The Cordova daily times., 1922-08-09

(Prepared by the National Geographic
 Society," ashinGton, D. O.
 Lafayette National park, on Mount Desert island in Maine is one of the latest parks to be created by the fed eral government, and is the only na- tional park in the East. But if young in it's status as a park, it is physically one of the oldest parts of America. Its granite mountains were standing out against the ice and frost, the rains and waves, millions of years before the Rockies and the other ranges of the West had risen above the prehiS tOriC seas that covered that part of the continent. It is the peak of the Atlantic Coast-line of the United StateS-the one spot on the eastern coast south of the St. Lawrence where what may truly be called mountains meet the sea.
 It is appropriate that the national park on Mount Desert island should be named for a great Frenchman, for the French played an important part in the earliest history of the island It was the first land to be approached and named-"Isle des MOnts Deserts" in the earliest recorded voyage of exploration made along the coast of Maine to the east of kennebec. Cham plain sailed down this unknown coast in September 1904, passing isle and headland until he saw rising boldly ahead the range of the Mount Desert hills with their bare rock peaks and deep, ice-gouged dividing valleys. Feel ing that he had come upon something worthy of closer examination, he an chored in what has since been called Frenchman's bay, a fine body of water that lies between the island and the shore to the east. By making friends with the Indians, Champlain laid the French colony which was later to oc- cupy the island.
 The fame of the beautiful Isle des Monts Deserts was carried back to France, but It was not until 1913 that an opportunity was found to settle there the proposed colony. The little ship which brought to Mount Desert its load of colonists with their seed grain, food supplies, implements and livestock, has been called "the French Mayfower." The voyagers landed on the east coast not far, perhaps, from moved to the shores of a cove on the south side of the island.
 Unfortunately, "the French May flower" was not destined to be respon- sible for permanent settlement as was it's British counterpart. After the colony had lived only a few years, a British fleet came and wrecked 1t. Permanent settlement was first begun from the American colonies in 1761.
 Entire Island Not in Park.
 Mount Desert island lies off the Maine coast in about the latitude of Minneapolis and St. Paul. and is some 300 miles northeast of New York. It has many indentations, but may be roughly described as 15 miles long and 12 miles wide. Ii is connected with the mainland by bridge utilfz- ing an island in the naTows.
 Lafayette park does not embrace the entire island. The town of Bar Harbor, an important summer resort, is situated on the eastern shore of the island, and numerous privately owned estates and resort villages nestle in coves along the coast. The park does contain, though, the greater part of Mount Deserts outstanding feature, the range of granite mountains, in places rising above 1000 feet, which stretch across the island. Excellent ocean-side drives are all about this rugged peak; and over its hills and along its sheer cliffs and smooth domes have been constructed paths and iron ladders In order that the grlimber may French its vantsusants and enjoy its views of the naanRaed