of the cave.  Jim Armstrong, one of the summer students, slid down the rope hand over hand but we doubt he would try it again.  The rest climbed down the less precipitous hillside nearer the breakwater, worked their way around the shore to the shingle below and than climbed up the rope the forty feet or so to the cave.
The cave itself, which appears to be a fault in the rock partly cleared out by a glacial stream, goes back at least 100 feet into the hill.  The boys who went furthest in with flash lights, still could not see the end of the cleft. About 80 feet from the mouth of the cave a cross had been scratched on the rock and there was evidence of someone having dug below it (hidden treasure, Indian burial or just small boys?)  Dr. Robert Spiers of Jackson Laboratory acted as official photographer and took pictures both inside and  outside the cave.  The scientists returned with specimens of the moss, photographs, some sun burn and sore muscles, but a great deal of satisfaction.
The cave is an interesting part of Bar Harbors many sided attractions which deserves to be protected.


BAR HARBOR RECORD
NOV. 20,  1895
CAPTAIN KID'S TREASURE
(note;  this old article appears to be the first time the cave on Bald Poccupine Island was located.)

It Is Biried In Cave On Bald Porcupine

Men rambling over Bald Porcupine island in Frenchmans Bay a few weeks ago, discovered by accident a big cave on the southern side of the one hundred and fifty acres of rocky soil, where the government is now building a breakwater to protect our beautiful harbor from the inroads of the ocean which wildly sweeps in from the rough wind swept coast.  Bald Porcupine Island is one of the many islands in Frenchmans Bay which, on account of its inaccessability, has not been made a place of visitation by the summer tourists and has been used mostly for sheep raising the last half of a century, the question of its ownership having been in dispute in the courts several times.
Harvey Hodgkins and a man named Bunker of Bar Harbor, were strolling about the island and when near the highest ground on the breakwater side at a point commanding a view of the ocean for miles beyond Egg Rock Lighthouse, saw a dark spot in the cliff above them resembling an entrance to a cave.  At first glance the approach seemed inaccessable from where they stood and the top of the rough cliff towered fifty feet above.  After an half hour struggling with the scrub brush on the sides of the cliff, Bunker and Hodgkins reached the spot which seemed to guard the entrance with huge rocks piled there by the action of the elements.  Moss covered the rocks and the soil showed that the foot of man had not trod there for years, if not for centuries.
They successed in rolling away one big boulder which went crashing down the cliff towards the ocean and disclosing to their astonished sight an opening large enough to admit of the entrance of a person standing errect.  A volume of foul air rushed out as if the entrance had been closed for centuries, and it was several minutes before the discoverers dared enter the narrow passage which appeared to lead downward for a dozen feet from where they stood.  Bunker let himself in for a dozen feet but soon appeared again and told his compainion that it was as dark as night within and that the passage led away to the right into a chamber of considerable dimensions.
Bunker and Hodgkins were so elated over their discovery that they decided to abandon their exploration for the present and wait until they procured torches and lanterns.  They knew that men were than digging for Captain Kidd's treasure near Ellsworth, only a score of miles away, upon a new theory of location, and it required only a small flight of imagination to to convince them that if the fanous pirate had buried his wealth anywhere on the Maine coast, he could not have selected a better place than the cave on Bald Porcupine.
They rolled stones in front of the entrance and secretly securing torches at the engine house of the breakwater works, telling the men that they were going fishing, returned and began explorations.  When they had stepped within the cavity the light from the torches lit up a huge vaulted chamber about fifty feet long  and from fifteen to twenty feet in heigth.  There was a noise as of running water at the further end and as they stood irresolute to advance they shouted at the top of their voice and the echo answered again and again until the sound died away in the distance.  The floor of the chamber was almost as level as a barn floor and was covered with a ozzing mud to the depth of a foot or more.  Bunker and Hodgkins began to get scared and one suggested that they suspend exploration until they were better prepared, especially as in one corner there was a peculiar snapping light such as they had seen when hunting pole cats.
