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Bar Harbor Maine

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: 23 Feb 1796
Location: Bar Harbor, Hancock, Maine, United Statesmap
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Maine Hancock_County_Maine
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This profile is part of the Bar Harbor, Maine One Place Study.


Bar Harbor,a town in Hancock County, incorporated on February 23, 1796 under the name Eden from land set off from the town of Mount Desert on Mount Desert Island . After over 120 years, its name was changed to Bar Harbor on March 5, 1918 . The village of Bar Harbor and Eden existed at the same time. Eden village was near Hadley's point and Bar Harbor village is and was next to the harbor of the same name.

Parent Page Hancock County
Bar Harbor Maine Category page

Contents

Timeline

Date Designation Note
-1534 name unknown Wabanaki peoples - the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes
1534-1760Nouvelle FranceUnder French control, no known European settlers
1760unorganized territory
Lincoln, Massachusetts Bay
France surrenders September 8, 1760, Britain officially takes control of the area
1762Township #3 East of Union River was formed February 27, 1762
1776 America's declarers independence from Britain July 4, 1776
1776 Mount Desert Plantation, Lincoln, MassachusettsMount Desert Plantation was formed March 2, 1776 from a portion of Township #3 EUR
1789Mount Desert, Lincoln, Massachusetts Mount Desert incorporated February 17, 1789 from from Mount Desert Plantation.
1789 Mount Desert , Hancock, MassachusettsHancock County is formed June 25, 1789
1796Eden, Hancock, MassachusettsEden Incorporated February 23, 1796 from a portion of Mount Desert
1820 Eden, Hancock, MaineMaine becomes the 23 state March 15, 1820
1918Bar Harbor, Hancock, MaineEden renamed Bar Harbor on March 5, 1918

Villages, Locations and Settlements

Villages, Locations
and Settlements
Settler/Namesake/Note
Bar Harbor formerly East Eden see 1872 map
Blunts Point
East Edenlater as Bar Harbor village
Eden former post office and village near Hadley Point
Emery Cove
Cape Levi
Canoe Point
Clark Cove
Dorr Point
Emery District
Hadley PointSimeon Hadley (1742-1824)
Hamilton Station
Hulls Cove Samuel Hull (1755-)
Indian Point
Israel Point
Leland PointAmariah Leland (1710-1790)
Lookout Point
Ogden Point
Parker Point Silas Parker (1772-1844)
Red Rock Corner
Salsbury CoveEbenezer Salisbury (abt.1739-1825)
Sand Point
Spruce Point
The Ovens
Town Hill West Eden see 1872 map
West Eden later as Town Hill
Youngs District

Pioneer Settlers

Pioneer Settler Arrival Year
Cousins,ElishaElisha Cousins (1735-1816)
Doane,IsraelIsrael Doane Mayo (1773-1857)|
Hadley,SimeonSimeon Hadley (1742-1824) 1771
Hamor,David David Hamor (1757-1836)
Higgins,DavidDavid Higgins (1746-1812)
Higgins,IsraelIsrael Higgins (abt.1742-1818)
Higgins,JesseJesse Higgins (1743-1815)
Higgins,LeviLevi Higgins Sr. (1743-1825)
Hopkins,SmithSmith Hopkins (1770-1861)
Peach,EbenezerEbenezer Peach (1780-1862)
Leland,AmaraiahAmariah Leland (1710-1790)
Leland,EzraEzra Leland (1749-1817)
Liscomb,GideonGideon Liscom (bef.1769-1843)
Thomas,JohnJohn Thomas
Thomas,NicholasNicholas Thomas (1753-1838)
Salisbury,EbenezerEbenezer Salisbury (abt.1739-1825)
Sargent,William William Sargent (abt.1770-1817)
Smallidge,TimothyTimothy Smallidge (bef.1746-1825)
Stanwood, JobJob Stanwood (1727-1776)
Lynam,WilliamWilliam Lynam (1750-1822)
Young,EzraEzra Young (1735-1812)
Remick,ElkanahElkanah Remick (1757-1831)
Campbell,JamesJames Campbell (bef.1765-1836)

Islands

The state of Maine Lists 10 Islands that are part of Bar Harbor Maine Islands

Island Settler
Black Island
Green Island
Milliken Island
The Twinnies
Thomas Island

Maps


Bar Harbor Maps (click an image for details)
Amariah Leland - Leland Point, Eden
Plan of Mount Desert with Saw & Corn/Grist Mills
Mount Desert Island 1917
1881 Mount Desert with Eden, Southwest Harbor and Tremont with Household Names
Dodge's Mount Desert Island 1872
Map of Bar Harbor, Maine, 1896.

