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| Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor was once considered a small fishing and ship-building community. Today, it is a favorite summer vacation destination for visitors from all over the world. With Acadia National Park in its backyard, Bar Harbor offers the luxury and comfort of a classic vacation retreat, as well as spectacular beauty and natural wonders for outdoor enthusiasts.
The History of Bar HarborThe Native Abnakis were the original summer people of what is now known as Bar Harbor, and it became a summer resort long before Champlain's trip to this land in 1604.By the 1850s, artists such as Thomas Cole, Frederick E. Church, Fitz Hugh Lane, William Hart and Thomas Birch immortalized the Bar Harbor area with their paintings of the jagged mountains and windswept seascapes. Originally incorporated as the town of Eden (an appropriate name), the town's name was changed to Bar Harbor in 1918. The Agamont House, built in 1855, was the first hotel on the island of Bar Harbor. Alpheus Hardy was the first of many summer residents to build what became known as a "cottage." These cottages rivaled the mansions in nearby Newport, Rhode Island. More and more hotels and cottages were built as people flocked to the island for summer recreation and vacation. The people continued to move in and the population grew with such notables as Joseph Pulitzer, William Proctor and Frederick Vanderbilt, to name just a few. During the 1880s, Boston native George B. Dorr worked with Charles Elliot and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to establish the National Park which, in 1916, was named Sieur de Monts Monument. The name changed a couple of times, but ultimately became Acadia National Park in 1929. The Bar Harbor Fire of 1947On Oct. 17, 1947, the sparks at a cranberry bog in Hulls Cove later became the fire that put Bar Harbor in headlines around the world.Lasting a total of ten days, the fire stayed small for the first three days, blackening just 169 acres. But then the winds picked up, and both the fire’s direction and intensity changed. In the final count, 67 of the majestic homes along Millionaires’ Row were destroyed. The town’s business district was spared, but 170 permanent homes were lost, as were five grand, historic hotels. The fire was not entirely under control until Oct. 27, when it was determined that the fire had burned nearly half of the eastern side of Mount Desert Island. Ultimately, the fire scorched 17,188 acres, more than 10,000 of those in Acadia National Park. Yet only five individuals lost their lives. Most of the year-round residents rebuilt their homes, but many owners of the summer cottages did not. In this way, Millionaire’s Row gave way to the stretch of motels along Route 3 that now serve the island’s tourist traffic. Bar Harbor TodayToday Bar Harbor is a vacationers paradise nestled between the rugged mountains of Acadia National Park and the clear blue Atlantic. From hiking, beach combing and whale watching, to shopping, fine dining and strolling along the quaint sidewalks of town, Bar Harbor offers something for every summer vacation desire.Accommodations are numerous, from elegant inns and elaborate resorts for honeymoons and special occasions to budget motels and scenic campgrounds for vacationing family style. The air is clean, the ocean clear, and the people of "Bah Hahbah" will make you want to return again and again. Bar Harbor Facts and StatisticsLocation: Mount Desert Island, Hancock County, MaineAcreage: 28,800 Population, 2000: 4,820 Population, 1990: 4,443 Population under 18, 2000: 1,102 Median age: 40.6 Schools: Conners Emerson School, Mount Desert Island High School Library: Jesup Memorial Library Churches: Baptist 1, Congregational 1, Episcopal 2, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1, Pentecostal 1, Quaker 1, Roman Catholic 1, Other 1 Town Meeting: First Tuesday in May Bar Harbor WeatherBar Harbor, Maine boasts a warm summer climate, colorful and cool autumns, and chilly but flowery springs.
Average annual precipitation:
42-43 inches Average Temperatures: Winter: High: 32° Low: 12° Spring: High: 53° Low: 37° Summer: High: 77° Low: 53° Fall: High: 56° Low: 30° Bar Harbor Amenities and EntertainmentBar Harbor LodgingBar Harbor Honeymoons Bar Harbor Restaurants The Deckhouse Restaurant and Cabaret Theatre The Criterion Theater The Great Maine Lumberjack Show Bar Harbor RecreationWhale WatchingBicycle Rentals Kayaking Tours Lobster Boat Rides Schooner Cruises Acadia Shuttle Bus Acadia Trolley Tours Mountain Climing School Horse Back Riding White Water Rafting Mooselook Guide Services Bar Harbor Cruises The Oceanarium Bar Harbor Recommended Reading
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