Cranberry Isles, Little Cranberry Island, Islesford
141 Bar Point Road
"The first Coast Guard presence in the Mt. Desert Island area was a Life Saving Station located on Little Cranberry Island, established by an act of congress on June 18th, 1878. In 1937, the Southwest Harbor complex was created and used as a lighthouse depot by the U.S. Light House Service. By 1945, the Coast Guard Station on Little Cranberry Island was moved to the facility in Southwest Harbor.” - “Sector Field Office (SFO) Southwest Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Maine – History,” United States Coast Guard site, 06/28/13, Accessed online 07/20/10; http://www.uscg.mil/d1/sfoSouthwestHarbor/history.asp.
Cranberry Isles, Little Cranberry Island, Islesford
State:
ME
Address:
141 Bar Point Road
Description: "The first Coast Guard presence in the Mt. Desert Island area was a Life Saving Station located on Little Cranberry Island, established by an act of congress on June 18th, 1878. In 1937, the Southwest Harbor complex was created and used as a lighthouse depot by the U.S. Light House Service. By 1945, the Coast Guard Station on Little Cranberry Island was moved to the facility in Southwest Harbor.” - “Sector Field Office (SFO) Southwest Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Maine – History,” United States Coast Guard site, 06/28/13, Accessed online 07/20/10; http://www.uscg.mil/d1/sfoSouthwestHarbor/history.asp. [show more]
In 1890 Abby and John MacDuffie took over the Misses Howard’s school and founded the MacDuffie School for Girls in Springfield, Massachusetts, serving together as principals of the school for over forty years.
Description: In 1890 Abby and John MacDuffie took over the Misses Howard’s school and founded the MacDuffie School for Girls in Springfield, Massachusetts, serving together as principals of the school for over forty years.
The building was Dr. Lemont's office and store on the south side of Clark Point Road leaving Main Street. The building, then Cuz's Café, burned on January 30, 1955. It is the site of the Red Sky Restaurant in 2008. The Southwest Harbor band was formed in 1892. This 1912 photograph shows these members: Front Row - left to right: Ralph Judson Robinson (1870-1923) Everton Livingston Gott (1875-1954) - brother of Clyde Smith Gott Frank L. Gilley (1880-1920) Henry Loren Gray (1881-1947) Simeon J. Marshall (1874-1962) Earl Gott (1889-1950) Franze Earl "Wimpy" Walls (1890-1964) Edwin "Ed" George Lord (1878-1955) Note: The name of one person in the front row is missing. Archivists hope a viewer may know who it is and where he is standing. Middle - left to right: H. Chase Bickford (1887-1960) Fred A. Walls (1888-1949) James Crockett (1864-1941) Artemus Jean Haines Richardson (1893-1958) Edward Harold Bennett (1890-1965) - later a band leader, as was his son, Charlie Bennett (1922-1984) (not in photograph) Saunders Ward Newman (1852-1949) Fred Sydney Mayo (1877-1949) - behind drum Back Row - left to right: Clyde Smith Gott (1893-) - brother of Everton Livingston Gott Clifton Robie Foss (1890-1937) Raymond C. Whitmore (1889-1971) Standing on the porch - left to right: The girl to the left of Dr. Lemont, leaning on the rail, is Elsie Phillips - later Mrs. Roscoe C. Marshall (1905-1988) Dr. Robert James Lemont (1842-1926) Elizabeth Lawler (1903-1975) Bertha Robinson - later Mrs. Chester Warren Stanley (1901-1968)
Description: The building was Dr. Lemont's office and store on the south side of Clark Point Road leaving Main Street. The building, then Cuz's Café, burned on January 30, 1955. It is the site of the Red Sky Restaurant in 2008. The Southwest Harbor band was formed in 1892. This 1912 photograph shows these members: Front Row - left to right: Ralph Judson Robinson (1870-1923) Everton Livingston Gott (1875-1954) - brother of Clyde Smith Gott Frank L. Gilley (1880-1920) Henry Loren Gray (1881-1947) Simeon J. Marshall (1874-1962) Earl Gott (1889-1950) Franze Earl "Wimpy" Walls (1890-1964) Edwin "Ed" George Lord (1878-1955) Note: The name of one person in the front row is missing. Archivists hope a viewer may know who it is and where he is standing. Middle - left to right: H. Chase Bickford (1887-1960) Fred A. Walls (1888-1949) James Crockett (1864-1941) Artemus Jean Haines Richardson (1893-1958) Edward Harold Bennett (1890-1965) - later a band leader, as was his son, Charlie Bennett (1922-1984) (not in photograph) Saunders Ward Newman (1852-1949) Fred Sydney Mayo (1877-1949) - behind drum Back Row - left to right: Clyde Smith Gott (1893-) - brother of Everton Livingston Gott Clifton Robie Foss (1890-1937) Raymond C. Whitmore (1889-1971) Standing on the porch - left to right: The girl to the left of Dr. Lemont, leaning on the rail, is Elsie Phillips - later Mrs. Roscoe C. Marshall (1905-1988) Dr. Robert James Lemont (1842-1926) Elizabeth Lawler (1903-1975) Bertha Robinson - later Mrs. Chester Warren Stanley (1901-1968) [show more]
"At Southwest Harbor after J. T. R. Freeman, Mrs. Emily Robinson Farnsworth had the [post] office for some time; then J. A. Freeman and William J. Tower held it alternately according to change of political administration for several terms. Then E. S. Thurston was appointed and held office for twelve years until Earll W. Gott was appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The office has changed location with every new postmaster…" - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 105. "William J. Tower built the building east of the Jackson lot and he kept the post-office there for a number of years. He sold to E. S. Thurston when Mr. Thurston took over the duties of postmaster and after his services of twelve years were past, the property was sold in 1936 to Mrs. Fred A. Birlem whose son, Wallace Birlem, built the double garage behind it with living rooms above which he occupies [1938]." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 157.
