History of the Bar Harbor Water Company 1873-2004

Morrison, Peter

'Abstract: In 1997, the Bar Harbor Water Company's oldest major water supply pipe froze and cracked. This pipe, the iron 12" diameter Duck Brook line was originally installed in 1884. Acadia National Park owns the land over which the pipe passes, and the company's owner, the Town of Bar Harbor, wishes to hand over ownership of this pipe to the Park. Before this could occur, the Maine Department of Environmental Testing performed testing of the soil surrounding the pipe and found elevated lead levels attributable to leaching from the pipe's lead joints. The Park decided that it would not accept responsibility for the pipe until the lead problem had been corrected. Because the pipe lies on Federally owned land, the Park requested a study to determine if the proposed lead abatement would affect any National Register of Historic Places eligible properties. Specifically, the Park wished to know if the Water System itself could qualify for such a listing. This request was made pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. The research will also assist the Park in meeting obligations under Section 110 of the same act. Intensive historical research detailed the development of the Bar Harbor Water Company from its inception in the wake of typhoid and scarlatina outbreaks in 1873 to the present. The water system has played a key role in the growth and success of Bar Harbor as a destination for the east coast's wealthy elite, tourists, and as a center for biological research. The history of the water company was also tightly interwoven with that of Acadia National Park. Field reconnaissance documented 24 major water company features, mainly in the Eagle Lake and Duck Brook watershed within the boundaries of Acadia National Park. Many of theses features are no longer in use, but stand testament to the early history of the water system. It was concluded that the water system is indeed eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District under criterion A. In view of the system's apparent significance, it is therefore recommended that minimal disturbance be made to the 12" Duck Brook line. If possible, for instance, an option to seal the lead joints and leave then in place would be preferable to removal of the joints or of removal of the pipe in its entirety. ' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/Duck Brook/Eagle Lake/Bar Harbor/