The light from the torches began to grow dim also and at once they recalled that the foul air of the cave was fast sickening them, and they hurried out into the open air with blanched faces and throbbing hearts that beat high in anticipation of the possible treasure cave whose secret was known only to them.
Bunker and Hodgkins than pledged each other that they would not reveal their secret to anyone and that they would divide equalily whatever wealth, if any, should be found in the cave.  The secret leaked out, however, and they consented to take a few friends to the spot.  In the party besides themselves was Sereuus H. Rodick, Milton Rodick, and Fo??tais Rodick of Bar Harbor who are acquainted with every spot about Frenchmans Bay.
They were enjoined to secertcy and concented to share in the buried treasure equally.  They brought with them oil skin suits, long rubber boots, lanterns, torches and firearms.  The Rodicks had been to exploring expeditions on Mt Desert Island before and first built a big fire at the entrance of the cave.  In half an hour the party entered the chamber and the light from the half dozen torches  and the bonfire illuminated the cavern displaying the ideal retreat for snugglers or pirates.  The space before them extended half a hundred feet in one direction upwards to the heigth  of twenty feet in width.
As they stepped into the room they sank in mud a foot or more in depth, and cautiously they poked their way along the floor often knee deep in slime.  On the side walls little scintulating glimmers caulioned them that there were snakes in the cave, and gradually  a hissing noise all about caused them to stop and listen.  One of the party fired a rifle shot  at a glimmer and it was immediately extinguished only to appear in greater brillancy all about the cavern acompanied by a chorus of hisses that told the explorers that the cave was alive with snakes.  There was a dryer space after they had advanced thirty feet and coiled in the corner was huge bunch of snakes of all colors and sizes.  The men decided to let them have it and fired a volley from their guns and blazed away at them with revolvers until the corner was strewn  with brightly colored bits of  snakes and writhing remmants of tails.  It is estimated that there was 200 snakes in the bunch.
At another point in the cave a stream of water trickled through from a mountain side and this explained the mud bottom and gave evidence that the origional floor in some parts was several feet beneath the present level.  They drove their picks down through the soft mud  until they sank to the eye of the picks and a few ambitious ones began digging in dark corners of the cavern.  Others were afraid of the snakes and wanted to leave Captain Kidds treasure to posterity to unearth.  On one end the roof sloped into a dark narrow passage through which Milton Rodick squeezed himself against the protests of his comrads.  When he emerged he said that the passage led on down a steep hole and that he was compelled to retreat, but that he believed that it led to another room as big as the one they were in.  A buttered pewter mug was found in a crevice on the southern side of the cave and a half pint flask with a strong odor of Bar Harbor whiskey.  This afterwards was claimed as the recent property of one of the party who said that he had emptied it suddenly upon feeling what he thought was a snake bite, but which proved to be the pick of a stray pin.
The explorers soon grew tied of pushing their way through thick mud and decided to give up the search for the day and return again with better excavating implements.  The exact location of the cave has not been generally made public and so far as known, the party has not made another excursion to the cave although they believe that further search will reveal some buried treasure.

(Note;  the information on the cave itself, its location and its size and the inability to go the entire length of the cave match up with other accounts.  I highly doubt the story of 200 snakes of different colors and the men firing rifles and revolvers until the snakes where cut up into bits, that makes no sense and I believe that was added to keep others from seeking out the location of the cave.  For one thing Maine does not have snakes of many colors, and secondly, if in fact they had fired off all those rounds it would of taken to cut up 200 snakes, they would of all been dead from bullets ricocheting off the walls of the cave.  But this does appear to be the first published account of a cave on Bald Porcupine Island.)



