JUNE 8, 2015
The town of Bar Harbor is irresistible! Shops, galleries, eateries and lots of activity on the piers…it’s easy to spend an afternoon just walking around town. We did…more than once.
WE MADE IT! We’ve finally arrived on Maine’s rugged, craggy coastline, to begin our much anticipated summer-long trek down the eastern seaboard. I’m thrilled! The last time I visited this part of the country I was just 15 years old. My parents had taken me on a road trip across the United States. Bless their hearts…they believed it was important for me to have a look at our country at a young age, a geographic and historical “primer,” if you will.
Ever since that first glimpse of New England, I’ve wanted to return. I recall watching lobster boats chugging into little rock-bound harbors at day’s end against the setting sun, seagulls following, gongs on the red navigation buoys announcing the harbor’s presence as they lazily roll in the ocean’s swells…words can’t properly describe it. After all these years, I’ve finally made it. Spending summer and fall driving down this beautiful rockbound coastline while immersing ourselves in early American history marks the high point so far in our Great American Adventure.
Bar Harbor Inn, an institution in town. It’s a little like the Hotel Del Coronado in the San Diego area.
TOWN OF BAR HARBOR. Located on Mt. Desert Island and surrounded by Acadia National Park and located at the edge of the sea, Bar Harbor is a New England vacation spot beyond compare. With a commanding location on Frenchman Bay, it was a haven for the Astors, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and other super-affluent elite American families during the 19th century. William Howard Taft enjoyed golfing in the are. More recently, Martha Stewart and John Travolta have become homeowners and are frequently seen around town. I looked for them, but didn’t see either of them. Oh, well. In addition to being an absolutely gorgeous place, Bar Harbor offers boating, fishing, live theater, shopping, museums and historically significant architecture.
A LITTLE HISTORY. In the beginning, it was mostly artists, scholars, scientists, and writers who journeyed to Bar Harbor for inspiration and tranquility. With only a slight interruption by the Civil War, more and more visitors came to the rugged coastal community. Now and then even theater troupes stopped by and concerts became more frequent. Some local citizens ventured into the tourism business and more hotels were built. By 1870 there were sixteen hotels in Bar Harbor. At one point, reservations for rooms had to be made two years in advance! Supply and demand: More and more hotels were built and “the hotel era” dominated the resort for about two decades. Ultimately, the “cottages” built by America’s rich and famous took over the landscape. These “cottages” weren’t what we think of today as cottages. Quite to the contrary, they were waterfront mansions. Some remain. Some have been replaced. Some new ones have been added. One thing’s for sure, if you’re looking for a place to build or buy a home in an unforgettable and stunningly beautiful part of the country, this is it!
BAR HARBOR SLIDESHOW.
In this slideshow, you’ll see some boats in Bar Harbor, the tiny but full-service post office and some quaint shops in the “downtown” district. I’ve also included images of a retro restaurant called “Route 66” where we had a very good lunch in an eclectic collection of antiques that almost transform the dining area into a museum. Finally, I’ve captured the setting sun against a side street downtown and against a boat in the harbor. Enjoy.
You’ll also see the fella who tends the hardwood fire under each lobster pot and watches the time as the lobsters cook. When they’ve boiled in the saltwater just the right amount of time, depending on weight, he removes them and takes them back to the kitchen to be plated for diners like me, who anxiously await their arrival in the little dining area…bibs in place, with shell cracker and pick at the ready!
