Day 149
After spending the day exploring Bangor, we were ready to expand our travels further out. As I was looking for some interesting spots, Lori reminded me of a couple of travellers we met back in Ontario that recommended the Acadia National Park, if we were to ever stop in Maine. I looked into the distance to the park and found it was only ninety minutes south east from Bangor. Today was expected to be cloudy and cool, so we packed the puppies up and headed for the park.
When we entered the park, it became a one way, with no exits to around. We travelled the road for a short period, passing a few signs indicating a park pass was required to be in the park, we figured it would be the same as the Canadian parks where a booth, close to the entrance was available to buy tickets. We drove well into the park before we started to wonder where we needed to get the passes. I pulled over and did a quick search on Google, the parks website showed tickets were available in several locations, the closest being a campground further into the park. We continued on into the park before coming across the booth we expected to see at the entrance. We purchased a pass for all the US National Parks and continued our journey into the park.
When I was searching the park, I read about a natural phenomenon called the Thunder Hole. The Thunder Hole was caused by the ocean waves rolling into a tight trench along the rocks and then crashing up the rocks at the end, making a large thunder sound; Unfortunately the tide was out during our visit so there was no thunder to be had. Since the park was still a one way road, we drove the balance of the park, exploring the sights as we found them.
After we left the park we headed for Fort Knox to make a withdraw…. Unfortunately it did not contain any gold. This Fort Knox was named after Major General Henry Knox, Americas first Secretary of the War and Commander of Artillery during the American Revolution. The need for the Fort was realized during the American Revolution and the War of 1812 which brought enemy British ships to the Penobscot River during both wars, Great Britain seized control of the river and attacked the towns along the river, claiming the surrounding land for the British crown. After the America pushed the British out, the US government recognized that a defenceless Penobscot River could be attacked again and the rivers increasingly prosperous towns such as Bangor, would be threatened again. After acquiring land and designing a large modern Fort, the US Department of War and it’s Corps of Engineers began building Fort Knox, sited to guard the narrow channel through which all enemy ships travelling upriver would have to pass. The Fort never saw any action and out of the possible 135 cannon mount placements, only 74 were ever brought to the Fort.
Acadia National Park
Thunder Hole from above
Fort Knox
Penobscot Bridge.
No comments:
Post a Comment