LAB STUDENTS SEE RARE ISLAND MOSS
July 25,  1957

A  moss so rare that it appears in only one known place in America was studied Sunday by Jackson Laboratory summer students.
"It forms an irregular pattern of bright glowing chartreuse along the dim walls of the cave, like eyes shinning in the dark," said Dr Margaret Green.  If you move to one side it disappears from sight.
Dr Green was discribing schistostega osmundacea, a rare moss that she, Dr Charity Waymouth and many students of the Jackson Laboratory saw on the two expeditions lead by Dr Philip White during the last two Sundays.
The groups traveled on Capt Leonard Young's boat to the seaward side of Bald Porcupine Island, anchored near the base of the breakwater and climbed up the walls of the abandoned quarry.
The moss is in a cave located half way up a steep narrow ravine dividing high cliffs.  Difficult to reach, it is known by few.  Once inside the cave the students were able to stand nearly upright.
The mouth of the deep wedge shaped cave enables the sun to shine into the depths just once a day.  Although the rare moss needs the dampness and darkness of deep caves for its habitant, it depends upon the sunlight of low intensity for its continued life.
The moss has a type of miniture lens, said Dr White.  That is why we are able to see the moss glow only if we look directly into it.  Otherwie it appears as a dull grayish green.
A repeat performance last Sunday afternoon was made for those who were unable to go on the previous trip.




Report Rare Moss In Deep Cave On Bald Porcupine Island
The Bar Harbor Times;  July 24, 1962

Attention was brought this week to a little known geological attraction on Bald Porcupine Island when a group of scientists, headed by Dr. Philip R. White of Jackson Laboratory staff, explored "Schistostega Cave,"  or goblin's gold.
Personnel of the Expedition consisted of twelve scientists and students from the Jackson Laboratory, the Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory.
Dr. White's report of the unusual and interesting expedition follows;
"On the South face of Bald Porcupine Island, just at the edge of the 180 foot cliff and about a third of the way up the face there is a small but deep cave, known to a few of the more venturesome small boys of Bar Harbor but unknown to most of their elders.    In this cave is found an extremely rare and startlingly beautiful "Luminous" moss.  The moss forms patches on the rocks which in the semi-darkness of the deep cleft glow with a brilliant green light from thousands of tiny lenses like so many cat's eyes, or the most modern o0f roadside reflector signs.  Anyone who has seen it will never forget the experience.


CAVE ON BALD PORCUPINE ISLAND


Bat Harbor Record
Local Matters
Dec. 4, 1895

(Note;  the following short paragraph appeared in the paper, I have copied it in its entireity and there was no further mention to the paragraph)

"A well known attorney of Bar Harbor called at the Record office the other day and said, 'I would like you to print me a placard for use when I go to Ellsworth.  On it put, I don't know anything about the cave on Bald Porcupine Island.  I didn't discover it.'  I was kept busy answering questions about it all day today."





Sunday, November 5, 2017

BAR HARBOR HORSE SHOWS AND ROBINHOOD PARK




The Maine Memory Network says "In 1900 Colonel Edward Morrell of Philadelphia made the park grounds on his land available to the newly founded Horse Show and Fair Association in Bar Harbor."
In the early 1900's horse races were also held there, with the race trace being at the location of where Jaclson Labs is located today.  Robin Hood Park also had a  campground, located on the grounds of today's Bear Brook Picnic Area in Acadia National Park.  On a tip, we visited the picnic area and walked into the woods at the far right off the picnic area.  In a short time we located a number of standing fence posts that were once connected with that race track, as well as a number of posts either leaning or laying on the ground.
ROBIN HOOD PARK HORSE SHOW

We followed the fence posts all the way to the rear of the buildings on Jackson Labs property.  It was pretty cool knowing we had located a historic site in the middle of nowhere and that after all those years a number of the fence posts were still standing today.
BEAR BROOK PICNIC AREA - Once home to a campground connected to Robin Hood Park

