Abundant Natural Resources - How We Survive and Thrive
Human habitation and economies in Downeast Maine were and continue to be centered around natural resources – especially water . The land , water , and climate have created a culture of people known for their ingenuity , innovation , entrepreneurship , and resilience - requirements for surviving in a landscape where elements beyond human control dictate choices made in daily life .
Rivers provided transportation routes for indigenous Wabanaki people , who migrated
Opposite page : Tidal Falls , Hancock – A tidal discrepancy between Frenchman Bay and the inland Taunton and Hog bays causes the Tidal Falls , which reverse direction twice each day . The area ’ s underwater ledges constrict the tide and causes water to move in as an extended wave as the tide rises , and flow out when it falls . Twenty Native American grave sites of the Red Paint People have been excavated at Tidal Falls , dating to 5,000 years ago . In the 19th century , Tidal Falls was the first site for a railroad and ferry terminal that transported passengers to Bar Harbor . In the 1950s the Hodgkins family operated a lobster pound and later a seafood take-out restaurant at Tidal Falls . Illustration from Schoodic National Scenic Byway Interpretive Panel .
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