A Brief History of the Carriage Roads in Acadia National Park
by Ed Winterberg, Manager Acadia's Wildwood Stable


Not all dreams are possible
Not all dreams come true
More the reason to cherish
Those special ones that do!


The story of Acadia and its remarkable carriage roads began early in this century when Harvard President Charles Elliot, conservationist George Dorr and others began a private effort to protect scenic Mount Desert Island, Maine. In 1910 young John D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased a summer home at Seal Harbor and began a life-long association with what was to become Acadia National Park.

Nothing much happens without a dream, and it was Rockefeller's dream to build an elaborate system of horse roads and impressive granite bridges to provide access for horse drawn carriages to what he considered to be some of the most beautiful views on earth. His broader goal was a "park perfected" with the fifty-seven mile carriage road system as its centerpiece. He carefully planned the roads to be integrated with Mount Desert Island's pre-existing hiking paths, however, bridges and stately gate lodges were built to boldly separate the fifty seven miles of carriage roads from the twenty two mile Park Loop motor road which he also financed. And, as one biographer noted, young Rockefeller was perfectly suited for the task which consumed millions of dollars and twenty seven years;
"Vision alone was not enough, wealth alone was insufficient. Concept of the plan as a whole, arduous attention to detail, a passion for perfection, a feeling for beauty, respect for working associates, talent for administration, patience, and tolerance of both criticism and misunderstanding of purpose - all these qualities were brought into play, for all were essential to the fulfillment of the vision."
Mount Desert Island is a unique piece of land in America. Its scenic diversity has always been its first appeal, featuring glacier-carved lakes, rock-bound coastline, mountains, cliffs, island-studded ocean, forests, meadows, streams, waterfalls and cascades! To appreciate the genius of Rockefeller's plan to both protect and enjoy the island, consider a statement made a half century earlier by Frederick Law Olmsted, who today is known as the father of American landscape architecture:
"The occasional contemplation of natural scenes of an impressive character, in connection with relief from ordinary cares, a change of air and a change of habits, is favorable to the health and vigor of the intellect, for it not only gives pleasure for the time being, but increases the subsequent capacity for happiness and the means of securing happiness."
In 1930 Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. visited the then partially completed carriage road system and later wrote the following letter to Rockefeller:
"Driving in horse-drawn vehicles along narrow, winding woodland roads amid beautiful and varied scenery, completely free from the annoyance, and even the dread, of meeting motor cars is so real and extraordinarily rare today that systematic provision for it may reasonably be expected to develop into one of the most unique attractions of the Park and the Island."
For almost half a century John D. Rockefeller, Jr., an avid horseman and recreational carriage driver, pursued his dream to create and preserve a "world class" setting for such an experience. Having lived on the threshold of modern technology, Rockefeller knew that after the passing of his generation, the automobile and auto roads would overwhelm even America's National Parks. Thus between 1913 and 1940 he worked closely with the National Park Service and created an elaborate 57 mile system of auto-free horse roads on 15,000 acres of Mount Desert Island's most scenic land. He then donated the carriage roads to Acadia National Park hoping that under park stewardship, future generations would be able to enjoy the grand traditional carriage experience and draw inspiration from the spectacular setting. But for the next twenty years, the roads were little used, and Rockefeller kept his dream alive and personally paid crews of fifty men to meticulously groom and maintain the roads and vistas.

But with Mr. Rockefeller's death in 1960 the dream faded. For the next few decades, the National Park Service and the management of its privately-operated stable concession lacked a unified understanding of the intended significance of the carriage road experience. In keeping with Rockefeller's wishes, no motor vehicles were allowed on the system, but only minimal programs, maintenance, facilities and interpretation were provided. During the decades of the sixties, seventies and eighties, Acadia became one of the most visited National Parks in America, but the vast majority of the auto touring visitors never experienced, nor even knew that they missed, the intended centerpiece experience of the "the park perfected" .

However, in recent years a remarkably successful public-private partnership, inspired by Rockefeller's dream and artistic creation, has produced a major carriage road renaissance. Millions of dollars in public funds have been expended on physical restoration, and an equal amount of donated private funds have been placed in an endowment for perpetual maintenance. Road surfaces have been restored and scenic vistas have been reopened. The carriage roads have been included in the National Register of Historic Places and, in 1994, members of the American Driving Society came to Acadia from twenty four states with their horses and carriages to drive "Mr. Rockefeller's Roads" and properly celebrate the Park's carriage road renaissance.

Today, the Carriage Roads are thoughtfully managed by the National Park Service to provide the intended slow-paced experience where park visitors can totally escape the automobile. And nowhere in America is there a better example of how each generation has assumed stewardship responsibility for a very special place.
Home| Next