Stories

Varney's Gazetteer of the state of Maine has the following:
      Eden in Hancock County, occupies the northern and eastern portion of Mount Desert Island. It embraces an area of 22,000 acres, about 1,000 of which are covered by water. In the north-west is Western Bay ; in the north is Thomas Bay, which receives the waters of the largest stream on the island, North-Eastern Brook. North of this are Mount Desert Narrows, separating the island and the mainland. The principal eminences are Newport Mountain (1,060 feet in height), McFarland's Mountain (764 feet), the White Cap (925 feet), Mount Kebo (405 feet), Interlaken Hill (462 feet), Great Hill (748 feet). Dry Mountain and Green Mountain (1,522 feet), 4 miles S.S.W. of Bar Harbor, are partly in Eden. "The view from Green Mountain is delightful. No other peak of the same height can be found on the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Lubec to the Riu Grande, nor from any other point of the coast can so fine a view be obtained. The boundless ocean on the one side contrasting with high mountains on the other, and along the shore numerous islands, appearing like gems set in liquid pearl, form the most prominent features in the scene. White sails dotted over the water glide slowly along. We know not what view in nature can be finer than this, where the two grandest objects in nature, high mountains and a limitless ocean, occupy the horizon. The name of Eden is truly appropriate to this beautiful place." Twenty miles out on the ocean is seen Mount Desert Rock, with its light-house beaming a fixed white light. In the west are numerous mountains of the island, with bright lakes interspersed, while the Camden Mountains are seen in the distance. It is claimed that Mount Katahdin, 100 miles to the north, and Mount Washington, 140 miles west, can sometimes be seen from this point. Whittier, in Mogg Megone, has a passage on this locality.
     Granite, sometimes porphyritic in its character, is the prevailing rock in town. The soil varies from loam to gravel, with some marsh. Wheat, corn, oats, potatoes and barley are all raised to some extent. There are two saw-mills for long lumber, two shingle and two clap board mills. Agriculture and the fisheries are both carried on to a considerable extent ; but the chief employment of the people is catering to the wants of summer visitors. Bar Harbor, the principal village, is situated on the east side of the island. It has a fine sea view, extending across Porcupine Island, in Frenchman's Bay, to the rolling hills of Goldsborough. There are beaches near the village ; and a high rocky islet near by is the summer residence of General Fremont. About one and a half miles south of the village is Cromwell's Cove, noted for its bold cliff shores, on one of which is the rock-figure called the Assyrian. The Indian's Foot (a foot print in the rock) and the Pulpit are in this vicinity. Four miles south of Bar Harbor is Schooner Head, a high, wave-washed cliff, with a white formation on its seaward side, which resembles a schooner under sail. It is said to have been cannonaded by a-Bvitish frigate in the war of 1812. About two and a half miles north of Bar Harbor is the little seaport of Hull's Cove. Here is a neat crescent beach, where the Gregoire's dwelt, the hereditary proprietors of most of the region ; Madame Gregoire being a grand-daughter of the Gascon noble, Condillac, to whom the King of France granted Mount Desert in 1688. About two miles north of this place, across the promontory, is Salisbury Cove, a port for small vessels. The Via Mala is a long passage in the neighboring cliffs. A short distance eastward from this on the northern angle of the promontory, is the little hamlet of Sand Cliff ; and near it are the Ovens, a range of caves in the porphyritic cliffs. All over the island are found elm, birch, maple, cedar, and the evergreens, in large tracts and scattered groups.
      The first English settlement of the town was in 1763, by two families named Thomas and Higgins. Eden was taken from Mount Desert and incorporated in 1796. The name was probably adopted in honor of Richard Eden, an early English author. There is also a tradition that its natural beauties suggested its name. [See also Tremont and Mount Desert], There are Baptist, Episcopal and Union churches in the town. The public library contains about 1,200 volumes. A high school is sustained for a portion of the year. Eden has thirteen public school houses, and its school property is valued at $8,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $196,499. In 1880, it was $177,534. The rate of taxation in 1880 was 16 mills on the dollar. The population in 1870 was 1,195. In the census of 1880 it was 1,629.

Additional Resources

Web Sites:
Books:

Photos

Photo Gallery (click an image for details)
The Florence Hotel postcard
(Elaine Hayden collection)
The home of John Salisbury.
Elaine Hayden collection

Sources

  • Varney, George J. 1886. Gazetteer of the state of Maine: with numerous illustrations.

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