COLUMN: Deirdre Fleming

State park was born to be wild

Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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FOREVER WILD: Rediscovering Katahdin A Journey of a Lifetime Retracing Percival Baxter first trip to Maine's Katahdin region 100 years ago. Percival Baxter, despite his philanthropy, is a mystery A reporter and photographer retrace the Baxters' historic 1903 trip for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. A century of solitude Remote ponds where Percival Baxter fished for brook trout have barely changed in a century. Split-cane fly rods favorites in Baxter's day Many were made by the Thomas Rod Co. of Bangor, which offered fishermen about 100 different styles. Imagining Baxter, at home in his park Visiting the remote trout ponds and rivers at the foot of Mount Katahdin probably offers the same experience for anglers today as they did a century ago. A faraway experience forever preserved Today much of the park's wild character along the mountain trails has been preserved, largely because of conditions set in Baxter's 28 deeds. State park was born to be wild There are some who visit Baxter State Park today who haven't a clue about why and how the park was founded. To top of story

What was the gate attendant at the south entrance to Baxter State Park talking about? Why were there no RVs allowed in this park?

"Preservation is first. Recreation is second," the attendant told this lunkhead of a lad.

A three-day journey to Kidney Pond revealed there are some who visit Baxter State Park today who haven't a clue about why and how the park was founded.

There are those who would like to see modern conveniences like showers and toilets added to this unusual park.

There are those who don't understand the wilderness experience the park's donor hoped to preserve.

There are some who don't even know who Percival Baxter was - and why we should care.

Before his death in 1969, Percival Baxter spent 32 years buying more than 200,000 acres to preserve Katahdin and the surrounding wilderness as a park.

Hike into Kidney Pond along the east side of Nesowadnehunk Stream where the Appalachian Trail now runs - the same route Baxter would have taken on his first visit to the region in 1903 - and it becomes clear that that he met his goal of keeping this land forever wild.

When you look at what the Appalachian Trail is and what travelers on it try to accomplish, and what Baxter State Park is and what Baxter wanted it to provide to visitors, the founding mission of each is the same.

The Appalachian Trail offers outdoor types a way to be free of society and a place to find solitude in the woods.

Baxter State Park is no different.

The parallels between these two destinations run deeper.

Both the Appalachian Trail and Baxter State Park are anchored by Katahdin. The Appalachian Trail runs through 14 states before ending at Katahdin. Baxter State Park was created around the mountain.

Both the trail and the mountain characterize Maine as a real wilderness, one of the nation's last.

What Baxter offers everyone is a place to learn about wildlife and our nation's wild places.

For one visitor this summer, Baxter was a place to master how to paddle a canoe alone. (OK, so I'm a social paddler.)

It was a place a group of men from New Jersey could learn firsthand what leeches look like.

It was a place to find out that the truth is, loons as large as house cats will not attack you if you swim past them, provided, of course, you avoid their nests.

Such revelations were part of Baxter's vision. He wanted to provide an environment where wildlife would be free of urban development and people would be free to experience it.

Baxter shared this idea in his father's biography, where he wrote, "All my brothers and myself were taught to love animals . . . It was in this way that we were taught to be humane, and the lessons of those early days never can be forgotten."

Perhaps if there were a lasting memorial to Baxter in a place commonly visited by all, the lessons he left us with would not be forgotten.

Bangor has a giant statue of Paul Bunyan. Portland has a statue of movie director John Ford. Brunswick now has one of Civil War hero and former Maine Gov. Joshua Chamberlain.

Where's Baxter?

Staff Writer Deirdre Fleming can be contacted at 791-6452 or at: dfleming@pressherald.com

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