The Champlain Society was a group of students from Harvard who spent summers on Mount Desert Island documenting its natural history. But they did so much more – in their written logs of camp life, sailing excursions, and scientific surveys, they captured an island in time. And what they experienced caused them to advocate for what became Acadia National Park.
From 2010-2020, I was part of a team of volunteers who transcribed and digitized the Champlain Society records, most of which are held by the Mount Desert Island Historical Society. In 2021, we published the first three summer camp logs as Chebacco XXII – Summers of Science and Wonder: The Champlain Society Logbooks 1880-1883. The volume includes an introduction and annotations to provide background and context, and is illustrated with original photographs taken by the students.
Catherine Schmitt 