Places

Since people have interacted with this place since time immemorial, history is infused in every rock and road. They lived with the land and sea, leaving behind a window into the living heritage of this landscape. With the creation of Acadia National Park, engineers, planners, designers and skilled workers added places places and spaces with visitors in mind. Explore these places that make up Acadia National Park.

 
Two people riding horseback under stone bridge
Carriage Roads & Gatehouses - 1913-1940

Learn the history behind the design, planning, and construction of the famous carriage road system.

Wooden directional sign pointing in different directions
Historic Trails - 1800s - 1930s

Mount Desert Island’s present-day trail system evolved over centuries of human use and settlement of the land.

Historic photo of cars on a scenic road
Motor Roads - 1922-1958

Acadia’s motor road system involved engineers, landscape architects, conservationists, local skilled laborers, the federal agencies.

Historic photograph of a lighthouse on an island
Lighthouses

Lighthouses play an important role in understanding the nautical history of Mount Desert Island and along Maine's coastline.

a B&W photo of a gatehouse in the snow
Historic Structures & Bridges

Learn about the buildings, bridges, and other historic structures of Acadia and the people who built them.

A bronze plaque on granite next to a lakeshore
Memorials & Monuments

The park today contains a wealth of memorials that give us information into its history, establishment, and management.

A fire tower with people standing on the platform
Fire Towers

Two lookouts were located on Beech Mountain and Sargent Mountain, and used for short periods of the park's history.

 

More About Acadia's Historic Places

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    Last updated: April 25, 2022

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    Contact Info

    Mailing Address:

    PO Box 177
    Bar Harbor, ME 04609

    Phone:

    207 288-3338

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