Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-09-23
MUSICAL BLUEHILL.
MANY MUSICIANS AMONG SUM
MER PEOPLE.

THEY TAKE LIVELY INTEREST IN TIN
TOWN AND AID MANY LOCAL
INSTITUTIONS.
Theodore W. Nevin, in Pittsburs Dispatch.
This lovely little Maine village, Nesting
at the foot Of Bluehili mountain, seventeen
miles away from the nearest railway
station, prides itself on the quaintness
and beauty Of the village itself and on the
charming views down Bluehili bay. 1t
also sets great store on its mineral spring,
the water Of which is thought by many
to be as good a. some and better than
Others Of the more celebrated springs Of
this country.
Well may it be proud, for its estimate OF
itself is not unwarranted lit has great
beauty and it has wonderful spring.
But the great distinction Of the place
the unique feature lis elsewhere, at least
in 20 far AZ the great outside public IL
concerned. Down along the shores Of the
bay below the village is cottage COM
-munity filled with summer ,isitors-'srus-
ticators," the townspeople call them. It
10 not . fashionable resort; it is one whose
citizens want rest, who really want to lead
the simple life, and who succeed in doing
what they want.
The unique character Of this settlement,
however, Lies in the fact that it has be-
come . stronghold for musicians Of ma
tional renown. They are present in NUM-
bers, and they love the place. They rest;
they absorb the beauties and pleasurSs of
their surroundings; they gain needed
strength for the next musical season.
THE couNTRY's GREATEST.
Their presence here in such numbers il
90 phenomenal that think it is mo exag-
geration to say that the entire musical
world Of the United States, and in that !
include professionals Of high and low
degree, students OF music and countless
thousands Of amateur musicians, now has
its attention directed toward this modest,
quiet, quaint, little Maine village.
This musical colony has been thing Of
slow yet steady growth. The pioneer was
Prof. Junius w. Hill, OF Boston, who came
many years ago, and who at the time was
In charge Of the department music at
Wellesley college. There were only two
or three summer cottages here and but
little OF the shore front was taken up. So
he had free choice Of location. He
selected an elevated position ct the head
OF the outer bay, from which point is
a. .,.- xcr~ 80 h<
Shortly after him, Wolf Fries, then
cellist Of the Boston symphony orchestra,
came to Bluehill to spend his summers in
the hope Of improving his health. He
bought . dozen or more acres Of land
fronting the bay. It was principally pine
woods, only two or three acres on the shore
being cleared. Mr.. Fries took on his coat
and went to work. He spaded, he raked,
he hoed, he weeded by hand the summer
through; he enjoyed it, and it gave him
health. He then went back to his winter
work with the orchestra, well fitted mem
tally and physically for the arduous labors
OF the season. His Bluehill summers, it is
said, added many to the years Of his life,
- well % gave him physical comfort to
enjoy them,
Next came the Thomas Tappers-Mr.
Taper. the well-known lecturer and
writer on musical subjects; Mrs. Taper,
10 Norwegian" the brilliant pianist and
teacherof the piano at Boston (now of
New York;. Their fancy ran to woods,
and they bought and built in the centre Of
dense forest. From time to time they
added to their possessions, until now they
have over hundred acres of forest land,
running from the sea back to the hills
half mile away. ''Tapper's Woods" with
its rambling wood paths, It's cliffs from
which splendid views are obtained, is one
Of the attractive places.
DESERTED VERMONT WOODS.
Then along came Franz Kneisel, the
violinist, the organizer and leader of the
most finished, most perfect quartet in the
United States, il not in the world the
famous Kneisel quartette. Mr.. Kneisel
had been summering somewhere in the
Vermont woods and he liked the place.
But, unfortunately for Vermont, he came
to Bluehill on visit and fell in love with
it. He bought what in local circles is now
called "Kneisel's Point. He built his
cottage at the edge of the water, and by
improving his point, making roads and
flower beds, he made beauty spot of
what had been forlorn waste. He now
sits on his veranda and enjoys lovely
view over Bluehill bay, with its back
ground Of Sargent and Green, and the
other mountains on Mount Desert island.
Mr.. Kneisel not only finds the climate
health giving for himself, but also on ac-
count OF its singular dryness, good for his
beloved instrument. A violin string will
last several times as long here as anywhere
else on the coast. There is no more en-
thusiastic Bluehillite than Mr.. Kneisel.
He has demonstrated his abiding faith in
the future Of the place by becoming the
largest owner Of shore property among the
summer residents.
unnvv n Krohh hal the muaicn1 critic