The one room schoolhouse used from 1862 to 1906. "[The Free High School, built c. 1862] was still a one-room school with but one teacher and every year more students came to study. The interests of the widely separated parts of the town were so different that it was impossible to come to an agreement and when the building of a new schoolhouse was suggested it was impossible to agree on a new location. Finally, when the Southwest Harbor citizens demanded new buildings at the village and at Manset, those in the western part of the town decided to separate themselves from Southwest Harbor. This was agreed upon by both sides and the town of Southwest Harbor was incorporated February 21, 1905 [this dividing the Southwest Harbor area from Tremont.] The new town voted to build a new schoolhouse at the village and raised the sum of $4500 to do so. This sum included the purchase of additional land. The old building stood close to the main road and had but little land surrounding it, and the new one was to be set farther back with a playground in front of it. The old building was sold to George Harmon and moved to the lot south of the school lot where it is now used for stores and apartments." The Harmon Block at 339 Main Street. - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, p. 84-85 & p. 148 - 1938
Description: The one room schoolhouse used from 1862 to 1906. "[The Free High School, built c. 1862] was still a one-room school with but one teacher and every year more students came to study. The interests of the widely separated parts of the town were so different that it was impossible to come to an agreement and when the building of a new schoolhouse was suggested it was impossible to agree on a new location. Finally, when the Southwest Harbor citizens demanded new buildings at the village and at Manset, those in the western part of the town decided to separate themselves from Southwest Harbor. This was agreed upon by both sides and the town of Southwest Harbor was incorporated February 21, 1905 [this dividing the Southwest Harbor area from Tremont.] The new town voted to build a new schoolhouse at the village and raised the sum of $4500 to do so. This sum included the purchase of additional land. The old building stood close to the main road and had but little land surrounding it, and the new one was to be set farther back with a playground in front of it. The old building was sold to George Harmon and moved to the lot south of the school lot where it is now used for stores and apartments." The Harmon Block at 339 Main Street. - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, p. 84-85 & p. 148 - 1938 [show more]
Nell Thornton, who attended this school, says, "The schoolhouse lot was purchased of William Thomas Holmes (1829-1910) on March 27, 1860, and the building erected that year to take the place of the old one which stood opposite Mr. John F. Young's house." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 132-133. (See Thornton, p. 130-131 for an account of an earlier school at Norwood Cove, which stood at the south corner of Main Street & Fernald Point Road. That land is now part of the Causeway Club.) "In 1913 the school at Norwood's Cove was abolished and since that time the pupils have attended the schools at the village. Throughout the years this school district maintained a high rank of scholarship and many earnest and gifted teachers have taught in the little building, which was painted yellow with white trimmings and for equipment had a large desk for the teacher, a chair, one or two maps and part of the time a water pail and tin dipper." In 1923 Allston Sargent (1875-1944) of East Orange, New Jersey, bought the school property from the Town of Southwest Harbor. (HRD 584/14). The deed, dated November 6, 1923, says that the lot is 1/5 acre together with the building thereon formerly used as a school house. The school building was razed in 1937 by Lawrence S. Robinson (1897-1980), who recycled the lumber for an addition to his house at 28 Fernald Point Road, Map 9 - Lot 28. The Robinson house has since been razed. In 1946 Robinson's sister, Esther M. (Robinson) Hynes (1901-1983) and her husband, Cecil E. Hynes bought the property and built a summer cottage on it. It was sold out of the family until 1980 when Lawrence Robinson's daughter, Joan (Robinson) Terry and her husband, Wilbert Terry, purchased the property and made it their year round home.
Description: Nell Thornton, who attended this school, says, "The schoolhouse lot was purchased of William Thomas Holmes (1829-1910) on March 27, 1860, and the building erected that year to take the place of the old one which stood opposite Mr. John F. Young's house." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 132-133. (See Thornton, p. 130-131 for an account of an earlier school at Norwood Cove, which stood at the south corner of Main Street & Fernald Point Road. That land is now part of the Causeway Club.) "In 1913 the school at Norwood's Cove was abolished and since that time the pupils have attended the schools at the village. Throughout the years this school district maintained a high rank of scholarship and many earnest and gifted teachers have taught in the little building, which was painted yellow with white trimmings and for equipment had a large desk for the teacher, a chair, one or two maps and part of the time a water pail and tin dipper." In 1923 Allston Sargent (1875-1944) of East Orange, New Jersey, bought the school property from the Town of Southwest Harbor. (HRD 584/14). The deed, dated November 6, 1923, says that the lot is 1/5 acre together with the building thereon formerly used as a school house. The school building was razed in 1937 by Lawrence S. Robinson (1897-1980), who recycled the lumber for an addition to his house at 28 Fernald Point Road, Map 9 - Lot 28. The Robinson house has since been razed. In 1946 Robinson's sister, Esther M. (Robinson) Hynes (1901-1983) and her husband, Cecil E. Hynes bought the property and built a summer cottage on it. It was sold out of the family until 1980 when Lawrence Robinson's daughter, Joan (Robinson) Terry and her husband, Wilbert Terry, purchased the property and made it their year round home. [show more]
“The school house was built in 1901, replacing one built on the same site about 1860.” - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 183.
