Founded:
George B. Dorr, a tireless spokesman for conservation, devoted 43 years of his life, energy, and family fortune to preserving the Acadian landscape.
In 1901, disturbed by the growing development of the Bar Harbor area and the dangers he foresaw in the newly invented gasoline powered portable sawmill, George Dorr and others established the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations. The corporation, whose sole purpose was to preserve land for the perpetual use of the public, acquired 6,000 acres by 1913.
Dorr offered the land to the federal government, and in 1916, President Wilson announced the creation of Sieur de Monts National Monument. Dorr continued to acquire property and renewed his efforts to obtain full national park status for his beloved preserve.
In 1919, President Wilson signed the act establishing Lafayette National Park, the first national park east of the Mississippi. Dorr, whose labors constituted "the greatest of one-man shows in the history of land conservation," became the first park superintendent.
In 1929, the park name changed to Acadia. Today the park protects more than 47,000 acres, and the simple pleasures of "ocean, forests, lakes, and mountains" that for over a century and a quarter have been sought and found by millions, are yours to enjoy.
Mission:
The Mission of the Curatorial Program at Acadia National Park is to preserve the natural and cultural history of the park and Saint Croix Island International Historic Site and to preserve the history of the administration of the park. Towards this purpose historical artifacts, archival documents, and natural history specimens will be acquired, preserved both physically and intellectually, and interpreted through educational programs and research.
Collections:
The William Otis Sawtelle Collections and Research Center at Acadia National Park contain detailed information about the history of Mount Desert Island and the Cranberry Isles. Six collections, featuring items from as early as 1596, are available to the public. Each collection has a finding aid to help locate information. The collections contain photographs; town, genealogical, and vessel and trade records; correspondence; books, maps, and pamphlets; artwork; newspapers; and more.
Operating Hours & Seasons
Acadia National Park is open all year. Information is available at park headquarters all year and at Hulls Cove Visitor Center from April 15 through October.
Most facilities—including the visitor center, museums, picnic areas, Seawall Campground, and many roads—close during the winter. Most of the Park Loop Road, including the road to Cadillac Mountain, is closed from December 1 through April 14 and at other times when severe weather creates dangerous conditions.