At the United States History website I found the following, "Colonel and Mrs. Louise Drexel Morrell built St. Edwards Convent in 1916 and gave it to The Holy Redeemer Church. Col. Edward Morrell and Louise's likenesses can be seen in stained glass windows in the chapel on the second floor. Louise Morrell was a sister to St. Katherine Drexel, who was canonized in 2000. The convent is now the home of the Bar Harbor Historical Society Museum."
From the book, Bar Harbor in the roaring Twenties, it says the town helped create the Bar Harbor horse shows as a way to attract people to the area.  It goes on to say "Summer Resident and horse lover
REMAINS OF ROBIN HOOD PARK FENCE - in woods behind Jackson Lab

Philip Livingston stepped in as President and used his blue blood connections to ensure that high society would patronize the event."  With his leadership the the Bar Harbor horse shows went on to become one of the premier events along the East Coast.
The book also states that Robin Hood Park was also where the Morrell estate was located.  It is interesting to note that many of the winners of the Bar Harbor horse shows went on to the National Horse Show which was held in Madison Square Garden, so you can see that Robin Hood Park was a pretty big deal back than.
In the book, "Indians in Eden: Wabanakis and Rusticators on Maine's Mt. Desert" it says Edward Morrill made his land at Robinhood Park available to the Bar Harbor horse shows that were taking place at the horse track at Kebo Golf Course.
The very first KEBO VALLEY GOLF CLUB

the book states that during the 1890's, Kebo Valley grounds were developed to include tennis courts, croquet lawns, a ball field and a golf course, as well as a race track where horses from the Pulitzer family competed for the coveted "Cottager's Cup."  It states that members from the Sears and Van Nest families, among others, attended these events.  It also goes on to say that for a dozen years the Robin Hood Park area was home to the Bar Harbor Horse shows.  These horse shows continued for many years, with a young son of John D. Rockefeller - David Rockefeller riding his pony Sunset in the 1925 "Fancy Dress" Competition.  It goes on to state that ten year old David won the event.


TODAYS JACKSON LAB - ONCE HOME OF ROBINHOOD PARK

JACKSON LABORATORY
BAR HARBOR MAINE










Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE DEER BROOK TRAIL AND PET CEMETERY

So this evening I was just doing some random Google searches on acadia National Park when I came across a story about the Stephen King movie, "Pet Cemetery".  As it turns out, a hiking trail in Acadia National Park, at least sections of that trail, was used in the movie - something I was not aware of. 
"An elegant rehabilitation, led by the park’s trails crew, gave the Deer Brook Trail a major facelift, but the old rooty section was ideal for a spine-chilling scene in “Pet Sematary,” filmed in Maine in 1988, according to a newly released documentary on the movie production."
Sadly, like so many other things that once were, the section of the trail used in the movie was redone by the park and the large scary roots used in the movie are gone.
"Gary Stellpflug, trails foreman at Acadia National Park, said the rehabilitation of the Deer Brook Trail occurred during parts of two summers and then a portion of a third summer.
DEER BROOK TRAIL - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Stellpflug said the mangled tree roots needed to be replaced with the stairway and log cribbing."
If you are familiar  with the movie, the trail appears as Dale Midkiff and Fred Gwynne, are hiking along a trail on their way  to a Micmac burial ground, where the dead – both pets and people – resurrect after interment.
It's the section with the large old roots they have to cross that were shot along the Deer  Brook Trail.  The following was stated in the article, "The Deer Brook Trail was not identified by name in the movie or in a new documentary about the film, but Charlie Jacobi, a resource specialist at Acadia, confirmed that the Acadia trail, situated off a carriage road, was a location in the movie."
Pretty interesting stuff since I am a huge fan of Stephen King and old scary roots.

