Category: Acadia History & Art

Margaret Stupka, a trained botanist working in Acadia; Zoë Smiarowski is a recent National Park Service intern on women’s history.

This spring, Acadia’s hiking trails were listed in the national register, recognizing their national historic significance and ties to the history of MDI and Acadia National Park.

With this feature, we continue our series recognizing women of Acadia, both past and present. Here we present two sisters of the Gilded Age juxtaposed with a modern-day scientist. Their stories highlight how women’s roles have changed, yet remind us of the influence summers in Acadia can have on the trajectory of one’s life—and those of others.

WINTER IS MY FAVORITE SEASON IN MAINE. The world is stripped to its barest essentials—nature’s palette is reduced to black, white, and gray; sounds are muted; animals leave traces of their activity in the snow long after they’ve left.

While exploring Acadia National Park during the pandemic winter of 2020/2021, I stumbled upon a number of spectacular artifacts from the Mount Desert Island Fire of 1947 – relic tree stumps that have decayed into fascinating ghost like shapes resembling creatures from a science fiction movie.

With this feature, we continue our series recognizing women of Acadia, both past and present. Here we pair Acadia National Park Curator and Cultural Resources and Interpretation Liaison Marie Yarborough with Ardra Tarbell, who served in park administrative roles from 1930 to 1969.

Among the most painted places in Maine, Schoodic Point casts a mighty spell on artists.

With this feature, we begin a series recognizing women of Acadia, both past and present, by introducing their stories in pairs. Although a century might separate some of these women, they share one key trait: having an impact on the health and vibrancy of Acadia National Park. And sometimes, as in this case, they exhibit similar traits of leadership.

Emma Longcope has always loved adventure.

Mother Nature is not the Only Royalty who has Held Court on Sand Beach in Acadia National Park.