such as George B . Dorr ( the founding superintendent ), John D . Rockefeller ( the founder of Standard Oil ) and many others who were committed to securing public access to the nation ’ s treasured lands and who recognized the threat of unfettered private development on Mount Desert Island .
The rich natural resources of Downeast Maine enabled the Wabanahki to thrive for 12,000 years , attracted the first French settlement in the nation , and later provided foundational building materials and vital food supplies for growing American cities .
Although industrial resource extraction in Downeast Maine started as far back as the 1700 ’ s , Downeast Maine remains one of the last places in this country to be highly developed . After the industrial boom periods of the 1800 ’ s and 1900 ’ s waned , Industry grew more slowly here than elsewhere in the state , in New England , or even in the neighboring provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia . The gradual and modest level of development allows the relationship between people and land to remain strong and the landscape to retain key elements of our nation ’ s natural and cultural stories .
Codfish Station , SW Harbor - Cod was an ideal fish to preserve with salt , and indeed about 83 % of cod was prepared by drying and curing with salt . Salt cod could be distributed overseas and far inland , lasting a year or more if kept dry . Downeast families had the pick of the best fresh and salted cod . Processors divided the rest of the salt fish into two general categories : merchantable and refuse . Photo courtesy of NOAA .
Crawford Lake & Blueberry Barrens - Wild blueberries grow on deep sand and gravel eskers in great swaths called barrens that turn blue with berries in summer and glow brilliant red and orange in autumn . No other landscape like this exists in the entirety of the nation , nor even the North American continent , with the exception of portions of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia , Canada . Photo courtesy of Grand Lake Stream Chamber of Commerce .
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