THE MANSIONS OF BAR HARBOR MAine: March 2020

Today it is said that if a visitor wants to step back in time and view some of the old mansions that once made Bar Harbor, than named Eden, the playground of the rich, one should take a walk down along West Street, often referred to as Millionaire's row. A number of the old mansions along West Street have been converted into B & B places, and the largest one, once home to the Maine Sea coast Mission, has now been taken over by the Bar Harbor Historical society. When the Sea Coast Mission ran the mansion it was a welcoming place for people to visit and stroll about the grounds and view the lavish gardens on the property, and it was my hope that when it was announced the Historical Society had bought the place, I had hoped it would remain a welcoming place for locals and visitors to enjoy. Sadly, as soon as they obtained the property no trespassing signs went up with warnings not to venture onto the property, so I am not so sure them obtaining the property was such a good thing, and I am hoping in time the no trespassing signs will be taken down.
There are plenty of old mansions throughout Bar Harbor, with a number of large one's along Mount Desert Street, many of them now B & B or housing for workers of the many hotels in town to stay at. What many who visit here never see are the out of the way Mansions, such as those found along Harbor Lane. For me, those mansions are much more stunning than some of the ones found closer to town, though not everyone knows where Harbor Lane is. As your heading along route 3, Eden Street heading toward Bar Harbor, Harbor Lane is a narrow street just before the intersection of Eden street and West street, and the newest small park in Bar Harbor sets at one corner of Harbor Lane, its the tiny park with all the large granite blocks in it which are suppose to offer an inviting place to set and relax, but the granite blocks are hard and not that comfortable and unlike park benches, which most parks have, these large blocks offer no back support, and thus few people stop to use them. If your listening Bar Harbor, please put in some regular park benches with back supports.
The first thing you will notice as you venture down harbor lane is a driveway on the right with a large stone engraved "Strateden", it caught my attention because I have hiked the Strateden path many times, and the trail is no where near Harbor Lane, perhaps the trail "Strateden" was named after the family who once owned the property along Harbor Lane?
You don't have to go far before the first mansion can be spotted at the top of a long driveway on the left. As impressive as it is from the front, it is even more impressive viewed from the rear. The next mansion is on the right, well back from the road, and the next one straight ahead, where the pavement ends. On my trip there we saw no private property signs and maps show where the pavement ends the town road continues to the left, today a very narrow dirt road that appears to be more of an old driveway. Just around the corner the largest and most glamours of the mansions rests along the waters of the harbor, its huge and straight out of Bar Harbor's more glamours days.