a George fock Dar hase't been Forgotten "Maint Aug. 4,2005. 8/4/2005 Mount Desert Islander SECTION 1 PAGE George Bucknam Dorr hasn't been forgotten Editor's Note: The following is the first of a four-part series about Acadia National Park's founding fa- The landscape Mr. thers. By Ronald Epp Dorr appreciated ACADIA NATL PARK - Adja- still "engages our cent to the Sieur de Monts Spring Nature Center stands a chest-high emotions, artistic memorial stone now weathered by more than a half century of wind, senses, historical snow and rain. This simple monu- ment to George Bucknam Dorr quests and hopes for (1853-1944) is often overlooked by park visitors. permanence in a Surprisingly, our government did not honor the father of Acadia world of unstop- National Park here. Instead, fellow members of the Hancock County pable change." Trustees of Public Reservations Judith Goldstein erected this memorial for the "scholar, gentleman, and lover of nature" whose persistence and po- litical savvy brought the park into being - and sustained it for more rian Judith Goldstein has argued, than four decades. the landscape Mr. Dorr appreciated In August 1901, Northeast Har- still "engages our emotions, artistic bor summer resident Charles W. senses, historical quests and hopes Eliot asked Mr. Dorr and several for permanence in a world of un- other summer and permanent resi- stoppable change." dents of Mount Desert Island to The motivations for Mr. Dorr's meet in Seal Harbor to consider the involvement in these endeavors can feasibility of securing donations of be found in archival records. His Hancock County land for public ancestors on both sides of the fam- recreational use and scenic enjoy- ily trace to Salem and the early col- ment. The gentlemen who met at onization of Massachusetts. The PHOTO COURTESY ANP the music room became incorpora- families of both Charles Hazen tors of the Hancock County Dorr and Mary Gray Ward Dorr Acadia founder George Dorr. Trustees of Public Reservations. were involved in entrepreneurial Many of these individuals were banking, sea-faring trade with Chi- men in Washington, D.C. reacted dent at 65 years of age. concerned about the conflict be- nese merchants and the pursuit of cautiously to the precedent-setting Among his achievements, Mr. tween the preservation of land ac- cultural opportunities available to idea of gifting property to the fed- Dorr expanded park boundaries cessible to the public and real estate the educated elite. George B. Dorr eral government. Nonetheless, Mr. beyond the island, established a development. was blessed with wealth and com- Dorr and attorney Harry Lynam park infrastructure, collaborated It is not entirely clear why the fort. and his maturation in Boston spent nearly two vears researching with Mr. Rockefeller to develop the trustees designated Mr. Dorr to be among old Yankee families con- deeds for scores of properties total- carriage and motor road system, the administrative agent to carry tributed significantly to his later ing more than 6,000 acres. At this opened the summit of Cadillac out the mission of the Hancock achievements. point, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. made Mountain to vehicular traffic, and County Trustees of Public Reserva- Mr. Dorr's Harvard education, his initial financial commitment defended both the park and the is- tions. While Dr. Eliot retained extensive travels to foreign lands, and financed title search expenses. land against both state and federal trustee presidency until his death in expertise in scientific observation As Mr. Dorr persistently worked intrusiveness. 1926, it is doubtful that anyone else and exceptional ability with lan- his way through Washington's cor- As he entered his 80s, Mr. Dorr present had as much familiarity guages were invaluable in his nego- ridors of power, a related process of persevered. He provided oversight with the island landscape as Mr. tiation of complex trustee land ac- great importance to all island resi- for the large number of Civilian Dorr, although his political savvy quisitions. In his personal papers dents and visitors was unfolding. Conservation Corps landscape im- and negotiation skills were Mr. Dorr emphasizes that the time. Through the political astuteness of provéments as well as promoting, untested. he and his father spent in England entrepreneur Stephen Tyng Mather developing and managing the en- As. summer residents, the Dorr searching for their Puritan ances- and his youthful counterpart, Ho- larged 25,000-acre sanctuary so of- family involved themselves with tors had a profound effect: "The race M. Albright, a unit of the fed- ten described in the press as "Mr. civic-minded activities. They were quest after what was beautiful or eral government was being estab- Dorr's Park." In his final years - as among the founding members interesting in the lands our ances- lished "to conserve the scenery and World War II deflected resources to (1888) of the, Bar Harbor Village tors came from, its life and scenery, the natural and historic objects and meet other national needs - Mr. Improvement Association, a group its trees and pleasant gardens, left the wild life therein." Dorr's park leadership remained ef- of summer residents and local mer- an impress on me whose outcome The National Park Service Act of fective despite growing concerns chants who directed their activities has been Acadia National Park." 1916 was enacted six months prior about his health and the limitations toward public health, safety and the In the early 20th century, Mr. to the July 8 establishment of Sieur imposed by his near blindness. As preservation jof: 'the natural beau- Dorr's cultural influence was felt de Monts National Monument. Mr. he neared the end of his days, Mr. ties of the place." across the island with the erection Dorr was "custodian" for this pre- Dorr was, completing for publica- Village improvement. members of Bar Harbor's celebrated Building serve. He clearly saw this achieve- tion "The Story of Acadia National cleared surrounding) forests of the Arts as well as his essential ment as a "beginning," since na- Park." Page 2 col. 1 col. 2 col. 3 col. 4 mapped the island, and developed role in establishing Jesup Memorial tional park status was his goal. Assistant Park Superintendent an extensive system of walking Library. In the 1920s The Mount At this time, however, the na- Ben Hadley offered much more paths. This foundation of finely Desert Island Biological Laboratory tional parks were all' west of the than the customary testimonial fol- crafted paths, stone staircases, ands the Jackson Laboratory were 12 Mississippi. Establishment of an lowing Mr. Dorr's death 1 at Old wooden bridges and benches also founded on land that. he donated, al eastern park would require prece Farm on Aug. 5, 1944: "His labor became a. source of inspiration for as innovative scientists were at dent-setting arguments. Fortu- for [the creation of the park] is the park. By hiking and retracing tracted to the new opportunities nately, the National Park Service al- fresh in the minds of many, and to his steps systematically - ever at- that the island afforded. lied itself with Mr. Doff and them the park will be a monument tuned to the natural landscape In the trustees' first decade, emphasized to Congress the politi- to his memory. But at- best, two George B. Dorr developed an unri- however, George Stebbins and oth- cal consequences of ignoring the generations hence, his labor will be valed knowledge of the island's ers assisted Mr. Dorr in acquisition development of eastern parks close a legend and his name forgotten or public and hidden places. of major tracts of land - the Bee- to major population - and voting but casually recalled. No stone Moreover, as Somesville histo- hive, the Bowl and Cadillac Moun- centers. marks Y his burial, and no tablet tain summit. As the number of Mr. Dorr mustered an impres- marks his great work." trustee properties grew, Mr. Dorr sive array of authorities to persuade Now, three generations after Mr. became aware that political powers congressional bodies that this small Dorr's death, a stone tablet marks in Augusta were considering the re- national monument deserved na- his great work and a mountain ad- vocation of the charter incorporat- tional park status. In the winter of jacent to it bears his name. The far ing them In order to protect the 1919 Lafayette National Park - re- greater challenge for residents and scores of properties now in trustee named Acadia a decade later - was visitors is to make sure that Mr. hands, Mr. Dorrmade a request to established with President Dorr's triumphs are not forgotten. the federal government to accept Woodrow Wilson's signature. Mr.