"The Bowl, the Beehire, and a Secular Epiphany. "Friends of Acadic Journal 19,42 (Winter 2011 Acadia History The Bowl, the Beehive, and a Secular Epiphany By Ronald Epp Note: This article is adapted from the forth- On August 29th, 1901 Dr. Eliot and sev- This conservation commitment did not coming biography of George B. Dorr, to be pub- en other charter members of the Hancock immediately result in systematic activity to lished in spring 2016 by Friends of Acadia. We County Trustees of Public Reservations, secure donations of Hancock County prop- will feature several excerpts in future Journal including Bar Harbor resident George B. erty. The incorporators believed that op- issues, leading up to Acadia's centennial year. Dorr, signed a request for incorporation for portunities would naturally arise but a half "social, charitable and benevolent purpos- century later local author Sargent Collier B y the end of the 19th century, two es." Following additional discussion they would claim (in The Triumph of George B. decades of summering at Northeast added to their drafts language that recog- Dorr) that during these early years the Harbor had convinced Charles W. nized the need for property improvements corporation slept. No gifts were bestowed, Eliot that public use of private land had such as laying out and building roads and no efforts made to acquire them, no toes been curtailed by the expanding summer paths. stepped on." Historical evidence shows, to population. On the other hand, the phi- On the same day that Theodore Roos- the contrary, that Trustee membership dur- lanthropy of some influential and gifted in- evelt assumed the office of President of the ing the first year more than quadrupled, dividuals contributed to improvements in United States following McKinley's assas- to 55 members. In 1903 two small parcels the local infrastructure. Summer residents sination, the incorporators met again. The were donated-a hilltop site overlooking provided leadership in sanitation, road and beginnings of the land trust movement in Jordan Pond and a 24.5-square-meter site trail development, and town beautifica- Maine thus dovetailed with the national in Seal Harbor, set aside for a Champlain tion projects-not to mention support for inception of the Progressive Era. With its memorial plaque. The membership did not churches, libraries, and community parks. roots in Populist politics of the late nine- increase further until the first substantial Private ownership of land was both the teenth century, progressive thinking was properties were acquired, five years later. cause and remedy for the preservationist now united with a national conservation However, behind the scenes incorporator problem that a new conservation organiza- movement-and became a cornerstone of George B. Dorr and local attorney Albert tion would face. Roosevelt's domestic policies. H. Lynam were actively identifying tracts of land, researching titles, and cultivating a philanthropic culture that would soon bear fruit. In May 1908, President Eliot re- ceived a deed from summer resident Eliza Homans (1830-1914) for parcels of land that proved to be the catalyst for the con- servation of landscapes that became Aca- dia National Park. In Dorr's seminal 1942 publication, Acadia National Park: Its Origin and Background, the donation was acknowl- edged as "their first important singu- larly appropriate to the trustees' purpose, beautiful, unique, and wild." For four decades the Homans family of Boston had been island summer residents. The surgeon's widow was the daughter of a New Hampshire cleric, Reverend Samuel Kirkland Lothrop, later the head of Boston's Old Brattle Street Church. In 1868, the Dorr and Lothrop families had been drawn closer together when Charles Hazen Dorr George B. Dorr and Charles W. Eliot, the founding leaders of the Hancock County Trustees of Public (the father of George B. Dorr) and Eliza Reservations, at Jordan Pond. Homan's brother (Thornton K. Lothrop) 8 Winter 2014 .19,#3 Friends of Acadia Journal The Beehive's distinctive silhouette contributed to the significance of Eliza Homans' precedent-setting gift. Friends of Acadia/Aimee Beal Church purchased the substantial Higgens Tract, confidence was apparently broken, for Dorr pleted the Beehive ascent took in expansive which fronted on Frenchman Bay. When had a Homans family memorial path con- views of Sand Beach and the Otter Cliffs Lothrop sold his portion of the property to structed-a challenging ascent featuring trailing east and south. Dorr's father a decade later, the Oldfarm es- granite steps and graceful stone archways In the nineteenth century, Hudson River tate was then developed. on the steep face of a mountain that would School painters (Thomas Cole. Frederick During the Trustees' early years there had later bear Dorr's name. This was one of six Church, Fitz Hugh Lane, Sanford Gifford, been speculation about the signature dona- memorial trails added to the system from and Aaron Draper Shattuck) represented tion that would be needed to energize sub- 1913 to 1916, an