Welcome to Baxter State Park

About Us

DIRECTOR'S PAGE

Welcome to the Baxter State Park website.  We hope the information in these pages will give you a good start on understanding the unique and precious gift known as Baxter State Park.  Reading about the Park is one thing, but experiencing the Park is something else – we hope these pages will help you prepare for your visit whether you are a first time user or a veteran user.

Baxter State Park can be simply described as over 200,000 acres of mountains, lakes streams and forest, all given in trust by one man, Percival Baxter, to the People of the State of Maine.  The full story of the assembly and management of the Park is much more complicated. We won’t try to tell you that story here (there are many excellent books on the subject, but we will try and mention several of the most important elements.

The Park is the result of a lifelong dream of former Maine Governor Percival Baxter.  Initially, he worked as a legislator, then as a Governor to convince the Maine legislature to act to preserve Katahdin as a public Park.  These efforts were not successful, so after leaving public service, Percival Baxter determined that he would accomplish this work himself.  His first gift, including Katahdin and surrounding lands, was realized on March 3, 1931.  The next 32 years mark an extraordinary example in philanthropic effort, determination and vision.  In June of 1962, Percival Baxter completed his dream, comprising 28 separate gifts and a total of 201,018 acres, of a great Park, given In Trust, to the People of Maine.  Subsequent to Governor Baxter’s death, the Baxter State Park Authority has purchased additional lands on the southern end of the Park to bring the current Park acreage to 204,733.

Today, the Park continues to operate as the trust Percival Baxter envisioned.  With each Deed of Gift, Governor Baxter attached communications to guide the Baxter State Park Authority and Park Staff, as trustees, in the management of the Park. The Trust Deeds and Communications form the basis for our management and operation of the Park: 

To maintain the Park’s natural wild state in accordance with Percival Proctor Baxter's deeds of gifts and conveyances.
To provide a continuing timber harvest from the Scientific Forest Management Area by the application of exemplary and scientific forest management.
To secondarily provide for recreational use and enjoyment of the Park by people in a manner consistent with the Park's natural character.

In addition to the land, Percival Baxter designated a unique and effective triumvirate to manage the Park.  By including the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Forest Service Director and the State Attorney General, Baxter assembled a capable and effective team to deal with the complex issues that arise within and around the Park.  The Baxter State Park Authority holds complete autonomy over all aspects of the management of the Park.  Governor Baxter also left trust funds to help support the Park’s operation.  These funds are carefully invested and the interest, in combination with revenues from camping, other use fees and the sale of forest products, provides sufficient revenue to operate the Park.  This fiscal independence is of vital importance to the Park and protects our ability to always manage the Park in accordance with the donor’s wishes.

The day-to-day operation of the Park is accomplished by about 22 year-round and 35 seasonal employees.  As trustees, we are a very dedicated staff with a wealth of experience and knowledge of Baxter State Park.  Please don’t hesitate to tap into this experience as displayed here on these pages or when you visit the Park. Park staff are eager to share their love and knowledge of the Park with others.  The Trust Communications are clear that as managers, our first priority is to protect the Park’s resources.  Providing recreational facilities and experience is secondary in the Park’s mission.  The Governor expressed clearly that he wanted the Park “used to the fullest extent, but in the right, unspoiled way.”  It is our task as managers to find the balance that best meets the Governor’s wishes and it’s something we work at each and every day.
In the mid 1950's a major publication interviewed Governor Baxter and asked the question, "Why, Governor, did you give all this land, much of your personal wealth, to the people of Maine?" He responded, "Maine people have been gracious enough to allow me to serve as their legislature, as their senator, as president of the Senate, and as their chief executive. My heart and soul belong to Maine and this is my way of saying thanks to this generation and to those of succeeding generations for providing me these honors."  This is a humble statement describing an extraordinary accomplishment of vision and value to Maine people.