Though the Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Astors in the 1880's and 90's came to the island in search of social and recreational activities, the affluent of the turn of the century had much to do with preserving the area.
The preservation to save the land for perpetual public use began in 1901 and finally in 1929 Acadia National Park became a reality.
Today the park protects more than 47,000 acres and the ocean, forests, lakes, and mountains are there for all to enjoy.
Over 3 million visitors come to Acadia every year now.
My love of flowers and plants made this part of the park a favorite for me.
I love meeting new plants. This lovely one is Ground Nut or Apios Americana. They have only made it as far west as Colorado.
The Gardens are maintained by a volunteer group that care for the over 300 native species growing there.
The plants are labeled for identification as you wander among the paths.
Even the fungi are marked.
All of the beautiful ferns reminded me of a HUGE Boston fern we had when we lived in Idaho Falls in the early 80's. It was at least 8 feet tall and 6 feet across. The kids used to use it as a hiding place when they were playing hide and seek. The secret to it's success............potato fertilizer. It was Idaho after all.
A fantastic way to see all the different plants and flowers of the Acadia National Park.
Today the park was not as crowded as before on the roads but we'll see when we get to the next stop.
This day the blue skies made the water the most intense shades of blue.
At Wildwood Stables you can schedule horse drawn Carriage Tours. Tours follow the famous and scenic carriage roads that were originally constructed by John D. Rockefeller between 1913 and 1940. You can also bring your own horses to ride and stable them here while you are in the park.
The water at Sand Beach was a chilly 57 degrees but there were actually people swimming.
The main activity on the beach seemed to be picture taking.
The beautiful coastline with its jagged pink granite formations stand up to the never-ending assault of the ocean's waves. Today those waves were pretty calm.
This inlet that has been carved by the power of the ocean is called Thunder Hole.
When the right size wave rolls into the inlet, a deep thunderous sound emanates. The cause is a small cavern formed down low, just beneath the surface of the water.
While we were there the ocean was pretty calm so we just got a splash.
Wow, the lengths some people will go for a photo.
Lovely lake views.
I think that is my Lob stah dinner coming in to port. It was interesting to find out that in colonial times lobsters were so numerous that they were considered poor man's food. Lobsters can grow up to four feet long and weigh as much as 40 pounds. It is believed that lobsters can live as long as 100 years. Maine is the world leader for the lobster industry.
The beauty and wonder of Acadia National Park is unending. Next up a visit with friends.