accomplishment that landscape features like the Bowl and Bee- sequent donations. The friendship of Eliza pathmaker Rudolph Brunnow attributed to hive, creating near-reverential public inter- L. Homans with Charles W. Eliot-culti- Mr. Dorr. Olmsted Center landscape archi- est in the natural history of the island. In vated on Mount Desert Island-provided tect Margaret Coffin Brown's 2006 study of The Artist's Mount Desert (1994), John C. the context for her precedent-setting phi- island Pathmakers rightly affirms that Dorr Wilmerding, Northeast Harbor collector lanthropy. Mrs. Homans offered the Trust- "envisioned the memorial trails as part of a and curator of American art, notes that as ees their first sizable tracts of land, which plan to enhance the public reservation and Thomas Cole gazed from Schooner Head included landforms of singular historic and improve its eligibility for designation as a toward the Beehive precipice, he wrote: artistic interest. national monument or park." "This is a very grand scene. The craggy In conveying the deeds, Eliza informed By accepting this first gift to the Trustees, mountain, the dark pond of dark brown Eliot that she had not put any restrictions Eliot and Dorr acted not merely as agents water-The golden sea sand of the beach in the deed. In a light-hearted manner, she of opportunity. Each had historical asso- and the light green [sea] with its surf al- recognized that if she did not engage the ciations with the Homans family, and real- together with the woods of varied color- Trustees she ran the risk that "my grand- ized the promotional value of such gifts. make a magnificent effect such as seldom children may find a 'Merry-Go-Round' es- The 140-plus-acre tract lay on the south seen created in the sun." Pamela J. Be- tablished there!" On a serious plane, it was side of Newport (now Champlain) Moun- langer's Inventing Acadia (1999) argues that her intent that this gift would be "a bright tain. It included a glacial cirque historically Acadia National Park was a product of sce- example, albeit an anonymous one." In her known as the Bowl. The site was contigu- nic monumentalism, preserved primarily as May 7, 1908 letter preserved in the Records ous with the craggy, 520-foot granite head- a response to nineteenth-century American of the President of Harvard she asked Eliot land prosaically named the Beehive. From landscape aesthetics. Mount Desert Island to publicize the gift but to do SO "without its rounded, bare summit overlooking Sand became one of the nation's most exclusive bringing my name in." Eight years later that Beach and Schooner Head, those who com- sacred places, a "product of the cultural Friends of Acadia Journal Winter 2014 9 An incomplete painting by Frederic Edwin Church, depicting the Beehive and Champlain Mountain as seen from Great Head. Brush and oil paint, graphite on cardboard Gift of Louis P. Church to Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. work of landscape painters who were also stage up and down the mountain," and the summit road entrepreneurs at a time 'enshrined' for their genius in representing possibly sub-divide the acreage for sale to when the growing popularity of the au- the place." interested parties. tomobile generated island-wide specula- Despite such aesthetic considerations, Before the end of the summer, Dorr re- tion-and heated controversy-about the at a practical level how might Dorr add to peatedly walked the summit of the highest benefits and risks of this new vehicle to Eliot's success? Dorr immediately turned island peak with attorney Lynam, "tracing island culture. Trustee acquisition delayed his thoughts to the acquisition of the most out the boundaries of the land I sought." public motorized access to the summit prominent island landmark. He informed Wasting no time, Dorr triumphantly de- for the next twenty-four years. Only later Eliot that he "would see what I could do to railed the syndicate plan with the financial would Dorr and his fellow Trustees realize get the summit of Green Mountain-Cadil- backing of philanthropist John S. Kennedy that his success atop the Cadillac summit lac now." It was a moment of immediate and and A.H. Lynam's deft legal counsel. In had made "this Park's creation my major unifying recognition, a secular epiphany! his published memoir, Dorr stated that he interest and work." Dorr knew that the goals of conservation quickly purchased from the estate of Dan- would be best served if he could secure the iel W. Brewer-a descendent of early Hulls RONALD H. EPP, Ph.D. has worked in most topographically significant landscape Cove settlers-the eighty-five acre "Moun- university teaching, scholarly publishing, on the island-the summit of the highest tain House Lot" where the Brewer family and academic library administration, and mountain on the U.S. eastern seaboard. had earlier entertained guests at their inn is the retired director of Shapiro Library at Dorr's quiet acquisition of island proper- at the end of the rough summit road. Dorr Southern New Hampshire University. His