Description: “The school house was built in 1901, replacing one built on the same site about 1860.” - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 183.
The camp was located on the bluff above Wasgatt Cove "on the east side of Some's Sound, a little to the north of the house of Mr. Asa Smallidge, and opposite Flying Mountain and the cliff of Dog Mountain on the western side of the Sound." "Charles [Eliot] did not know just where he would pitch the camp, but expected to find a suitable and central place somewhere between Otter Creek and Seawall Point. So, after picking up the camp equipment at a house on Waukeag Neck, he cruised along that shore and went up into Somes Sound and anchored in what we now call Wasgatt's Cove on the eastern shore. There, above the gravel bank, was a bit of open meadow with a good spring at the back and just to the north of the brook which is the outlet of Hadlock Pond fell with a little waterfall into the cove." - "The Champlain Society" fragment of manuscript by Samuel Atkins Eliot, 1931 - in the collection of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society. See also: "Charles Eliot, Landscape Architect, A Lover Of Nature And Of His Kind, Who Trained Himself For A New Profession, Practised It Happily And Through It Wrought Much Good," p. 26.
Description: The camp was located on the bluff above Wasgatt Cove "on the east side of Some's Sound, a little to the north of the house of Mr. Asa Smallidge, and opposite Flying Mountain and the cliff of Dog Mountain on the western side of the Sound." "Charles [Eliot] did not know just where he would pitch the camp, but expected to find a suitable and central place somewhere between Otter Creek and Seawall Point. So, after picking up the camp equipment at a house on Waukeag Neck, he cruised along that shore and went up into Somes Sound and anchored in what we now call Wasgatt's Cove on the eastern shore. There, above the gravel bank, was a bit of open meadow with a good spring at the back and just to the north of the brook which is the outlet of Hadlock Pond fell with a little waterfall into the cove." - "The Champlain Society" fragment of manuscript by Samuel Atkins Eliot, 1931 - in the collection of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society. See also: "Charles Eliot, Landscape Architect, A Lover Of Nature And Of His Kind, Who Trained Himself For A New Profession, Practised It Happily And Through It Wrought Much Good," p. 26. [show more]
The Naval Radio Station was established at Seawall in September, 1942. It was disestablished in 1951. Between 1951 and 1953 the government transferred the building to the American Legion and Auxiliary, Eugene M. Norwood Post 69, Southwest Harbor. The building was then moved to 22 Village Green Way, Map 6 – Lot 40, Southwest Harbor. The building has been enlarge twice since it was moved to its present location.
Description: The Naval Radio Station was established at Seawall in September, 1942. It was disestablished in 1951. Between 1951 and 1953 the government transferred the building to the American Legion and Auxiliary, Eugene M. Norwood Post 69, Southwest Harbor. The building was then moved to 22 Village Green Way, Map 6 – Lot 40, Southwest Harbor. The building has been enlarge twice since it was moved to its present location.
The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was a veterans organization formed at the end of the Civil War. It reached peak membership by 1890, with over 400,000 members, with many prominent veterans, including five presidents. The organization had three objectives: Fraternity, charity, and loyalty. The principle legacy of the G.A.R. is the observation of Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day, on May 30th.
Description: The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was a veterans organization formed at the end of the Civil War. It reached peak membership by 1890, with over 400,000 members, with many prominent veterans, including five presidents. The organization had three objectives: Fraternity, charity, and loyalty. The principle legacy of the G.A.R. is the observation of Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day, on May 30th.
Dramatis Personae: Harris - Chloa (Harris) Searls (1906-1982) Mosley - Gordon G. Mosley Mosley - Ronald A. Mosley, Sr. (1919-2016), 1946 Interim Director Southwest Harbor-Tremont Larger Parish Searls - Thomas Searls Jr. (1908-1986)
Description: Dramatis Personae: Harris - Chloa (Harris) Searls (1906-1982) Mosley - Gordon G. Mosley Mosley - Ronald A. Mosley, Sr. (1919-2016), 1946 Interim Director Southwest Harbor-Tremont Larger Parish Searls - Thomas Searls Jr. (1908-1986)