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