Tracy Farm

Dairy History

The property is located on the easterly side of Route 198 at the head of Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island, Hancock County, Maine. It is identified as lot 95 of the Bingham Land Grant and originally contained 97 acres. Under present town property lines, there are 60 acres in Mount Desert and 37 in Bar Harbor.

In 1771 James Richardson sailed with his wife Rachel Gott and four young children up Somes Sound and landed in a valley where a large brook flowed into the ocean. This brook is now known as Richardson's Brook. It is assumed that James built a log cabin for his family and started clearing land. In 1763 Rachel gave birth to a son, George. He was the first white child born on the island.

James built a dam across the brook to control the water flow and then constructed a mill at the mouth of the brook to saw lumber. He cut logs, sawed them into lumber and approximately around 1790 built his family a new home. This was the first house on the island constructed with lumber instead of logs. The house consisted of a kitchen, living room, large pantry, a parlor, and three bedrooms.

George inherited the property from his father and left it to his son, Sibley. Who in turn passed it to his son, Bloomfield.

Bloomfield attached a three-story dance hall to the house in 1899. He married Melissa Tracy who died in 1904. Her brother, Jones Tracy, and his wife moved in to care for Bloomfield and in 1914 inherited the property. Jones continued to live on the property working the farm. Among the many endeavors attempted during this period of time was a truck farm, raising vegetables, and supplying the hotels and inns of Northeast Harbor and vicinity.

In 1928 Jones and sons Melvin and Ralph added a dairy farm, selling milk products. This business was short-lived as the depression took its toll and the stock had to be sold keeping only enough to supply the immediate family.

In 1937 Jones transferred the property to his son Ralph and his wife, Pauline. Ralph and Pauline lived on the farm until he passed away in 1979. Pauline left the property to her four children. The land was divided into four parcels. The farmhouse was purchased by Kay (Tracy) Moore, (youngest daughter) from the other siblings.

It should be noted here that the purchase of the farmhouse by the Moores was the first time since 1761 that any money had ever changed hands. The property had always been passed down through the family.

At present time the farmhouse is used as a rental unit.