ty now escalated strategically. These eighty- explained that the distinctiveness of this longtime research into Acadia's early his- five acres were selected for one particular exceptional property "lies in its all-round tory and personages has led to published reason: their landscape quality. In another view." This new Trustee property on Cadil- articles in the magazines and newsletters letter preserved in the Harvard University lac Mountain included "every command- of many Acadia-area organizations. Ron Archives, Dorr explained to Dr. Eliot that ing view upon the whole broad summit, and his wife Elizabeth, who passed away a syndicate of land speculators intended to the highest and boldest on our oceanfront, in 2013, first joined Friends of Acadia in purchase the summit, on which they held from Maine to Florida, and the central fea- 1995. a lease. Their intent was to convey paying ture of Acadia National Park." sightseeing passengers on "an automobile Of secondary importance, Dorr stopped IO Winter 2014 Friends of Acadia Journal Special Person Ron Epp: Honoring the Father of Acadia Since then, Ron has A headline in the August 12th, 2005 edition of the Bangor Daily News devoted his own cease- .read, "Acadia National Park found- less effort to correcting ers to be honored in Bar Harbor ceremony." that situation. He has The article went on to note that the follow- spent countless hours ing day, August 13th, was the 104th anniver- in the archives of Aca- sary of the first official meeting of the orga- dia's Sawtelle Collec- nication that eventually led to the creation tion, the Bar Harbor of Acadia National Park. Then-Governor and other historical so- John Baldacci proclaimed the day "Found- cieties, the Rockefeller ers Day" and a tribute event was to be held Archive Center, the at the Bar Harbor Village Green. Featured National Archives, and speakers would include Acadia's Superin- other repositories of tendent Sheridan Steele, and Ronald Epp, relevant historic docu- described as "Dorr's biographer." ments. He has penned Ron Epp, photographed in the Friends of Acadia office. Friends of Acadia Development Director articles for the maga- Lisa Horsch Clark recalls the event and as- zines and newsletters of many Acadia-area estate planning, Ron was very helpful in sociated celebrations of Acadia's founders: organizations including Friends of Acadia, providing background information on Dorr -At the time much attention was given to the Mount Desert Island Historical Society and, in addition, Ron and Elizabeth were John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his role in build- and the Hancock County Trustees of Public among the earliest members. Now, he has ing Acadia's carriage roads, but most people Reservations. He has discovered correspon- declined royalties from the sale of his book. didn't remember the others who were so dences and other documents previously Ron explains that "inspiration for my important to the park's creation. Dorr- overlooked. And he has written a remark- historical research was provided by the who was that? He didn't have descendants able biography of the life of George B. Dorr, October 2000 Preserving Historic Trails Con- or a famous name. Ron Epp really brought from his family history and childhood in ference held in Bar Harbor, which whet- people like Charles W. Eliot and especially and around Boston, to his final days at Old- ted my latent interests in what was murky George B. Dorr back into the forefront." farm at Acadia's Compass Harbor. He now or unknown about the trail makers and Ron co-chaired the planning committee for has "given" that manuscript to Friends of park founders. Elizabeth and I had already the celebrations and gave several talks and Acadia for publication. The book, The Mak- hiked much of the trail system-favor- lectures on the founders during the sum- ing of Acadia National Park, is scheduled to ing the scenic grandeur of Great Head, mer of 2005. be released in spring of 2016, to coincide Kurt Diederich's Climb, Oldfarm, and the Ron and his wife, Elizabeth, had been with Acadia's centennial year. Perpendicular Trail-but we questioned visiting Acadia regularly for years. Ron's Acadia National Park Ranger Maureen how park founders managed to consoli- background as a professor of environmen- Fournier notes that "Ron's biography of date these landscape arteries into a public tal ethics and the history of philosophy may George B. Dorr is the result of many years park. Armed with the archival network- have been one reason that Dorr, who had a of dedicated and thorough research. The ing tools available to academic librarians, close relationship with the Philosophy De- book will be an important contribution to I envisioned a biography of the father of partment at Harvard University, caught his Acadia's historical resource collection, and the park as my bridge into retirement- attention. He found himself immersed in I believe it will be considered the authorita- little did I realize that the magnitude of the the life history of the man who devoted 40 tive