In just a few short days, I will be co-hosting Jeff Clow's Maine Lighthouse and Lobster Tour. No matter how many times I have been to the stops that we have planned, I still get excited. I thought I would post a shot from my last visit to Maine today. You might have expected to see a shot of the rugged Maine coast, but I decided to feature a lesser known attraction in Acadia National Park, namely carriage roads.
Acadia National Park came into being through generous donations from landowners on both a Federal and State level. Its first incarnation was as a National Monument named Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916. In 1919, it became a National Park named Lafayette National Park. The park's name was officially changed to Acadia in 1929. The origin of the carriage roads actually started in 1915 before it became a National Monument. John D Rockefeller Jr. was the primary sponsor of the carriage roads. Rockefeller was one of the donators of the land for the park's creation. He wanted to be able to ride horses (he was an experienced horseman) or be drawn in a carriage when he was visiting the park without encountering cars. He led a project that resulted in 45 miles of carriage roads and the construction of 17 bridges throughout the park. Today, the roads are a great attraction for hikers, horses, bicyclists and snowmobilers who visit the park. They are also great subjects for photographers.