[at-l] Baxter State Park History Question

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"...To my understanding, Baxter prohibits USE of cell phones within the park."
>corrects Rick.

The rules say, "AUDIO DEVICES: Audio devices such as radios, televisions,
cassette players, or cellular telephones may not be operated within the Park."

>"....But you haven't answered the points that others have made. Mainly that
>Baxter permited the establishment of car camping areas and the construction of
>cabins and I assume associated support structures like stores, showers and gas
>stations." queries Bryan.

I think there was a couple of bunk houses built during Baxter's lifetime. I know
AMC built a bunk house at Chimney Pond. When Baxter heard about it he insisted
on giving the AMC the money it cost because he didn't want anyone claiming
ownership rights other than him.

 The emphasis during his lifetime and most of the time thereafter, however, has
 been on only the most primitive development. The park has no paved roads, no
 stores, no gas stations, no running water, no showers, no electric lights.

 Aside from being able to drive to them, these campgrounds are about as
 primitive as any that one can find anywhere on the Appalachian Trail. The only
 toilet facilities are pit outhouses. Drinking water comes only from the streams
 that flow through the park.

 As I wrote earlier, Baxter had only a superficial knowledge of the concept of
 wilderness as it was developing in his lifetime. He had no illusion that the
 land he bought was wilderness. Most of his purchases were of land that had been
 heavily cut, or purchased subject to one more final cut. I don't know if this
 was by his design in an effort to keep acquisition costs low; or this was the
 only basis on which the landowners would sell. But he knew the Maine woods. He
 knew Maine has almost an ideal climate for the regrowth of heavily harvested
 areas. He was confident that wilderness would come if the forces of nature were
 allowed to prevail.

 A lot has been learned about the nature and philosophy of wilderness since
 Baxter's death. He thought wilderness would be easy to achieve.. It isn't. I
 suspect one of the surest ways to destroy Baxter's vision would be to operate
 it for all time, based on the knowledge he had of wilderness in the 40s and
 early 50s.

  Given this, why am I confident that he would still oppose the use of cell
 phones? Mostly because he wrote repeatedly about creating a park that reflected
 life of days gone by, before the trappings of modern civilization. I've read a
 lot of his original papers. I've read a history of the park. I've read the only
 biography of his life. And I've sat through lengthy court hearings on
 challenges to his "forever wild" vision.  Rather than weakening to arguments
 for cell phones, I suspect his opposition would have been strengthened were he
 alive today.

 Weary