Friday, October 20, 2017

THE BUILDING OF THE ARTS








BUILDING OF THE ARTS - BAR HARBOR MAINE
The Building of the Arts was built with the summer population in mind and had the backing of some of Bar harbor's wealthy citizens, including George B. Dorr, who is often called the Father of Acadia National Park, Mr. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Rober Abbe. along with over a dozen others.    One Mr. Guy Lowell of Boston Massachusetts was the architect charged with the task of designing the building.  The building was said to have cost "a good  many thousands of dollars."  The structure was completed in the years 1906 - 1907.
BUILDING OF THE ARTS _ BAR HARBOR MAINE

If it were not for old photos, it would be hard today to imagine just how beautiful the building was.  It's roof had red tiles that were designed just for the building.  It featured ten columns that were said to be the largest columns ever turned in Maine, with each column being 24 feet high and three feet in diameter.
The base of the building is of concrete and is on the plan of a Greek temple with steppe base very carefully carried out.  The auditorium was said to be small for that time,  70 feet by 33 feet, and had a total seating capacity of 300.  Large windows allowed the daylight to flood in while giving those seated inside great views of the outside.
When the Building of the Arts opened its doors to the public for the first time on June 13, 1907, the show featured Emma Eames, who was at that time one of the world's leading lyric sopranos.  Over the next 35 years the Building of Arts held concerts and shows by Ernest Schelling, Paderewski, Walter Damrosch, dancer Ted Shawn, Josef Hofmann, and many others, including celebrated stars from Hollywood and Broadway.
The Surry Players often put on shows there, and one show included a young actor named Henry Fonda.  The building also hosted many serious lectures and art exhibits, and was home to the than well attended Bar harbor Sweet Pea competition.
VIEW TOWARD MOUNTAINS - BUILDING OF THE ARTS - BAR HARBOR MAINE
 The photo above gives us  some what of a view one would of seen from the Building of the Arts site.  Back than I am pretty certain many of the now large tree's would not of been blocking much of the view as it now does. 
Perhaps one of the most famous people at that time to make use of the building of the Arts was the renowned dancer  Vaslav Nijinsky, who had been sent to Bar Harbor to spend the summer here at the Malvern.  He would often go to the Building of the arts to practice his dancing.  No record has ever been found of him actually performing here, though.
Once World War 2 came along, the building fell upon hard times, in part because of gas rationing, which saw the stream of summer visitors dry up.  For some time Rockefeller tried to keep the shows going, but by 1944 he decided to sell the building to Consuella de Sides, though on a second account it lists  Earl D. and Charles A. Holt as purchasing the building for a sum of $305.24.  Four years later they are said to have sold it to Consuella de Sides,  whose stated goal was to once again restore the building of the Arts back to the glory of its hey days.  That dream ended in October of 1947 when the Great fire raced through the area, leveling the building.
BUILDING OF THE ARTS FOUNDATION - BAR HARBOR MAINE

Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor was founded in 1888 and is the eighth oldest club in the United States. Among the celebrities who have graced its fairways are President William Taft, Hall-of-Fame golfer Billy Casper, and the legendary Walter Hagen. Hagen’s score of 67 stood as the course record for 50 years, and he called the signature eighth hole “one of the toughest par 4’s I have ever played.”  And while on vacation here President Obama played golf here.
The nearby Kebo Golf Course in those days featured golf, horse shows and tennis.  The golf club itself attracted many a famous person, one being President Taft.  It was at the "Elbow Hole" where President Taft  carded a 27 in the shadow of the Building of the Arts.  The "Elbow Hole" today is the 17th hole.
Cromwell Harbor Road - Bar Harbor Maine 


 To the right of the cross walk is a large stone with the words Stratheden Path which marks the original starting point of the Stratheden path.  Today that trail begins along the One Way section of the Park Loop Road, just past the Kebo Mountain Trail.  The section of the trail between the Cromwell Harbor Road and the Park Loop Road was abandoned many years ago, most likely because the Kebo Golf Course was expanded, or perhaps they just didn't like a path cutting through the course any longer.
Stratheden path. - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
 
