The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-06-16

Prepared by the National Geographic
Society, ;, ashington, d. c.
Lafayette National park, on Mount
Desert island i'm Maine, is one of the
latest parks to be created by the fed
efal government, and is the only ma
tlOnal park in the East. But if young
In its status as IA park, it is physically
one Of the Oldest parts of America.
It's 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. 1t 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.
1t 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.
1t 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 THAR harn rnpl- nnal-C and
deep, ~ice-gouged, dividing valleys. Feel
ing that he had come upon something
worthy of closer examination, ne 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
foundations the following day for 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 1t was not until 1913 that
an opportunity was found TO settle
| there the proposed colony. The little
| ship which brought to Mount Desert
It's 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 a 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 1851.
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. 1t
has many indentations, but may be
roughly described as - miles long
and II miles wide. 1t is connected
with the mainland by a bridge utiliz-
ing an island in the narrows.
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
1omes have been constructed paths
and iron ladders In order that the