"We feature dinners from the bounty of Maine’s finest seafood caught in the Bay just beyond our window. Also American and Italian Cuisine. Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner – Cocktails – Open All Year – Bring your camera and snap the harbor view.” – from the back of the postcard.
Description: "We feature dinners from the bounty of Maine’s finest seafood caught in the Bay just beyond our window. Also American and Italian Cuisine. Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner – Cocktails – Open All Year – Bring your camera and snap the harbor view.” – from the back of the postcard.
This was the meal receipt used at the Jordan Pond House in 1979, At that time, there were separate hours for lunch, tea, and dinner - the restaurant was closed between services. Your waiter or waitress (then referred to by the staff as waitra) would come to your table with their hands behinds their back and commit your order to memory. They only used this receipt for the bill you received after your meal. This receipt came from George Soules who worked at the "Pond House" in 1977 and 1978, the last two years before it burned in 1979. That was the end of an era never to be experienced again.
Description: This was the meal receipt used at the Jordan Pond House in 1979, At that time, there were separate hours for lunch, tea, and dinner - the restaurant was closed between services. Your waiter or waitress (then referred to by the staff as waitra) would come to your table with their hands behinds their back and commit your order to memory. They only used this receipt for the bill you received after your meal. This receipt came from George Soules who worked at the "Pond House" in 1977 and 1978, the last two years before it burned in 1979. That was the end of an era never to be experienced again. [show more]
Taken in early May during the last snowfall of the season. This building used to sit between the restaurant and what is now staff housing. It was torn down some time after the Jordan Pond House burned in 1979. It had three floors with beds for male employees. Residents shared a single bathroom having one toilet and one shower stall. Female staff resided on the second floor of the restaurant.
Description: Taken in early May during the last snowfall of the season. This building used to sit between the restaurant and what is now staff housing. It was torn down some time after the Jordan Pond House burned in 1979. It had three floors with beds for male employees. Residents shared a single bathroom having one toilet and one shower stall. Female staff resided on the second floor of the restaurant.
Charlotte Gill (posing in the photo above) grew up in Southwest Harbor. In 2011, she took over a dilapidated ice cream stand (known by some as Frosty Bob's) located between Southwest Harbor and Acadia National Park’s Seawall Campground. She opened Sawyer’s Lobster Pound, named after a former beau. When the relationship broke up, Gill renamed the place after herself.
Description: Charlotte Gill (posing in the photo above) grew up in Southwest Harbor. In 2011, she took over a dilapidated ice cream stand (known by some as Frosty Bob's) located between Southwest Harbor and Acadia National Park’s Seawall Campground. She opened Sawyer’s Lobster Pound, named after a former beau. When the relationship broke up, Gill renamed the place after herself.
Henry R. Abel moved his lobster pound from Tremont to Mt. Desert in 1938. Abel’s Lobster Pound still exists in 2017 where Henry built it in 1938 at the edge of Somes Sound on Route 198.
Description: Henry R. Abel moved his lobster pound from Tremont to Mt. Desert in 1938. Abel’s Lobster Pound still exists in 2017 where Henry built it in 1938 at the edge of Somes Sound on Route 198.
The building had previously been Ham Stanley's Cafe, but when the building burned it as Cuz' Cafe. On Wednesday, April 6, 1955 the Ellsworth American mentioned that the building was being rebuilt by R.M. Norwood.
Description: The building had previously been Ham Stanley's Cafe, but when the building burned it as Cuz' Cafe. On Wednesday, April 6, 1955 the Ellsworth American mentioned that the building was being rebuilt by R.M. Norwood.
"Beginning with the history of the houses of Somesville at the southern end of the settlement on the road to Southwest Harbor: there are several camps and cottages built in recent years around the shores of Echo Lake. Ernest Richardson has built two on the western side, Rolf Motz built a cottage close to the road on the eastern shore which he sold in 1935 to Mrs. O. C. Nutting. There are several others which have been owned by different people, and Ernest Richardson has a store and some overnight camps built in 1935-6 close to the road." – “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 257. For some time Ernest was in business with his friend Otto Clyde Nutting (1875-1972) [O.C. Nutting] with whom he went hunting and fishing. "There are several small houses on the right side of the road [on the eastern shore of Echo Lake], owned by people who have been employed by Nutting and Richardson in their lumbering operations. This firm operated a portable saw mill in this vicinity for a few years." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 258.
Description: "Beginning with the history of the houses of Somesville at the southern end of the settlement on the road to Southwest Harbor: there are several camps and cottages built in recent years around the shores of Echo Lake. Ernest Richardson has built two on the western side, Rolf Motz built a cottage close to the road on the eastern shore which he sold in 1935 to Mrs. O. C. Nutting. There are several others which have been owned by different people, and Ernest Richardson has a store and some overnight camps built in 1935-6 close to the road." – “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 257. For some time Ernest was in business with his friend Otto Clyde Nutting (1875-1972) [O.C. Nutting] with whom he went hunting and fishing. "There are several small houses on the right side of the road [on the eastern shore of Echo Lake], owned by people who have been employed by Nutting and Richardson in their lumbering operations. This firm operated a portable saw mill in this vicinity for a few years." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, 1938, p. 258. [show more]
Lobsterland was a restaurant and lobster pound at Seawall that burned on August 28, 1965. The building that became “Lobsterland” was bought by David B. Benson from Vera Rich (Vera A. (Beal) Rich (1918-1996), Mrs. Maurice Stanley Rich) who had used it as a playhouse when she took care of children. The original address of the building was 411 Main Street, Southwest Harbor. The house on the lot was built by Maurice and Vera Rich. It later became the Fiddlers Green Restaurant. Lobsterland Leveled The Bar Harbor Times, August, 1965 by LaRue Spiker "... Lobsterland, a restaurant and lobster pound at Seawall, was leveled by fire August 28. David Benson, owner of the Lobsterland building, stated that the structure and its equipment were a total loss but partially insured. The cause has not been determined. A number of people reported the fire. Two boys are thought to have been the first to spot it. They said they first noticed fire inside the building; a few seconds later there was a muffled explosion and the whole roof was ablaze. Another person first noticed the fire concentrated at the far end of the dining room where the heater was located. Another person thought the fire was first heaviest in the center of the building where the trash cans were kept, raising the possibility that a live cigarette butt had been deposited in one of them. The property had been leased by Jesse Forbis [Jesse Lee Forbis (1915-1982)] this summer for operation of the restaurant and pound. Mr. Benson stated that he has no plans for re-building this fall but may do so next spring."
Description: Lobsterland was a restaurant and lobster pound at Seawall that burned on August 28, 1965. The building that became “Lobsterland” was bought by David B. Benson from Vera Rich (Vera A. (Beal) Rich (1918-1996), Mrs. Maurice Stanley Rich) who had used it as a playhouse when she took care of children. The original address of the building was 411 Main Street, Southwest Harbor. The house on the lot was built by Maurice and Vera Rich. It later became the Fiddlers Green Restaurant. Lobsterland Leveled The Bar Harbor Times, August, 1965 by LaRue Spiker "... Lobsterland, a restaurant and lobster pound at Seawall, was leveled by fire August 28. David Benson, owner of the Lobsterland building, stated that the structure and its equipment were a total loss but partially insured. The cause has not been determined. A number of people reported the fire. Two boys are thought to have been the first to spot it. They said they first noticed fire inside the building; a few seconds later there was a muffled explosion and the whole roof was ablaze. Another person first noticed the fire concentrated at the far end of the dining room where the heater was located. Another person thought the fire was first heaviest in the center of the building where the trash cans were kept, raising the possibility that a live cigarette butt had been deposited in one of them. The property had been leased by Jesse Forbis [Jesse Lee Forbis (1915-1982)] this summer for operation of the restaurant and pound. Mr. Benson stated that he has no plans for re-building this fall but may do so next spring." [show more]
Otmar “Otto” Franz Karban bought Echo Vista from Clarence N. Reddish on November 21, 1955. Clarence apparently bought the land and / or the business from Omar Tapley. The part of the land on the edge of the lake had belonged to Ernest T. Richardson and Vina E. (Ray) Richardson before it was sold it to Clarence Reddish. The Richardsons had a business, The Maplewood Lunch, just down the road from Echo Vista on the water side of the road.
Description: Otmar “Otto” Franz Karban bought Echo Vista from Clarence N. Reddish on November 21, 1955. Clarence apparently bought the land and / or the business from Omar Tapley. The part of the land on the edge of the lake had belonged to Ernest T. Richardson and Vina E. (Ray) Richardson before it was sold it to Clarence Reddish. The Richardsons had a business, The Maplewood Lunch, just down the road from Echo Vista on the water side of the road.
Description: Fred Mayo holding a wooden ice cream bucket. The building at the far right is the James A. Freeman House (the Inn at Southwest Harbor as of 2016).