Once you know where to look for the location of where the building once stood, finding it is fairly easy.  Turn off of the Eagle Lake Road - route 233, onto the Cromwell Harbor road near the Kebo Golf course.  Continue down Cromwell Harbor Road until you get to this cross walk, to the left you can see an old wooden fense and a subdivision sign touting house lots for sale.  Just to the right of the paved road leading into the subdivision is a small field where you can see piles of debris, which is what remains of the building of the arts.  as you get closer you can see the entire foundation with dirt piles in it.
Sadly, as we were taking photos today, several people were standing higher up the banking overlooking the site, with what appeared to be a set of blueprints they were looking at.  Some where in the near future they may well be a house built on this site, which means the remains of this once historic building will be carted off and the site leveled - I hope that's not the case, but as they say, you can't stop progress.

BUILDING OF THE ARTS - BAR HARBOR MAINE







President Taff with Building of the Arts in background



Sunday, September 3, 2017

THE ROCKERFELLER BOATHOUSE




I found this nearly 30 years ago by accident, and while it is not abandoned or lost, many people still don't know about it.  It is located just outside of Seal Harbor along Peabody drive.  It is located along a carriage road that runs along one side of Little Long Pond.  It is worth noting that bikes are not allowed on the carriage Roads in this area, so you either rent a horse or walk in, but the Boathouse isn't a really long hike and as you approach it, you will begin to think you are approaching a very nice private house.  It is, of course, a boathouse, where the Rockerfeller's stored their boats.
If your approaching from Seal Harbor, just keep to the main road and it will leave town and pass along the Seal Harbor Public beach.  Continue to drive until you reach another a second area that is close to the water, there will be a small parking area and a large white gate and a smaller white gate, with a sign warning you that you are entering private property, that your car can not block the entrance, and that bikes are not allowed on the Carriage roads there.  At the start there is a narrow trail to the left, I believe that comes to a dead end warning you not to go any further, so you want to pass through the smaller gate and follow the Carriage Road straight ahead.  When you come to an area with a path leading down toward the pond on the left, take it, it will lead you to the gate house.  It looked so fancy the first time I went there i almost didn't approach it, believing it was indeed a private home on the water.

The boathouse has a deck on three sides and you can look in through the windows to see the inside of it.  Now you may own a boat or two, but I am pretty certain you don't own a boathouse as fancy as this one to store your boat in.  Also, there are some really nice views of the pond as well.

CLICK TO VIEW PHOTOS OF BOATHOUSE AND GATES



Huguenot Head in Acadia National Park




Some people believe by hiking the Beachcroft Trail they are actually hiking over the summit of Huguenot Head as they follow the trail to the summit of Champlain Mountain.  In fact, if you look closely at your map, the Beachcroft Trail does come close to the summit of Huguenot Head, but than turns and skirts below the summit before continuing on to Champlain Mountain.  I had always thought this sudden turn in the trail was a bit strange, and one day after getting into studying old maps, I soon realized that  not one but two trails use to lead up to the actual summit of Huguenot Head.  As it turns out, those trails were abandoned by the Park Service.

