Oldfarm 11: A Place of Historic Repose

Oldfarm Interior

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

44.374055, -68.192757

A Place of Historic Repose

George B. Dorr envisioned his beloved Oldfarm estate as a place for public recreation long after his passing. In 1916, after being appointed custodian of Sieur de Monts National Monument, Dorr began leasing the Oldfarm house to acquaintances while he moved into the nearby Storm Beach Cottage, better suited to his aging needs.

Three years later, in 1919, the monument was redesignated as Lafayette National Park, with Dorr named its first superintendent. Deeply concerned about the future of Oldfarm, he actively promoted its integration into the park. He even offered the estate as a potential summer White House to Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Franklin D. Roosevelt, hoping to elevate national awareness of the region’s natural beauty, but they politely declined.

Dorr persistently campaigned for the inclusion of Oldfarm within the park boundaries, and in 1942, he officially donated 98.65 acres of the estate, including Storm Beach Cottage, to the National Park Service. After his death in 1944, the Park Service maintained the property with minimal changes, and public access to the estate grounds and shoreline remained limited.

However, following World War II, a lack of funding led to the neglect of the buildings and grounds. By 1946, the cost of maintaining the aging structures was deemed too high. Though John D. Rockefeller Jr. made an effort to restore the property, the work was never completed. In 1951, Oldfarm was demolished. In the years that followed, various proposals were considered for the site, including a wayside exhibit, a memorial to George Dorr, and the development of park housing, none of which fully came to fruition.

Today, as visitors hike the trails, take in the ocean views, and explore Acadia's rich natural landscapes, they are living out the vision George B. Dorr so passionately pursued—a vision founded on the idea that nature's beauty should be protected and made accessible to everyone. Though Oldfarm no longer stands, George B. Dorr’s legacy continues to live on in the breathtaking landscapes and enduring spirit of Acadia National Park.

Duration:

1 minute, 20 seconds

Station Eleven of the Old Farm Video Tour