Mount Desert Island
(
c.100 sq mi/259 sq km), largest
isl. off the coast of Maine, separated from the mainland by
Frenchman Bay, Mt. Desert Narrows, and Western Bay. The isl.'s rugged
topography is a result of glacial action. It is almost equally divided
into E and W halves by Somes Sound, a fjord. A chain of rounded granite
peaks dominates the isl., culminating in Cadillac Mt.
(1,530 ft/467 m high). The peaks were named
Monts Deserts, meaning “wilderness mts.,” by the Fr.
explorer Samuel de Champlain, who landed on the isl. in 1604. The 1st
Fr. Jesuit mission and colony in Amer. was est. here in 1613; the 1st
permanent Eng. settlement began in 1762. The isl. developed as a
fishing and lumbering center, and by the end of the 19th cent. it had
become a famous resort area. A forest fire in 1947 damaged much of the
E ½ of the isl. Bar Harbor, Mt. Desert, Tremont, and
Southwest Harbor are the main towns. The major part of the isl. is in
Acadia Natl. Park.
Capital city or county seat is shown by the symbol
Content
on this web site is provided for informational purposes only. We accept no responsibility
for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person resulting from information
published on this site. We encourage you to verify any critical information with
the relevant authorities.