One of these trails was labeled as the Black and White Trail,  which begins in an area behind the beaver pond, and followed an old dry brook up between the summits of Huguenot Head to the right, and Champlain Mountain to the left of the pond.  I have hiked this once, many years ago, this section of the Black and White arrives at a well worn stretch of dirt path between the two summits, with the Black and White trail going left up to the summit of Champlain Mountain.  This section of the Black and White trail is not part of the Beachcroft Trail, this is abandoned today, but you can find rock piles on Champlain Mountain which take you down a steep section to the worn dirt path, I have also hiked this section before and was pretty well marked with rock piles.
So where the Black and White path arrives between the two peaks, by following the worn dirt path right, it takes you up to the summit of Champlain Mountain.
If you look at the old map you will not see today's Beachcroft Trail on it, that came about at a later date.  On other old maps that do show the Beachcroft trail, they reveal a hidden secret, at one point there use to be a short section of trail the did take people up to the summit of Huguenot Head, that short section of trail was also abandoned - in other words, there is no official trail to the summit of Huguenot Head today.....why?
I have heard for years that there was a cave up there the park service didn't want people going to.  One site that covers dozens upon dozens of caves in Maine lists a cave on Huguenot head, they have named it the Huguenot Gulch Cave, but give no details about it.  This confirms what I have heard over the years and explains why trails to the actual summit of Huguenot Head were abandoned.
The old map shows another abandoned trail which runs down to route 3, not far from the Dorr mountain Ladder Trail.  I was able to locate this trail as well and hiked most of it from route 3 upwards, though the trail is very hard to locate and for the most part passes over bare granite and is only marked by rock piles.  That section of abandoned trail begins in the woods by a small pull over along route 3...again, the trail leading up the mountain side is not easy to find.
Yet another old trail leads up to Huguenot Head, but this trail does not show up on any maps.  It begins off the old Dorr bike Trail, in the woods directly across from Bear Brook Picnic Area, across from the picnic area to the far left as you enter the area.  You follow a worn path on the other side of the road, which leads to the Beachcroft Trail.  You don't go too far before coming to another, less worn trail going left, and this trail heads up the backside of Huguenot Head, years ago called Picket mountain.
The easiest way to locate the Black and White Trail from this end today is from the top of Champlain Summit, locate the rock piles, and follow them downward to the dirt path between the two summits.  Halfway along that dirt section, as your passing through a section of woods, you will see a worn path leading downward toward the Beaver Pond.  We were able to locate some rock piles, but had to pretty much use the dry brook bed as out guide down to the rear of the pond.  From there we followed the old Dorr bike path out to the Park Loop Road.

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And this from the book, The Mountains Of Maine;
 In the book, THE MOUNTAINS OF MAINE it says Huguenot Head is 720 feet high and was first named Round Hill.  The name was later changed to Peaked Hill, and later was named again to Picket Hill.  So how did it get its current name?  According to the book, George B. Dorr gave it the name Huguenot hill. 
According to the book, Mrs C. Morton Smith of Philadelphia, a summer resident here, financed the building of a steep trail up Huguenot Hill that used 1,482 stone steps.  The trail she paid for was named after her summer cottage, Beachcroft.

Friday, September 1, 2017

THE BEAR CAVE OF CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN





Located in Acadia National Park near the base of Champlain Mountain, this Bear Cave appears on very old maps as the Bear's den.  It dates back to the 1800's and had a path leading from Eden (renamed Bar Harbor) all the way to the den.  In those days bears were common on the island, at some point after Acadia National Park was formed, the park service began a policy where bears were tranquilized  and removed from the island.  In more recent years that policy was ended and bears are slowly making a come back in the park, though bear sightings are still very rare.  In all the years I have lived here I have only seen one bear, and that was on the quiet side of the island.
CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN - BEAR'S DEN
Acadia National Park

After the park was formed, and the Park Loop Road was constructed, it was believed the Bear Cave, or Den, was lost forever.  We went looking for it a number of times but could not find it, mainly because the construction of the Park Loop road had destroyed a large section of the old path.
One day my oldest son, Wesley, said he was going out looking for it.  He returned later that night with good news, he had located it and gave me instructions to the site.  As it turned out, the old Bear cave was hiding in plain sight all those years.







CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN - BEAR'S DEN
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

To locate the Bears Den, drive along the One Way section of the Park Loop Road until you come to a large pond on your right, there will be a pull over up ahead at a curve in the road just beyond the pond.  Park and cross the road and walk along the side of the roadway until the wall of ledge comes down even with the road and look into the woods.  Straight ahead you will see a dark area, that is the Bear Cave.  The cave goes into the mountain side at an angle and a well worn path leads to the entrance.
Here is a photo of the cave taken on May 2, 2018 taken from the Bear's Den.
BEAR'S DEN - CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

This photo was taken from outside the Bear's Den.  In this photo the cave goes on a little further into the mountain side to the far right, this was a perfect location for bears before the Park Loop Road was built.
THE BEAR'S DEN
Abandoned Trails Of Acadia National Park

If you are on foot, you can see the dark opening of the bears den from the side of the road.

