The William Otis Sawtelle Collections and Research Center at Acadia National Park contain detailed information about the history of Mount Desert Island and the Cranberry Isles. Six collections, featuring items from as early as 1596, are available to the public. Each collection has a finding aid to help locate information. The collections contain photographs; town, genealogical, and vessel and trade records; correspondence; books, maps, and pamphlets; artwork; newspapers; and more.

Over a four-year period, National Park Service staff and volunteers completed a project to catalog more than 120,000 historic items. The project was funded through the Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act, which directs 80% of all fees paid in Acadia to stay in the park. The following collections were processed during this ambitious project:

• The Cranberry Isles Collection contains original documents from 1596 to 1939 (primarily 1800–1900) relating to the maritime and genealogical history of the Cranberry Isles.
•  The William Otis Sawtelle Collection(1692–1941) features the personal papers of William Otis Sawtelle, who founded the Islesford Historical Museum. Items include his research notes on local genealogy, Maine, and New France, as well as his scientific research.
•  The Carroll Farm Collection (1840–1966) documents the lives of the Carroll Family of Southwest Harbor.
•  The Islesford Wharf Company, Islesford Collection, Inc., and the U.S. Life Saving Station Collections document the history of these organizations on Islesford.

During fall 2007, new storage cabinetry was installed at the collections and research center to expand the capacity to store and manage collections in a state-of-the-art facility.

Located at the park’s headquarters on Route 233, the William Otis Sawtelle Collections and Research Center is available to the public by appointment only from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. To make an appointment, contact us.