A. Murray Young Path, Acadia National Park, Hancock County, ME

In the 1918 Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association (BHVIA) 29th Annual Report, under ‘Report of the Roads and Paths Committee’ by Frederic Delano Weekes, the Chairman states, "it has been suggested that other connection may be advantageously carried out, including the extension of the Gorge path from its present termination between Green and Dry Mountains until this also joins the Canon Brook trail...". The 1919 BHVIA 30th Annual Report states, "The committee still has in mind the extension of the Gorge path between Green [renamed Cadillac] and Dry Mountains..."

The 1924 Annual Report of the Path Committee, printed in the newspaper, states: "The following new work has been planned for the coming year...the continuation of the Gorge Trail south between Green and Dry Mountains to join the Canon Brook Path. This will add to the many beautiful trails in the Bar Harbor District. The length of the trail will be approximately one mile, and the  estimated expense is about $1000.  A large part of the balance above mentioned will be used to push this work as far as possible this autumn.  This beginning is made in the hopes that somebody may be encouraged to present the funds necessary to complete this path during the coming year."

The 1925 BHVIA 34th Annual Report notes "The most important new construction has been the continuation of the Gorge Trail south for over a mile between Green and Dry Mountains to join the Canon Brook Trail. The funds for this were generously contributed by Mrs. A Murray Young and the path was built during the autumn of 1924 as a memorial to her husband (who passed away in 1924)....This trail has been a source of much pleasure and inspiration to many persons during the past summer.” Mrs. Marie Hunt Young also donated $1000 to the BHVIA to be held in trust, with the interest to be applied to the maintenance of the trail in perpetuity. This Memorial path has a plaque located on the south end of the trail, on a granite boulder in the east branch of Canon Brook, facing west on the trail, 800 feet north of the west Canon Brook trail junction.  The inscription reads, "In memory of Andrew Murray Young who loved this island where god has given of his beauty with a lavish hand.  1861-1924."

The 1926 BHVIA 35th Annual Report makes note of the The A. Murray Young Path as follows. “As expected this path had to undergo many repairs after the winter.” The report also states, "It is voted that the grateful thanks of the Village Improvement Association be extended to Mrs. A. Murray Young for her generous gift of One thousand dollars. The 1938 BHVIA 47th Annual Report states: "Also, last year the bronze memorial tablet placed at the end of the Murray Young Path, was defaced and damaged.  This was very irritating; but Mr. Anderson took some steel wool and worked very hard to remove the marks, and at the end of the last year, the tablet was still in good condition."

See also (8/31/????): Marie Hunt Young to Mr. Blair, a letter of thanks for naming the path in memory of her husband with recommended text for dedication (BHVIA correspondence files). Originally, the path was intended to be named Gorge Path south side.

The land on which the A. Murray Young Path is located, was purchased in 1845 by Edward Brewer. Logs from this mountain lot went to a sawmill at the mouth of Otter Creek run by his son Porter Brewer, which operated from 1848 to 1870. Subsequently, Mr. Sawin, Clark, and Seavey, (along with divided interests by Thomas, William, and Howard Swazey, and Robert and Thomas Boyd), purchased 300 acres of the mountain lot and ran a mill operation (1870 to 1890) located along the side creek that empties into Otter Cove.  On the 1893 Rand map, and more distinctly on the 1904 USGS map, a road went from the Otter Creek Road to the Cadillac/Dorr south gorge. The northern end of this road was located in the area of the A. Murray Young Path, continuing beyond the memorial plaque about 1000 ft.

1.3 miles

A. Murray Young Path, #25, starts from the Canon (Canyon) Brook Trail, #19, up the gorge between Cadillac and Dorr Mountains., to the junction of the Gorge Path, #28 and Dorr West Face Trail, #44.

44.34702

-68.2178

The historic trail system of Acadia National Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognized for its national significance and ties to the history of Mount Desert Island and establishment of the park. The system's period of significance starts in 1844 and ends in 1942. The listing encompasses 109 trails traversing 117 miles on Mount Desert Island (some extending outside the park) and includes 18 memorial plaques, 12 viewpoints, and unique engineering features.

Microsoft Access database used in preparation of report Pathmakers: Cultural Landscape Report for the Historic Hiking Trail System of Mount Desert Island by Coffin Brown, Margaret, Jim Vekasi, et. al. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, DC (2006); accessed June 2024. Entry updated and revised by Gary Stellphflug and Terese Miller (March, 2025) utilizing orignal research, personal knowledge, and 2013 trails map.

Eben M. Hamor, “Eben M. Hamor Manuscript - Books 1 & 2,” Northeast Harbor (Maine) Library (  https://nehl.digitalarchive.us/items/show/5265.Item 6185 ).

U.S. Geographic Information Names System (GNIS). U.S. Geologic Survey (Washington, DC): Archive database of 2021 ( https://www.usgs.gov/us-board-on-geographic-names/download-gnis-data : accessed 31 May 2024).

Library of Congress,  Title: Map of Mount Desert Island, Maine. Names: Rand, Edward L. (Edward Lothrop), 1859-1924. Created / Published: [S.l.], 1893. ( https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3732m.np000029/?r=0.598,0.555,0.417,0.179,0 )