La Rochelle Mansion & MuseumBAR HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BH, MAINE
The Bar Harbor Historical Society was founded in 1946 in a small room in the Jesup Library. In 1997, the BHHS purchased the St. Edward’s Convent to use as their own building. Within just three short years, the building mortgage was paid off due to the serous contributions of the local Bar Harbor community. Originally, Bar Harbor was called the Town of Eden until 1918 when it was changed to Bar Harbor. |
The town of Bar Harbor suffered a horrendous fire on October 17, 1947 that burned nearly half of the eastern side of Mount Desert Island. The fire wasn’t ended until November 14th and some 17,188 acres were burned, 10,000 of which were in Acadia National Park. Property damage exceeded $23 million dollars. The town of Bar Harbor was changed forever by this dreadful event. Many of the residents rebuilt their homes but many of the grand summer cottage estates on Millionaires’ Row were not. The fire made international news and so much of the history regarding the fire is not kept with the Bar Harbor Historical Society.
La Rochelle Mansion was built in Bar Harbor in 1903. It is the largest estate built on the shore of West Street. The forty one room mansion is 13,000 square feet of lavish furnishings. It has twelve bedrooms and nine full bathrooms on two acres of land. In 1944, Tristan and Ethel Colket of Philadelphia and John Thompson Dorrance, a chemist who invented condensed soup and eventually became president of the Campbell Soup Company, acquired La Rochelle. But in 1972, Tristram Jr and Ruth Colket gave the property to Maine Seacoast Mission for their headquarters for the next 47 years. In 2019, the 13,000 square foot Greek Revial brick estate called La Rochelle was purchased and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
La Rochelle Mansion was built in Bar Harbor in 1903. It is the largest estate built on the shore of West Street. The forty one room mansion is 13,000 square feet of lavish furnishings. It has twelve bedrooms and nine full bathrooms on two acres of land. In 1944, Tristan and Ethel Colket of Philadelphia and John Thompson Dorrance, a chemist who invented condensed soup and eventually became president of the Campbell Soup Company, acquired La Rochelle. But in 1972, Tristram Jr and Ruth Colket gave the property to Maine Seacoast Mission for their headquarters for the next 47 years. In 2019, the 13,000 square foot Greek Revial brick estate called La Rochelle was purchased and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Open Tuesday & Thursday | 10:00am - 4:00pm -
- Please check website for more details -
- Please check website for more details -
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Learn more about La Rochelle Mansion & Museum by visiting their website.
Address: Bar Harbor Historical Society - 127 West Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Phone: 888-718-4253, Ext #1 (Box Office)
Address: Bar Harbor Historical Society - 127 West Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Phone: 888-718-4253, Ext #1 (Box Office)
Updated 09/29/20- LLS
