As well as shops and small hotels, nearby is the Acadia National Park with Cadillac Mountain at its peak.

Cadillac Mountain is named for M. Cadillac who was one of the original residents of the area which became known as Bar Harbor. When the British invaded and began sending the resident French to Louisiana some of them fled over the border to Quebec and others traveled west.

M. Cadillac was among the latter group and fetched up at a place that became Detroit - where cars were subsequently produced.

The Summer Residents

Until a terrible fire in 1947 which destroyed sixty-seven of the mansions and 100 other homes, Bar Harbor was the summer retreat of the elite. They included the Astors, the J.P. Morgans, the Vanderbilts, the Pullitzers, the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, the Proctors (of Proctor and Gamble) and Mrs. Evelyn Walsh Maclean (one time owner of the fabulous Hope Diamond) to mention but a few.

Not all of the mansions disappeared. For example, the Fords, Rockefellers and Astors still have summer homes here, along with today's elite of showbiz personalities.

Bar Harbor

From Frenchman's Bay the view is of pine-clad islands and yachts of all sizes, launches and cruise ships. These latter are sometimes anchored so close you feel that you can reach out and touch them.

Bar Harbor's shops include antiques to drool over, clothes, perfumery and, of course, souvenirs and post cards. As well as its fascinating shops, there are plenty of places to pop into for coffee, for lunch and for dinner. Places with such wonderful names as Cigar Joe's, Carmen Verandah (ouch!), Havana and Route 66 for fantastic hamburgers.

In Cottage Street is the gorgeous Criterion Cinema which was built by a bootlegger called George McKay. He had, of course, been in and out of jail many times. The cinema was, apparently, built with legitimate money - with a Speakeasy in the basement.

McKay employed the best architects and workmen who spend six months building this gorgeous Art Deco cinema. For example, on the cinema walls are French silk panels and the designs on the end of the rows of seats are hand painted.

No matter where you look in the town the buildings are beautifully decorated and cared for.

The other thing to do while sauntering up and down the streets window shopping is to star-gaze and see how many famous people you can spot.

The Acadia National Park

Bar Harbor, which is the commercial heart of Mount Desert Island, hugs the shore at the foot of the Acadia National Park which covers 44,000 acres. You can either drive around the park or leave the car in one of the car parks and walk or, if you have bicycles, cycle.

The visitors' centers have maps and you can get advice from a Park Ranger as to the best places to go for your particular interests. Along the rocky coastline you can beach-comb and, inland, wander through the woodlands checking out the flor and fauna.

There is also the easy way to visit the park - on a bus tour from downtown Bar Harbor with an experienced driver-guide. The bus makes several stops to admire the scenery and the dangerous looking coastline.

Directions to the Acadia National Park

From Boston: I-95 north to Augusta, Maine, then Route 3 east to Ellsworth and on to Mount Desert Island.

Entrance fees: May 1-June 22/October - $10 per car: June 23-early October - $20 per car.

Individual entrance fee - $5 (pedestrian, motocycle,bicycle).