ABANDONED TRAILS OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK: REMAINS OF JACK PERKINS ESTATE

REMAINS OF JACK PERKINS ESTATE

Jack Perkins is an American reporter, commentator, war correspondent and anchorman. He won a primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series and was nominated Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement In Sports Programming. Mr. Perkins and his wife Jo lived on Bar Island for some 13 years in a small house, until they decided to move, and he sold his land, about 12 acres which he owned, to the National Park Service in 2003. Today the entire island is part of Acadia National park, though some can be confused by the Private property sign left in place after Mr. Perkins sold the property. Most likely the Park Service left that sign up as a way to discourage people from wandering around the remains of the Perkins house, where at least two large fireplaces can be found along with partial rock walls and empty window frames.
He and his wife now make their home on another island: one of the barrier islands off the coast of Sarasota, Fla.

The main trail on Bar Island, which runs through fields and woods to the islands summit dates back to 1867 and the trail was reopened by the National park Service in the 1990's. At one time long before there was a National Park here, the town of Bar Harbor had voted for and approved money to build a stone arched bridge to Bar Island, the plan also called for a roadway to be built around the outskirts of the island as a way to attract more tourists to the area. And in later years the the Ferry Terminal on Eden street was almost built in Bar Island. That plan also called for a automobile bridge to be built to the island and hundreds of parking stalls to be created by hauling fill over to the island to create the parking lot on.
the fascinating thing about Bar Island is there is so much to find and discover, if you wander about off the main trail. Just when you locate the remains of Mr. Perkins house, just beyond, hidden bty trees and brush, is an old road which continues around the side of the island, passing old fireplaces and foundations as it does so. To the back side of the island is a beach, but reaching it is not easy, and high cliffs overlook it. There are also a few hidden worn trails to find, such as the Glacial Rock Trail, as well as a couple others, but you have to really search to locate them. After Mr. Perkins moved away the island has become an increasing place for people to crash for a few nights or even weeks and in recent years some people here on work visas have made the island their home in summer and early fall, living out of tents, so as you explore off trail, don't be surprised if you stumble upon an illegal camp site or two.