Welcome to Bar Harbor Maine

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Bar Harbor Maine

The town of Bar Harbor was founded on the northeast shore of Mount Desert Island, which the Wabanaki Indians knew as Pemetic, meaning "range of mountains" or "mountains seen at a distance." The Wabanaki seasonally fished, hunted and gathered berries, clams, and other shellfish in the area. They spoke of Bar Harbor as Man-es-ayd'ik ("clam-gathering place") or Ah-bays'auk ("clambake place"), leaving great piles of shells as evidence of this abundance. In early September 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain ran aground on a rock ledge believed to be just off Otter Cliffs, and when he came ashore to repair his boat he met local natives. Champlain named the island Isles des Monts Deserts, meaning "island of barren mountains" — now called Mount Desert Island, the largest in Maine.

First settled in 1763 by Israel Higgins and John Thomas, the community was incorporated in 1796 as Eden, after Sir Richard Eden, an English statesman. Early industries included fishing, lumbering and shipbuilding. With the best soil on Mount Desert Island, it also developed agriculture. In the 1840s, its rugged maritime scenery attracted the Hudson River School and Luminism artists Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, William Hart and Fitz Henry Lane. Inspired by their paintings, journalists, sportsmen and "rusticators" followed. Agamont House, the first hotel in Eden, was established in 1855 by Tobias Roberts. Birch Point, the first summer estate, was built in 1868 by Alpheus Hardy.

Notable locations in Bar Harbor: Bar Harbor Town Pier, Harbor Place, Fishermans Landing, Kebo Valley Golf Club, Devils Half-Acre, Bear Brook Picnic Area, Roscoe B Jackson Memorial Laboratory, Bar Harbor Whale Museum, Bar Harbor Historical Society Museum, Bar Harbor Historical Society Building, Bar Harbor Fire Department, Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Eno Greenhouse, High Street Health Center, Goodwin Computer Laboratory, Jackson Laboratory Public Information Center, Kaelber Hall, Turretts Building, YMCA Building, Science and Arts Building.

Churches in Bar Harbor include: Jordan-Fernald Chapel, Saint Silvias Roman Catholic Church, Saint Saviours Church, Bar Harbor Congregational Church, First Baptist Church of Bar Harbor, Holy Redeemer Church, The Shrine.

Cemetery: Meeting House Cemetery.

Streams, Rivers, and Creeks: Cromwell Brook, Kebo Brook, Eddie Brook.

Parks in Bar Harbor include: Newlin Gardens, Grant Park, West Street Historic District, Agamont Park, Village Green, Beatrix Farrand Gardens.

Post office: Bar Harbor Post Office.

Tourist attractions: LeLiLo/Bar Harbor (9 Strawberry Hill), Coastal Kayaking Tours Inc (Tours & Charters; 48 Cottage Street), Acadia National Park Tours (Tours & Charters; 53 Main Street), Acadia & Island Tours-Oli'S Trolley (Tours & Charters; 1 West Street).

Hotels: Cadillac Motor Inn (336 Main Street), Villager Motel (207 Main Street), Highbrook Motel (94 Eden), Acadia Hotel (20 Mount Desert Street), Belle Isle Motel (910 State Highway 3), Best Western Inn (452 State Highway 3), Rockhurst Motel (68 Mount Desert Street), Dreamwood Pines Motel (Hulls Cove), Sunnyside Motel & Cottages (1441 State Hwy 3).

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