What is the history of Bar Harbor (town), Maine?
Abenaki Indigenous peoples of the AmericasNative Americans called the island Pemetic, meaning “sloping land.” Here they fishingfished, huntinghunted and gathered berries. In 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain is believed to have run aground at Otter Point, where he met members of the tribe. He would name the island Isles des Monts Deserts, meaning “island of barren mountains” — now called Mount Desert Island, the largest in Maine. First settled in 1763 by Israel Higgens and John Thomas, the community was incorporated in 1796 as Eden, after Sir Richard Eden, an English statesman. Early industries included fishing, lumberlumbering and shipbuilding. With the best soil on Mount Desert Island, it also developed agriculture. In the 1840s, its rugged Coastmaritime scenery attracted the Hudson River School and Luminism (American art style)Luminism artists Thomas Cole, Frederick Church, William Hart (painter)William Hart and Fitz Hugh Lane. Inspired by their paintings, journalists, spor