Description: "At Southwest Harbor after J. T. R. Freeman, Mrs. Emily Robinson Farnsworth had the [post] office for some time; then J. A. Freeman and William J. Tower held it alternately according to change of political administration for several terms. Then E. S. Thurston was appointed and held office for twelve years until Earll W. Gott was appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The office has changed location with every new postmaster…" - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 105. "William J. Tower built the building east of the Jackson lot and he kept the post-office there for a number of years. He sold to E. S. Thurston when Mr. Thurston took over the duties of postmaster and after his services of twelve years were past, the property was sold in 1936 to Mrs. Fred A. Birlem whose son, Wallace Birlem, built the double garage behind it with living rooms above which he occupies [1938]." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 157. [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]
One of the thousands of camps set up by President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corp program during the great depression. The Great Pond Camp in Southwest Harbor operated from 1933-1941. The men who worked at the camp were integral to the early development of the trail system in Acadia National Park. “The Southwest Harbor camp was opened about May, 1933 with enrollees erecting and living in tents while construction of the roll roofing covered barracks continued. An aerial photo dated September 5, 1933 shows four barracks buildings and four service buildings in place. Officers quarters, dispensary and living quarters for the commanding officer were added later. The last two were of log construction. The camp was located at the height of ground on the west side of the road leading from Southwest Harbor village to the south end of Great Pond [Long Pond]. This was near Acadia National Park lands where most of the work-projects took place. This park being one of the National Park System came under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Consequently the Department of the Interior controlled the employees and type of work projects carried out on the ground. This was a typical 200 man camp. All enrollees were Maine residents. Familial relationships were scarce but for most living conditions were a great improvement over depression years living conditions at home. Living conditions, discipline and in-camp activities were the concern of the U.S. Army…” – Fred E. Holt, former forest commissioner - “In the Public Interest: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Maine (1933-1942) - A Pictorial History” by Jon A. Schlenker, Norman A. Wetherington and Austin H. Wilkins, published by the University of Maine at Augusta Press, 1988, p. 67-70
Description: One of the thousands of camps set up by President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corp program during the great depression. The Great Pond Camp in Southwest Harbor operated from 1933-1941. The men who worked at the camp were integral to the early development of the trail system in Acadia National Park. “The Southwest Harbor camp was opened about May, 1933 with enrollees erecting and living in tents while construction of the roll roofing covered barracks continued. An aerial photo dated September 5, 1933 shows four barracks buildings and four service buildings in place. Officers quarters, dispensary and living quarters for the commanding officer were added later. The last two were of log construction. The camp was located at the height of ground on the west side of the road leading from Southwest Harbor village to the south end of Great Pond [Long Pond]. This was near Acadia National Park lands where most of the work-projects took place. This park being one of the National Park System came under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Consequently the Department of the Interior controlled the employees and type of work projects carried out on the ground. This was a typical 200 man camp. All enrollees were Maine residents. Familial relationships were scarce but for most living conditions were a great improvement over depression years living conditions at home. Living conditions, discipline and in-camp activities were the concern of the U.S. Army…” – Fred E. Holt, former forest commissioner - “In the Public Interest: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Maine (1933-1942) - A Pictorial History” by Jon A. Schlenker, Norman A. Wetherington and Austin H. Wilkins, published by the University of Maine at Augusta Press, 1988, p. 67-70 [show more]
The Eagle Lake CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp (NP-1), Company 154, at Bar Harbor was operated under the supervision of the National Park Service from May 1934 to June 1942. Its primary function was forest culture (roads, trails, recreation).
Description: The Eagle Lake CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp (NP-1), Company 154, at Bar Harbor was operated under the supervision of the National Park Service from May 1934 to June 1942. Its primary function was forest culture (roads, trails, recreation).
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]