Harbor Lane–Eden Street Historic District facts for kids

The Harbor Lane–Eden Street Historic District is a special neighborhood in Bar Harbor, Maine. It's filled with amazing summer homes designed by famous architects. These homes were once used by very wealthy families in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The district is located northwest of the main town, right by Frenchman Bay.

This area is unique because nine of its summer houses survived a huge fire in 1947. This fire destroyed many other grand estates in Bar Harbor. The district was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. This means it's recognized as an important historical area.

Discovering Bar Harbor's Historic Summer Homes

Bar Harbor is a town on the northeast side of Mount Desert Island in Maine. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, this island became a popular summer spot for rich families from big eastern cities. They built huge summer homes, much like the fancy ones in Newport, Rhode Island.

Many of these grand homes in Bar Harbor were sadly lost in a big fire in 1947. This fire swept across the eastern part of the island. The Harbor Lane–Eden Street district was lucky. It was just on the edge of the area that escaped the fire's damage.

Where is the Historic District?

The district is generally bordered by Harbor Lane on one side and Eden Street on another. It also touches Sea Fox Road, which leads to the College of the Atlantic. The beautiful Frenchman Bay is also nearby.

The district has ten properties. Nine of these still have their original summer houses. There's also a historic wharf (a dock for boats). The main house of the tenth property, Fabian Cottage, was taken down in 1975. Only its stable, built in 1887, remains.

Some of these properties are now part of the College of the Atlantic campus. These include Witch Cliff, Acadia Cottage, Sea Fox, and the Fabian Cottage stable. The old stone wharf near Sea Fox is also owned by the college. The other six properties are located south of the college campus.

In 2017, Bar Harbor updated its list of historic properties. This means that if owners of these special homes want to tear them down or change them a lot, they have extra rules to follow.

Homes on Eden Street

• Blanchfield House, at number 37.
• Caruso Residence, at number 41.
• Bagatelle, at number 75. This house was designed by Rotch and Tilden and finished in 1883. It's a mix of Queen Anne and Shingle styles. It was one of the first large estates built in this area. The property also includes a carriage house and a guest house, both designed by the same architects.
• Villa Mary, at number 77. This is the oldest estate in the district. It was built between 1879 and 1880 by New York City architect Bruce Price. It was later updated in the 1920s by Arthur McFarland.

Homes on Harbor Lane

• Fenwold, at number 6. This home was also known as Colonial Hall. It was designed by a well-known Maine architect, John Calvin Stevens. This is the only building he is known to have designed in Bar Harbor. It was built in 1891 for the Rufus King family and made bigger in 1918. Its style combines Colonial and Mediterranean Renaissance Revival architecture.

Other Special Estates

Reverie Cove

Reverie Cove (7 Harbor Lane) was designed by local architect Fred L. Savage. It was built in 1893 for Dr. John Davies Jones. This is a very grand Colonial Revival building with some Italian Renaissance Revival details. It was listed separately on the National Register in 1982. The property also has an old carriage house.

Anchorhold

Anchorhold (9 Harbor Lane) was also known as Elwood and Anchorage. It's a Shingle style house built in 1885 by Rotch and Tilden. It was updated in 1893 by Fred L. Savage. It was built for Miss E. H. Elwood, who used it for only a few years. This property also includes an old carriage house.

Green Court

Green Court (8 Harbor Lane) was originally called Mainstay. It was designed by Rotch and Tilden. Later, it was changed by Andrews, Jacques and Rantoul in 1893 and Duncan Candler in 1932. It's a three-story Colonial Revival building with some Tudor style parts. Its carriage house also still stands, but it has been changed a lot over the years.