HISTORY
KATAHDIN, A Brief History
Katahdin, (meaning greatest mountain) ele.5271
Percival Baxter, born in Portland Maine, first climbed Katahdin in 1920. As our governor (1921-1925) he tried unsuccessfully to gain state ownership. Between 1930-1963 he purchased the land with his own money then donated the 202,064 acres to the State of Maine, which are now known as Baxter State Park. His only interest was that the area was to remain forever wild, so that future generations may enjoy the mountain as much as we do today.
Gift # Township When acquired by Baxter From Whom
1 T3R9 11/18/30 Great Northern Paper Company (GNP)
2 T5R9 06/15/38
12/01/37 		Piscataquis Land Co.
St. John Smith
3 T5R9 06/15/38
12/01/37		 Piscataquis Land Co.
St. John Smith
4 T3R10 1938 & 1939 GNP
5 T4R9 Jul-Aug 1939 Eastern Mfgr. Co.
6 T5R9 06/15/38
12/01/37		 Piscataquis Land Co.
St. John Smith
7 T5R9 06/15/38
12/01/37 		Piscataquis Land Co.
St. John Smith
8 T5R10 Aug. 1940 Eastern Corporation
9 T3R9 02/15/39 GNP
10 T3R9 02/15/39 GNP
11 T3R10 1939-1940 GNP
12 T3R10 01/29/39
08/11/48 		Piscataquis Land Co.
Cassidy Estate
13 T4R10 02/15/39 GNP
14 T4R10 1944 GNP
15 T4R10 Oct. 1946 GNP
16 T6R9 08/20/47 Eastern Corporation
17 T6R9 Aug. 1947 Eastern Corporation
18 T6R8 12/12/47 Garfield Land Co. Pingree Heirs
19 T6R8 06/14/51
06/27/51		 Sada Coe Robinson
Irving Pulp & Paper, Ltd.
20 T6R9 01/04/54
09/01/54 		Eastern Corporation
East Branch Improvement Co.
21 T3R9 12/01/53 GNP
22 T6R9 03/10/55 Eastern Corp. & GNP
23 T6R10 04/20/55 Eastern Corporation
24 T2R9 11/18/62 GNP

KATAHDIN
"The centerpiece of the Park, of course, is Katahdin.
It is known under a wide variety of names, but most Maine citizens prefer "Katahdin" to "Ktaadn", which was more common with groups and individuals from outside the state until long into the 20th century.
Katahdin is the anglicized derivation of the Indian terms "ket", "k't", or "keete", meaning big or greatest and "adene", meaning mountain, and was officially adopted in 1893 by the U.S. Geographic Board."


"Man is born to die,
His works are short lived, Buildings crumble, Monuments Decay, Wealth vanishes
But Katahdin in all its glory
Forever Shall Remain the Mountain Of the People of Maine"
Percival P. Baxter

The Maine Woods
by philosopher Henry D. Thoreau -1864
The THOREAU READER is part of the EServer at the University of Washington in Seattle.
SOURCES:
  • Legacy Of A Lifetime - The Story of Baxter State Park, by Dr. John W. Hakola
  • Baxter State Park Authority