text on Acadia National Park's history task would require fifteen of those 'golden years of ceaseless effort and his entire per- and the man many refer to as the 'Father of years." For the sake of our better under- sonal fortune to the creation and develop- Acadia National Park." standing of Acadia's history, we're so grate- ment of Acadia National Park, wondering Ron's generosity extends beyond his ful that he saw it through. what Dorr's motivations had been. In 2001 sharing of knowledge. He and Elizabeth he wrote an article, titled "Acadia's Founder" first joined Friends of Acadia in 1995. Lisa -Aimee Beal Church for the Friends of Acadia Journal, in which he Horsch Clark recalls that when she was Friends of Acadia Journal commented, "It is disconcerting to find that working to establish the George B. Dorr So- Mr. Dorr has been largely ignored by both ciety, the recognition society for those who (Winter, 2014,,p.5. popularizers and the academic community." have included Friends of Acadia in their 10/9/2014 XFINITY Connect XFINITY Connect eppster2@comcast.net + Font Size - First in Series of FOA Journal articles From : Ronald & Elizabeth Epp Thu, Oct 09, 2014 03:11 PM Subject : First in Series of FOA Journal articles 1 attachment To : Aimee Church Dear Aimee, Here is a draft of the first article running to 1,510 words. In characterizing it, "adapted" might be a better way of describing its relationship to the forthcoming biography for it is not a straight-forward extraction of content. Regarding several images, I know that there is a ANP b&w copyprint (#450) of the Beehive. One could also use a copy of one of the color paintings of the Hudson River School painters, such as the 1850 Frederick Church painting titled II Otter Creek, Mt. Desert" from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts collection. I wonder whether there might be a Tom Blagden color image of the Bowl and/or the Beehive that FOA could use? Can you check? It is surprising how few images exist of some of the most picturesque areas of the park. Looking forward to hearing from you before I'm off to California next Thursday. All the Best, Ronald From: "Church, Aimee" To: "Epp, Elizabeth" Sent: Tuesday, October 7, 2014 11:00:35 AM Subject: RE: FOA Journal articles Hi Ron, Yes, I think the paragraphs you cite below will work well. It will be great if you're able to pull together the pieces we've talked about. I would be very happy to have a copy of the CD of images from ANP. For the purposes of this piece, however, I'll need electronic files of the photos we decide to use before your visit in November. You can email a few that you select; or if they're large I find that Dropbox (an online file sharing site) works very well. Let me know if you'd like to try that- can send you a link and instructions. Best, Aimee Aimee Beal Church Communications and Outreach Coordinator http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=243917&tz=America/New_York&xim= 1/7 10/9/2014 XFINITY Connect Editor, Friends of Acadia Journal www.friendsofacadia.org From: Ronald & Elizabeth Epp [mailto:eppster2@comcast.net] Sent: Friday, October 03, 2014 9:33 AM To: Church, Aimee Subject: FOA Journal articles Dear Aimee, I agree with your thinking about these matters. regarding the context for the paragraphs you designated in chapter 11, I suggest you take a look at chapter 9, paragraphs 3,6, and 9. What do you think? If you agree that this provides an introductory backdrop for the extracts from chapter 11, I'll work up a draft over the weekend and send it off to you. Regarding images, I have a CD collection of all the ANP copy prints. I'll select a couple that for your needs as you expressed them. I can bring my copy the next time I visit and you can copy it. I agree with the piece on Dorr as island explorer is better fitted to the Spring or Summer issues. Have a fine weekend. Ron From: "Church, Aimee" To: "Epp, Elizabeth" Sent: Thursday, October 2, 2014 2:34:38 PM Subject: RE: Making of Acadia Dear Ron, Wonderful! Yes, I think it's fine for you to rephrase attributed passages for this context. We will include an "editor's note" that explains the piece is an adapted excerpt from the forthcoming book. Regarding length: in general I'd like to give these excerpts either two or three pages in the Journal, so that gives us between 1,000 and 1,700 words, with room for two or three photos. In this case, starting where I indicated- "In May 1908, President Eliot received a deed from Mrs. Eliza Homans. and ending with "Only later would he realize that his success atop the Cadillac summit had made 'this Park's creation my major interest and work.'" would be just over 1,000 words, so we have plenty of space still available. I'd like to consider including some of the discussion of national context that precedes this episode, as well. I'm currently re-reading the beginning of chapter 11 to see what might make sense-let me know if you have a suggestion or preference. http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=243917&tz=America/New_York&xima 2/7 10/9/2014 