A wayside exhibit entitled "History, Alive!" is positioned along the deck railing closest to the gift shop and an entrance to Jordan Pond House.
The exhibit's title appears over a display of six images around a map of Mount Desert Island. An arrow points to the location of Jordan Pond House: You Are Here. Numbers show where the locations depicted in the images can be found on the island.
Introductory text reads: "The stories of how people live on this rugged landscape abound on and around Mount Desert Island. Choose a destination or experience that interests you. Learn about Maine Native Americans by participating in a cultural demonstration with a Wabanaki artisan or taking an Abbe Museum tour. Visit a historic homestead or schoolhouse to learn about daily life in the 1800s. Explore the challenges of maritime living by visiting a lighthouse or island community."
Number 1: Carroll Homestead. Bulkhead doors stand open at the farmhouse. A park ranger helps a boy learn how to walk on stilts. "Enjoy a self-guided visit to the 1800s homestead or join a ranger for an open-house tour."
Number 2: Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. A red beacon glows from the roof of a lighthouse atop a rocky hill. "Photograph the only lighthouse on Mount Desert Island and enjoy views of Acadia's rocky shores. The lighthouse is still in use so the interior is closed to the public."
Number 3: Islesford Historical Museum. At the water's edge, trees form a backdrop for a modest one-story brick building, next to a clapboard structure. A dock stands along the shore. "Journey to Little Cranberry Island and explore island life. You can travel there with a ranger by reserving a scenic boat cruise."
Number 4: Baker Island. A park ranger speaks to a dozen visitors on a hill near a lighthouse tower. "Join a ranger-led boat cruise to this remote island to visit a historic homestead, cemetery, and lighthouse."
Number 5: Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts. A corrugated overhang shades the double doors of an octagonal building housing the museum. A small tower juts up from the roof. "Learn about the Wabanaki people on Mount Desert Island."
Number 6: Duck Brook Bridge. A stone bridge with arched supports spans a brook. The surrounding foliage colors the autumn scene with orange swaths. "Take a short walk to an architectural gem, one of 16 historic carriage road bridges John D. Rockefeller Jr. built on Mount Desert Island."
A final note invites visitors to "Take a Hike." "Hike one of Acadia's steep, historic trails and enjoy dramatic mountaintop views."
