Maine's Sand Beach was once part of JP Morgan's 117-acre wedding gift
The land currently known as Sand Beach in Acadia National Park was once part of a 117-acre estate gifted by J.P. Morgan to his daughter in 1900. Following the destruction of the family estate in the 1947 fire, the land was donated to the public.
Why it matters
This highlights the historical origins of public land and the role of private philanthropy in the preservation of national parks.
In 1900, financier J P Morgan bought 117 acres in Maine, including Sand Beach and Great Head, as a wedding gift for his daughter Louisa. The land is now part of Acadia National Park.The land around Great Head and Sand Beach was connected to Louisa and and her husband Herbert Satterlee for decades before it became a public property. According to National Park Service, the family’s summer property was commonly known as 'Satterlee field'.The 117 acres purchased by financier J P Morgan included Sand Beach and Great Head. Louisa married Herbert Satterlee in New York City in November 1900. The couple later made the coastal property part of their family’s summer life.Louisa and Herbert had two daughters, Mabel, born in 1901, and Eleanor, born in 1905.
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