XFINITY Connect The photos don't need to be limited to those we will ultimately use in the book; in this case I'd suggest a scenic photo of the Beehive area and a relevant historical photo. The easiest source for historical photos is the ANP archives, as I can go up there to get a large file and I know they'll give me permission! Let me know if there's a photo you'd like me to pursue. Yes, I'm completely open to your suggested excerpt on "Dorr as an island sure-footed explorer" in a future issue of the Journal-the spring and summer issues are when I like to feature hiking! Best, Aimee Aimee Beal Church Communications and Outreach Coordinator Editor, Friends of Acadia Journal www.friendsofacadia.org From: Ronald & Elizabeth Epp [mailto:eppster2@comcast.net Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 2:45 PM To: Church, Aimee Subject: Re: Making of Acadia Dear Aimee, So good to hear from you! I am extremely pleased by your offer of a series of FOA articles extracted from The Making of Acadia. If you would offer me some guidance on two immediate matters I'd be in a better position to suggest which other extracts should appear: (1) word limits; and (2) whether you are comfortable with my rephrasing of attributed passages in order to abide by the FOA editorial practice of avoiding endnotes. I do think I can meet your tight timeline for the Homans piece though it will be squeezed in before I leave on the 17th for twelve days in California. Public awareness of the Homans gift is entirely dependent on the 200 word account given by Dorr in his ANP,wherein Dorr offers no account of how Eliot had secured this offer. This information I unearthed in Eliot's presidential papers in the Harvard Archives. Bar Harbor resident and friend Alice M. Long Islander 8/10/2006 essay "Homan's Gift Sparked Creation of Acadia" added biographical information about the donor but not the negotiations with president Eliot. If we used this extract (with some modifications) from Chapter 11, where would you see it concluding? When I hear back from you I'll have a better idea of what other extracts to suggest for your consideration. I still think that the paragraphs on Dorr as an island sure-footed explorer will resonate with readers; unlike our contemporaries hikers, Dorr's trekking was driven by his conservation vision of what the island could be at a time when the landscape was increasingly fragmented into private http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=243917&tz=America/New_York&xim= 3/7 10/9/2014 XFINITY Connect domains. Looking forward to hearing from you. All the Best, Ronald From: "Church, Aimee" To: "Epp, Elizabeth" Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 11:41:30 AM Subject: RE: Making of Acadia Hi Ron, Thank you for thinking about the burnal-indeed, I would very much like to include excerpts in several issues between now and the book's publication. I think that a series of excerpts that, as you suggest, "deal with different aspects of the sweep of the entire manuscript" will develop readers' curiosity and fix the upcoming event (the publication, that is!) in their minds. I've always heard that you need to hear something three times before you remember it whether that's true or not, I think that three excerpts seems about right. In fact, I'd like to include installment #1 in the upcoming winter issue. I don't have a fixed opinion as to what section that should I'm very open to your ideas. The challenge will be for it to be sufficiently free-standing that readers don't feel they've missed some important information. One bit that jumped out at me is in chapter 11, starting with "In May 1908, President Eliot received a deed from Mrs. Eliza Homans " I think that story isn't very well known, and quite interesting. I also like your suggestion from chapter 7. What other sections were you thinking of? The upcoming issue of the Journal is actually coming out on a tight timetable, so I hope to select an excerpt for it in the next week or so. It would be nice to also have an idea of other excerpts we wish to feature in future issues, but I don't think we should let that hold us up. Accordingly, I have been very focused on the Journal (both the fall issue, just out, and the winter issue, forthcoming) so I have not yet had a chance to dig in to your manuscript beyond some initial browsing. But I'm impressed so far with what I see- look forward to more focused time with it in the coming weeks and months. I have some questions for you before I start digging in, but I'll save those for another email. I hope you are feeling well as you await the test results, and I look forward to seeing you whenever that may happen. http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=243917&tz=America/New_York&xim= 4/7 11/4/2014 XFINITY Connect XFINITY Connect eppster2@comcast.net + Font Size "Special Person" for FOA Journal From : Aimee Beal-Church Wed, Oct 29, 2014 02:19 PM 1 attachment Subject : "Special Person" for FOA Journal To : Ronald Epp Hi Ron, Attached is a draft of my "Special Person" article for