#1 Compass Harbor : Where the Father of Acadia died (and lived)

If you haven’t already read it, check out our recent post on secret places inside of Acadia, featuring the Dorr homesite ruins, here.

Haunted Activity in Compass Harbor

Reported sightings of the ghost of George Dorr and his caretaker.

Who was George Dorr?

George Dorr is known as the Father of Acadia. Although not as well known as John D. Rockefeller, the two worked together in the early 1900’s to acquire and build the Acadia National Park that we know and love today. Independently wealthy in his own right, Dorr began devoting more  time and effort to Mount Desert Island issues, starting in the late 1890’s. To that end, he took up residence in his family’s MDI estate named Old Farm and took the lead on land conservation and preservation efforts involving the park. Appropriately, George was named Acadia National Park’s first Superintendent.

In short, he spent a lot of time in Compass Harbor, a place he loved dearly. Also, he was a strong believer in Transcendentalism. He believed that the connection between nature and humanity was a spiritual one.  This is why he was so passionate about conservation. For others, Acadia National Park may have been a unique park to hike. George saw it as a place of worship.

A Lifetime of Devotion to Acadia 

George died in 1944 at the age of 91. Not surprisingly, he was still working for Acadia National Park when he passed. He never married or had children. The park was his life.

Upon his death, Mr. Dorr generously donated his family’s stately 30 room mansion to the park that he treasured. However, in 1944 the United States was still embroiled in World War Two. Government resources were stretched thin.  Additionally, Old Farm was in a state of disrepair. 

Betrayal After Death

The National Park Service decided to tear down Old Farm rather than maintain it. Of course, it was a pragmatic decision. It made sense from a economic point of view. Additionally, since George was no longer walking the park and there were no heirs involved, no one really advocated for preservation. 

It’s ironic that a man who spent decades of his life to help preserve Acadia National Park turned over his beloved family home to the park only to have it bulldozed in short order. Some may say that it was a bit of a slap in the face. Sure, George lived for the park and defended it literally to the death from development and subdivision but think of the inconvenience to the administrators. Clearly, demolishing his home was the easiest and most practical decision.

Dorr Was an Active Benefactor

Although this is pure conjecture on my part, I envision George as being a thorn in the side of park administrators by the early 1940’s. Other wealthy benefactors were silent partners. They gave the park money and land but were somewhat removed from the operations. George, however, lived in Compass Harbor and was actively involved in park issues. Additionally, he was trust fund wealthy without any family distractions.  At the tail end of his life, he was too influential and ever- present to ignore. The much younger park administrators weren’t around in the early 1900’s to truly appreciate his work. They may have respected him but weren’t exactly thrilled to have him around. Kind of like the senior citizen who audits a college class and repeatedly contradicts the professor based on his own life experience. 

Anyway, with George seemingly out of the picture, Acadia happily accepted his assets and promptly razed his house. 

Not surprisingly, at the moment George collapsed to the earth and died he was walking on Compass Trial with his trusty caretaker. 

Haunted Ruins off Compass Harbor Trail

Today you can walk through skeletal stone remains of George’s once-grand family estate. The stone foundations and stairwells have become one with the land. It is a sad footprint of what once stood on top. An elegant stone path takes you down to ocean. I suspect George walked that path regularly.

Directions to Compass Harbor Trail

This haunted Maine hike is relatively easy and takes around an hour. To get there, go to the intersection of  Route 3 and Schooner Head road. The parking lot is on the north side, somewhat obscured from view. Here is a link to GPS on Google Maps. Keep an eye out for stone steps leading up the hill leading to the home site. 

The trail is often overcast which seems appropriate.

The ghost of George as well as his caretaker have been spotted from time to time. If you run into a dapper fellow who speaks with a stutter, that is Mr. Dorr. Hopefully, he appreciates all of the uninvited guests to his estate.