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Acadia National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Acadia National Park | |
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| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
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| Location: | Maine, USA |
| Nearest city: | Bar Harbor, Maine |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 47,390 acres (191.8 km²), 45,822.90 acres (185.4 km²) federal |
| Established: | July 8, 1916 |
| Total Visitation: | 2,098,584 (in 2005) |
| Governing body: | National Park Service |
Acadia National Park preserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast of Maine. The area includes mountains, an ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes. In addition to Mount Desert Island, the park comprises much of the Isle au Haut, a small island to the southwest of Mount Desert Island and parts of Baker Island, also nearby. A portion of Schoodic Peninsula on the mainland is also part of the park. In total, Acadia National Park consists of 30,300 acres (123 km²) on Mount Desert Island, 2,728 acres (11 km²) on Isle au Haut and 2,266 acres (9.2 km²) on the Schoodic Peninsula.
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The park was created by President Woodrow Wilson, as Sieur de Monts National Monument on July 8, 1916, administered by the National Park Service. On February 26, 1919, it became a national park, with the name Lafayette National Park in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, an influential French supporter of the American Revolution. The park's name was changed to Acadia National Park on January 19, 1929.
From 1915 to 1933, the wealthy philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. financed, designed, and directed the construction of an extensive network of carriage trails throughout the park. The network encompassed over 50 miles of gravel carriage trails, 17 granite bridges, and two gate lodges, almost all of which are still maintained and in use today.[1]
On October 17, 1947, 10,000 acres (40 km²) of Acadia National Park burned in a fire that had begun on the mainland in a cranberry bog. The forest fire was one of a series of fires that consumed much of Maine's forest as a result of a dry year. The fire burned for days and was fought by the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, local residents, and National Park Service Employees from around the country. Restoration of the park was supported, substantially, by the Rockefeller family, particularly John D. Rockefeller, Jr.. Regrowth was mostly allowed to occur naturally and the fire has been suggested to have actually enhanced the beauty of the park, adding diversity to tree populations and depth to its scenery.
The town of Bar Harbor is located on the northeast corner of the island. Southwest Harbor, on the western side of the fjord Somes Sound, is well known for boat-building and fishing, and has the largest year-round population on Mount Desert Island. Northeast Harbor is known for it's beautiful private "cottages" yet retains a small town atmosphere. Cadillac Mountain, named after the same French Explorer who went on to found Detroit, is on the eastern side of the island, and has always been a famous tourist destination because it's pink granite summit is one of the first places in the United States to see the sunrise. Miles of scenic carriage roads were originally built by Rockefeller, Jr., with great sensitivity to the trees and contours of the land. The mountains of Acadia National Park offer hikers and bicycle riders views of the ocean, island lakes, and pine forests.
Acadia National Park primarily straddles Mount Desert Island in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Maine, but also encompasses portions of Isle Au Haut and the Schoodic Penninsula. The geology of Acadia National Park is mainly underlined in granite, which creates its high elevations and steep ridges.
The park is home to some 40 different species of mammalian wildlife. Among those are red and gray squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, moose, beaver, porcupine, muskrats, foxes, coyote, bobcats, and black bears. Species that used to inhabit the island include the mountain lion (or puma) and the gray wolf. It is thought that these predators have been forced to leave the area due to the dramatic decrease in small prey and proximity to human activity. Many other marine species have been observed in the surrounding area and waters.
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