SEAL HARBOR GETS A CHILDREN'S PARK

A CHILDREN'S PARK FOR SEAL HARBOR
Bar Harbor Times
September 19, 1928

DE. VAN DYKE GIVES PARK FOR CHILDREN

Offers Piece Of Estate With Sea Shore At Seal Harbor To Town Of Mt. Desert

A section of the estate of Dr. Henry Van Dyke at Seal Harbor has been offered to the town of Mt. Desert for use as a public park.  The land is at the eastern end of the Van Dyke property, opposite the grounds of the Seaside Inn, and is partly woodland and partly seashore.  Dr. and Mrs. Van Dyke plan that this delightful little piece of Mount Desert Island shall be primarily a children's park and playground, protected and reserved forever for that purpose.  Under the terms of the gift the land would be placed under the care of the Village Improvement Society, and no buildings could ever be placed on it.
It will be necessary for this land to be accepted by the voters of the town before it becomes town property, and the selectmen have written to Dr. Van Dyke to thank him for his offer and to say that an article in the town warrant next spring will allow the voters an opportunity to accept the land under the conditions of the gift.
Dr. Van Dyke's letter making the offer of the land is reprinted below;

Seal Harbor, Maine
August 8, 1928
To the selectmen of the town of Mount Desert;
Merritt T. Oper, Chairman
Northeast Harbor, Maine
Dear Sirs;
In memory of our daughter Dorothea Van Dyke Mclane, my wife and I wish to give for the use of the people of Seal Harbor a portion of our estate in that village under the following conditions.
First, no building of any kind shall be enacted on the land or on the shore in front of it.
Second, it shall be under the care of the Village Improvement Society.
Third, it shall be used solely for park purposes for the comfort and pleasure of the people of Seal Harbor and their children.
The plot of land lies between the high road and the harbor with a waterfront of more than 100 feet.  Of native trees it contains which hinch;  spruce, maple, and cedar;  of native shrubs;  wild rose, meadow sweet Jupiter, elderberry, blackberry, sugar pear and hivrnisn.  Paths have been made through it leading to the shore;  and rustic benches placed where people may wish to rest.
If you are willing to receive this small gift for our neighbors and if you will have the boundaries marked and described by the town Surveyor, the deed of transfer shall be promptly drawn and signed, for presentation to the next town meeting.

Yours very sincerely,
Henry Van Dyke.