Mount Desert Island, Maine

Mount Desert Island (MDI) is the largest island off the coast of Maine and the second largest (behind Long Island, New York) on the eastern seaboard of the United States. Widely known as the home of Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor, it draws millions of visitors each year yet only has an approximate year-round population of about 10,615 (see Towns of MDI below). This has created special challenges to accommodate the increased traffic that the huge numbers of visitors bring each year as well as to provide affordable housing for those who are hired for the seasonal supportive roles. Some believe that the area has an over-abundance of seasonal vacation rentals and hotel rooms, versus yearly rentals. As a result, the nearby commercial center of Ellsworth has seen substantial growth by taking on this surplus need. The National Park Service is in the early stages of building a new Visitor Center on the mainland in Trenton just before reaching Mount Desert Island with the hope that many will leave their vehicles there and take the free shuttle buses to their island destinations.

Many visitors to the area, as well as those about to visit, are confused about how to pronounce the word “Desert” as used in Mount Desert Island. By most who live in Maine, it is pronounced more like “Dessert” as in a cookie or a piece of pie. More often than not, the second syllable is accented as in “de-ZERT” following the French manor of speaking.

Acadia Towns & Villages Pages

A view from Mount Desert Island's Cadillac Mountain

Looking at Mount Desert Island from the mainland in Sorrento

A view of some mountains on Mount Desert Island

Look & Lay of the Land

If we viewed the island from the air, we would notice north and south aligned gouges scooped out of the land as if by a very large hand. In this case, the hand was a huge, slow moving, continental glacier over a mile high. When this giant glacier finally melted and retreated, it left rounded and bare mountain tops, elongated ponds and lakes, many boulders, and the seven mile long Somes Sound. (Once designated a fjord, now, more accurately called a fjard.)

A good place to see the impact that these enormous glaciers had on the land is in the distinctive teardrop shape of Sheep Porcupine Island, located offshore to the northeast of Bar Harbor. Mount Desert Island's own Cadillac Mountain owes it rounded summit to this as well. Even after being sheared off by the glaciers, it remains the highest point along the North Atlantic Seaboard at 1,530 feet (466.34m) above sea level.

The First Inhabitants

To the original coastal Abnaki Indians (shorter term for Abenaki), Mount Desert Island was known as “Pemetic” (the sloping land). Historical accounts said that the Abnaki's permanent villages were located on the mainland and that they regularly fished and gathered shellfish from MDI in the warmer months. However, recent Archaeological evidence supports just the opposite. The more temperate coastal weather kept them in places like MDI during winter months. In the spring, they ventured inland to hunt and fish for the salmon that were returning to the rivers to spawn. (See Abbe Museum for history.) The island got its current name from the French explorer Champlain who's ship ran aground here in 1604. (Refer to story about the “Spindle” on the Otter Cliff page.) Champlain was so struck by the appearance of the mountains on the island that he named it "Isle des Monts Desert," or "Island of barren Mountains."

Towns & Villages on MDI

There are only four townships on the island. They are Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor and Tremont. Bar Harbor includes Eden (the original name for Bar Harbor), Hulls Cove, Salisbury Cove and Town Hill. Mount Desert, although having no official town “center,” consists of Hall Quarry, Northeast Harbor, Otter Creek, Seal Harbor and Somesville. With Southwest Harbor comes Manset and Seawall. Bass Harbor, Bernard, Center, Seal Cove, and West Tremont are part of the town of Tremont. According to the 2020 Census, the year-round population of the four MDI towns are: Bar Harbor at 5,089, Mount Desert at 2,146, Southwest Harbor at 1,756, and Tremont at 1,544. The total is 10,535. According to the Tremont Town Manager, there are no year-round residents on the smaller out-islands such as Gotts Island. To view a list of the various towns and villages, including those near Schoodic Peninsula, visit Towns & Villages of Acadia.

Interesting Stats & Facts

Some famous past and present residents include:
David Rockefeller & Family, Ford Family, Cap Weinberger, Secretary of Defense under President Reagan, Martha Stewart, Actors Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, John Travolta, etc.
At 108 square miles (280 km²), MDI is Maine's largest island, and 2nd largest on US Eastern Seaboard.
As mentioned above, MDI has 4 municipalities and multiple villages.
Although, the island's year-round population is over 10,500, 3.8-4 million tourists visit each year.
The four townships on Mount Desert Island are Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, and Tremont. Each has villages as well.

The last glacier to impact this area was about 18,000 years ago.
Large glaciers moved across the land at a snails pace of only a few yards per year.
Metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks can be found on MDI.
Local mountains had an east-west orientation prior to the last glacial period. It changed to north-south.
Pronounce “Desert” like “Dessert” since it is of French origin.
There is only one road on and off the island and it crosses over the much smaller Thompson Island.
Native Americans lived, fished and camped here beginning over 5,000 years ago.

Go Straight, or Take a Left?

Whenever I drive along Route 3 between Ellsworth and Trenton on my way to Mount Desert Island, the sight of Cadillac Mountain appearing in the distance stirs a rush of memories and emotions rooted in a shared family history spanning decades. These memories often involve an old uncle, my grandparents, or my siblings and cousins. The images from those times flash along a road leading to an island so unique that it draws both people from afar and longtime Mainers back year after year. The fact that there is only one road on and off adds to its mystique. My passion for photography largely originates from a desire to showcase the area's exceptional landscapes and seascapes. Once arriving on Mount Desert Island from the mainland, an immediate decision presents itself: Should I go straight or turn left? Continuing straight takes you through the interior via Somesville, possibly reaching Northeast Harbor or Southwest Harbor. Turning left follows the island's northern coast, passing through Salisbury Cove and Hulls Cove, before eventually arriving in Bar Harbor center. When planning a photography session, I usually start very early, well before sunrise. My choice between "turning left or going straight" depends on what I want to capture. Either path is sure to be rewarding.

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