On our last visit to the den we came across this little fellow guarding the cave.....
PORCUPINE - CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN
Acadia National Park

LOST GEORGE B. DORR BICYCLE PATH




I first came upon this lost trail many years ago and had no idea of what it was.  Research revealed it was at one time the George B. Dorr Bicycle Path, a path he was often spotted riding his bike along.  Some reports state that this trail is not the George B. Dorr bike path, and go on to say that his official path is now under water, swallowed up by the rising waters of the beaver pond.  I will give an argument as to why the official path is still very much there, and I suspect the park service pushes the idea of it having all been swallowed up by the beaver pond as a way to keep people out of that area.
ABANDONED DORR BIKE PATH - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

I suppose the first place to begin with is with the area itself.  Dorr was highly interested in land that Indian Pass crossed over, and the area around the pond was once part of Indian Pass.  I also don't know if it is true or not, but I have heard that a small Indian village was located to the back side of the beaver pond.

Dorr constructed his bike path with both love and care, it was one of his prized areas in the park.  And it was not just a prized area of the park for him, this was the area where Dorr's mother spent many an afternoon.  That is because this area was not just a bike path, it was also the first location of the Wild Gardens of Acadia, which was located to the far right rear of the pond.  It is said that those gardens became so famous from near and far due to the work she put into them.
STONE STEPS - DORR BIKE PATH - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Let's say for sake of argument that the current hidden path around the pond was not the official Dorr bike path, we are talking about only a section of the bike path, not the entire bike path which went well beyond the beaver pond.  Anjd since the woods between the pond and Sieur de Monts Spring are not under water, neither is a large section of the Dorr bike path.
So we went to the rear of the pond, to the far right corner, searching for any sign that a path or old road was there, and sure enough we did find one coming out of the water and running up through the woods, just as it should if the pond swallowed up sections of the bike path.

 We followed the old path and soon came out across the road from the Bear Brook Picnic Area, the end furthest from the entrance.  But the old  path continued back into the woods, and we followed it, knowing that Dorr's bike path went all the way to the Sieur de Monts spring area.  It came out by route 3, almost directly across from the entrance to Sieur de Monts Spring entrance, as it should of.
But another section shot off i9n the direct of the Beechcroft Trail.  I have read that Dorr added connector trails to local trails in order to steer more people to his beloved bike path.
We also located a lost series of stone steps leading from the Dorr bike path to the official Bear Brook Trail, on some maps called the Champlain Mountain North Ridge Trail.  The steps are easy to miss from the bike path, and nearly impossible to locate if your on the official trail up Champlain Mountain.

At some point after Dorr's death, the Park Service abandoned his prized bike path, along with the connector paths, and dug up and relocated his beloved Wild Gardens to where they are today.  I will ask anyone, who had the better vision of placing the wild Gardens in "The right place?"  I will say it was George B. Dorr who had it right, with the beaver Pond as a setting and Champlain Mountain rising up above it  set a perfect backdrop.




Champlain Mountain - George B. Dorr Bike Path - Acadia National Park

So the George B. Dorr bike path may of been rebuilt along two sides of the pond, but clearly a large section of the original path is still very much there.  Two of the connecting paths are also there.
We also found evidence of an old trail leading from the Dorr bike path, the section across the roadway from the Bear Brook Picnic Area.  This old trail runs up one side of Huguenot Head.
The day we located the old trail, we attempted to follow it and got close to the top  when thunder storms began sweeping in. 






MAP SHOWING BLACK AND WHITE TRAIL - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK