A highly constructed flat, easy, pond-side memorial trail, that extends from the northern end of the Tarn, at the intersection of the Beachcroft Path (#13), Jesup Path (#14) and Kurt Diederich's Climb (#16), to the Ladder Trail (#64) and Canon Brook Trail (#19). The trail passes the submerged ends of the Tarn Trail (#370), which was built by the CCC in the 1930s to circle the pond. A higher water level has covered this trail and some of the Kane Path (In circa 1970s a section was rerouted higher up in the talus slope). The northern end of the the Kane Path is marked with a circa 1913 engraved stone "KANE PATH" and a commemorative plaque on a boulder, " In Memory of John Innes Kane…" The majority of the trail along the Tarn consists of stone paving and stepping stones, with some steps used to traverse the rocky terrain along the base of Dorr Mtn. on the western shore of The Tarn. Three capped stone culverts and one circa 1975 open culvert direct drainage. Wet areas are crossed on NPS bogwalk bridges where gravlel covered bridges may have once existed. Width varies from 2-3' near the north end to 4-5' while crossing large boulder fields. TS, MB, GJS
Historical Context
This path may have been part of a pre-1760 Native American cross- island path from Bar Harbor to Otter Cove to avoid circumnavigating the island by the rough coastal waters around Otter Point. Scant documentation is found in Dorr's personal manuscripts (ANP Archives, shelf 5, box 2). A memorial, endowed path with a plaque, built by the BHVIA. Commissioned by Mrs. John Innes Kane as a memorial to her husband. From the north end of the Tarn, along the west side of the Tarn, past a beaver pond, to the intersection of the Canon [Canyon] Brook Trail. The 1914 BHVIA 25th An. Rpt., Report of the Roads and Paths Committee by Rudolph E. Brunnow, Sept. 10, 1914 states, "The most important piece of work during the past year has been outside of the regular appropriation. Last summer Mrs. Kane most generously provided the funds for the construction of a Memorial Path, in memory of her husband, Mr. John Innes Kane, the late chairman of this committee. The path is now completed, with the exception of the approach from the Gorge Road, and extends along the base of Dry Mountain from the northern end of Little Meadow to the entrance of the Ladder Path, leading through some very picturesque rock formations. The warm thanks to Mrs Kane for the munificent gift, which will form an important part of the projected system of paths leading from the Village through Great Meadow and the Harden Farm district to the mountains." The route is described in the 1915Path guide ... From the north end of the Tarn, along the west side of the Tarn, to the beginning of the Ladder Path. In the 1915 BHVIA 26th An. Rpt., Report of the Roads and Paths Committee Brunnow, Spetember 9, 1915 states, "The two Memorial paths given by Mrs. John Innes Kane and Mrs. Morton Smith, the Kane Path and the Beachcroft path, which were mentioned in my last report, are now entirely finished; and a third Memorial path presented by Mrs. Hunt Slater in memory of her nephew, Mr. Kurt Diederich, and called Kurt Diederich's Climb, is now in process of construction on the eastern slope of Dry Mountain....form not only most fitting monuments to those whose memory they are designed to perpetuate, but are also an extremely valuable addition to our path system." The 1918 BHVIA 29th An. Rpt., Report of the Roads and Paths Committee by Frederic Delano Weekes, Chairman states, "The Kane Memorial Path during the summer was connected with the Canon Brook trail and the one leading in the direction of Otter Creek and the Pot Hole path, thus making the path system in that locality a complete and satisfactory one. " The 1926 BHVIA 35th An. Rpt states "The Village Improvement Assocation, having been informed of the death of Mrs. John Innes Kane on July 23rd, places this memorial upon its records: Mr. and Mrs. Kane became summer residents of Bar Harbor about the beginning of this century. Mrs. Kane immediately accepted membership in this Association. Since 1916, she has been Chairman of the Village Committeee and has thereby been active and efficient in improving the appearance of the village and caring for the graveyard and the Shore Path. Soon after the death of her husband, she gave in 1915 the Kane Memorial Path in the Gorge, along Little Meadows under Dry Mountain, over which she walked constantly with interest and pleasure. She always contributed generously towards the work which this Association has in hand; and by her charm and personal influence did much to commend its objects to the interest of other residents." CCC records, from the 1930s describe work on the "Tarn Trail - This project, which originally comprised the construction of a six foot trail around the eastern side of the Tarn has taken on a large scope to include a fire trail, two short connecting trails and a general selective cleaning of the area. The so called fire trail is a nine foot road starting at the Tarn and extending in a southerly direction through Beaver Brook Valley. In its course thus far five water courses were encountered, necessitating the construction of five bridges. Cedar logs were obtained in the immediate vicinity for the building of these bridges. The trail makes accessible a spring which in case of fire, would supply water for one or two pumps. Round-turns were provided, in order that large trucks could get in and out without danger of delay. Two small trails were constructed connecting the Tarn Path with the Kane Path, which follows along the foot of Dry Mountain. These two short trails crossed the main brook thus requiring the construction of two cedar foot bridges. In connection with the trail building as previously stated, this area was given a general woods cleaning and selective thinning removing dead and suppressed trees thus reducing the fire hazard to a minimum. Special attention was given to trail beautification. These measures will not only free healthy trees from competition but will stimulate and encourage desirable reproduction. (CCC records, National Archives,)