the upcoming FOA Journal, featuring your many varied contributions to FOA and our understanding of Acadia history! I hope you will correct any errors. Also, I've left a spot at the end to include a sentence or two from you about your relationship with the park, and what it means for you to connect that relationship with your activities as a volunteer historian. If you wish, also include your favorite place(s) or activity/ies in Acadia. We also typically include a photograph of the honoree, generally in the park though that's not necessary. If you have one you can send to me-with Elizabeth, if you like-that would be great. The Journal is going to the designer at the end of this week, but as you won't be home until the weekend I'll delay sending them the this piece until I've heard from you. Thank you! All best, Aimee Aimee Beal Church Communications and Outreach Coordinator Editor, Friends of Acadia Journal Friends of Acadia 43 Cottage Street, P.O. Box 45 Bar Harbor, ME 04609 207.288.3340 (T) 207.812.8385(C) www.friendsofacadia.org Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality, and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations. Special Person - Ron Epp.doc 26 KB http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=248662&tz=America/New_York&xim=1 1/1 XFINITY Connect 10/24/14, 4:29 PM XFINITY Connect eppster2@comcast.net Font Size piece for winter Journal From : Aimee Beal-Church Wed, Oct 22, 2014 09:22 AM Subject : piece for winter Journal 1 attachment To : Ronald Epp Hi Ron, I've suggested some small edits to the excerpt you put together for the winter Journal, attached in markup mode. Let me know if another format would be helpful. One question: you referenced the Champlain memorial site as "off Cooksey Drive" in Seal Harbor, but the Champlain memorial I'm familiar with is off Route 3, not Cooksey Drive. I simply deleted the reference to the road-but please educate me if I'm missing something! I also wrote up a bio for you. Please edit however you please. In addition: we (the FOA staff) would like to feature you as our "special person" in this issue of the Journal. In each issue we highlight someone whose generous efforts have been of significant benefit to FOA and the park. Although we'll be making a big deal about your book in future issues, we wanted to take a moment now to acknowledge you, and all of your contributions-of historical knowledge, articles, and of course your book. Is this ok with you? If so, would you be able to provide a statement or two about your relationship with the park, and what it means for you to connect that relationship with your activities as a volunteer historian! If you wish, also include your favorite place(s) or activity/ies in Acadia. I hope your trip is going well. All best, Aimee PS: I'm steadily working my way through the full ms-you and Wendy did fantastic work on it! We'll talk more when you visit in a few weeks I just wanted to let you know that I'm enjoying it immensely at this point. Aimee Beal Church Communications and Outreach Coordinator Editor, Friends of Acadia Journal Friends of Acadia 43 Cottage Street, P.O. Box 45 Bar Harbor, ME 04609 207.288.3340 (T) 207.812.8385(C) www.friendsofacadia.org Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality, and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations. http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=246980&tz=America/Los_Angeles&xim=1 Page 1 of 2 11/4/2014 XFINITY Connect XFINITY Connect eppster2@comcast.net + Font Size - Special person Addendum, From : Ronald & Elizabeth Epp Tue, Nov 04, 2014 09:56 AM Subject : Special person Addendum, To : Aimee Church Hi Aimee, Regarding your request for about my relationship with the park and other issues that you wish me to address in your article, how does the following work for you? Inspiration for my historical research was provided by the October 2000 "Preserving Historic Trails Conference" held in Bar Harbor. Among the many excellent presenters, Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation architects Margie Coffin Brown and Lauren Meier whetted my latent interests in what was murky or unknown about the trail makers and park founders. Elizabeth and I had already hiked much of the trail system-- favoring the scenic grandeur of Great Head, the Kurt Diederich Climb, Old Farm, and the Perpendicular Trail--but -- we questioned how the park founders managed to consolidate these landscape arteries into a public park. Armed with the archival networking tools available to academic librarians, I envisioned a biography of the father of the park as my bridge into retirement-- little did I realize that the magnitude of the task would require fifteen of those "golden years." Edit as you see fit! Finally, I'm still on track for my meetings with you the week of 17 November. O,.K.?, All Best, Ronald Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. 532 Sassafras Dr. Lebanon, PA 17042 717-272-0801 eppster2@comcast.net http://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=250534&tz=America/New_York&xima 1/1