GREEN MOUNTAINS THIRTY FIVE FOOT OBSERVATION TOWERS

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN TOWER

September 12, 1884
Bar Harbor Herald

The highest grade up the Green Mountain Railway for five hundred feet is one foot in three.  The Green Mountain House, which was burned Aug. last, has been replaced by a very comfortable temporary one, large enough to accommodate present demands.  It is intended to build a modern motel in all particulars for next summer visitors, which will accommodate all.  It will be leased by the present landlord, Mr. H.W. Chase, of Windsor Hotel, Bangor, whose past experience is a sufficient guarantee to success in his new management among the clouds.
The great central attraction, however, on Green Mountain, is the tower, thirty five feet high, overlooking the mountains and ocean below.  Its finest and most wonderfully picturesque and panoramic view is looking north upon the city village of Bar Harbor, that sleeps upon the rocky shores below.  Among the points of special interest to the tourist, we note on the east, Newport and Dry Mountains, (bald faced like Mount Crawford in the White Mountains), the famous group of Porcupine Islands, and Rodick's Island, connected to the main island by a sand bar.  From the summit of Green Mountain, which more appropriately should of been named Mount Wonderful, one of the greatest and most inspiring panoramic views bursts upon the dazzled eye on every hand.  The broad and boundless ocean in the distance is studded by numberless white sails (and here let me speak of the gallant U.S. school-ship Jamestown that is just passing into the harbor with all sails set) from the noble ships, down to the tiniest craft that floats.  Villages gleaming amidst the thousand islands, high cliffs with dreamy coves for lovers' smiles, sail boats of every form and description white shining on the waves, while above all;
High towering to the skies
behold the grand and stately mountains rise
one of old oceans deep, unfathomably heed
while God's own glories shine above their head.
In truth, language fails and no human tongue can speak, nor pen can picture the real grandeur and sublimity of the scene.
Green mountain, here on thy fair brow
we twine a wreath of grateful tribute now
and leave to artist's skill and poet'lays
the crowning touch of glory in thy praise.
After partaking of the most excellent dinner on the mountain, we jumped aboard the train and sped away to our hotel.
The Maine Central Railroad, with their usual spirit of enterprise, have just completed their elegent buildings at Mount Desert Ferry, Hancock Point, consisting of a large waiting room nearly finished and furnished in true modern style, with large open fireplace, for all seasons, with handsome chandelier and six tasty burners, black walnut chairs, settees, etc.  The wash room and water closets are both tiny and convenient.  In addition to this, the company have also finished a very fine restaurant and dining room, seventy by twenty-four feet, neatly furnished and ornamented with stained glass windows.  They have also a very neat and cozy general office and gentlemen's room..  In short, the management have spared no pains for their large and interesting travel on the line of their road from Portland to the Provinces.  This point, Mount Desert Ferry, is seven miles from Bar Harbor, a sail full of ocean perfect gems, studded by shining mountain peaks all the way.  No tourist to Mount Desert should fail to make this excursion.  The pretty little steamers Sebenoa, Electa and Queen City constitute the Ferry Line and make the trips from Mount Desert several times daily, connecting with the Maine Central Railroad for all points at Bangor.  This line, from  Bangor to Hancock Point, is called the Mount Desert Branch of the Maine Central Railroad.  The officers are all gentlemen of experience and well known popularity as railroad and steamboat men.  Payson Tucker, Esq., the popular and efficient railroad manager of the "Eastern" and of this new enterprise, which will add so largely to the comforts and convenience of the traveling public, is too well known for me to say more.
The Portland, Bangor, Mount Desert and Machias steamboat company are also doing all in their power towards building up this fast growing and popular Mount desert.  their boats, the city of Richmond, Capt. William E. Dennison, and Lewiston, Capt. Charles Deering, are both splendid sea going boats, and every care is taken for the comfort and convenience of their passengers.  The trip from Portland to Mount Desert is by a series of perfect land and ocean gems  of scenery along the whole coast of over one hundred miles, and is well known as one of the most varied and picturesque sails in all New England.  May the public appreciate the enterprise of the managers of these two popular lines of travel.
I am glad to learn that the public sentiment is so strong among all interests here against any further extention of railroads towards this city by the sea, beautiful Bar Harbor, that she will be spared, with all her glowing charms, to receive the praises of many thousand pleasure seekers who have yet to gaze upon this wonderland of the east, Mount desert.
Clasped with bright scenes and jewels rare
mid oceans gems so bright and fair
from boundless depths thy ragged mountains rise
to kiss the crowning glories of the skies.
H.W. Ripley

I found the above newspaper article interesting to say the least, and am more convinced than ever that there is something new to be learned about the past history of this place with each passing day.  For instance, I was fully aware of the survey shack, and the two Green Mountain houses, i just don't ever recall anyone saying how a temporary hotel was build on one of Green Mountains other summits, I believe it was the summit to the east.  And just over the past few days i learned of plans to construct large observation decks with glass walls on the main summit as well as on the summits to the East and West, two of which were built, the one to the west was not built.  Tram ways or more train tracks were to connect the main summit of green Mountain with the lower summits to the East and West, but those plans were never carried out.  The temporary hotel, built on the summit to the east after the Green Mountain house burned down, was built so good they added a third floor and modified the stairway leading up to that observation tower so guests at the hotel on the summit to the east could walk from the second floor up to the tower.  And when we say tower, we are, as this article points out, talking of a tower some thirty five feet high with glassed in sides.  Clearly I have not been reading the right books because this was all new to me.  Thankfully the past has buried within its pages a documented account of the past, whose written words are priceless, whose voices echo still if we but pause to listen.  To learn more about the planned tram ways and observation towers, check out my blog THE GREEN MOUNTAIN RAILWAY Trail.

Cadillac Mountain - site of three towers
Acadia National Park

According to the paper, three observatory towers were to be built, with each towers location being connected by train tracks.  The train tracks were never built between the towers, and only the towers on the East summit of Cadillac and on the actual summit, the observatory tower on the summit of Cadillac mountain to the west was never built.  In a second article I learned the two observatory's that were build each had a large powerful telescope and these towers were used in part as a way to attract more business to the motel. Right after the Summit House burned down,  within days work began on a temporary motel on the summit to the east, but later, before work was to begin on rebuilding the Summit House on the main summit, it was decided that the temporary hotel had been built so well it would stay up and be expanded.

GREEN MOUNTAIN SUMMIT HOUSE - STONE WALLS
Acadia National Park