College of the Atlantic

Right here on Mt. Desert Island we have what is either the greenest or the most beautiful college in the U.S., depending on who you talk to, and a great place to visit on a rainy day.  On 35 acres on the rocky shore just down the road from Bar Harbor, all students major in human ecology with the freedom to interpret and design that major broadly. This is a small school with small classes (average size 12 students) so all receive individual attention.  It is a fairly new college (founded in 1969) and the buildings fit in well with the rambling cottage architecture of Bar Harbor. In fact, some buildings are just that–rambling cottages built by former owners in the 1800′s!

Pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero, C.O.A. earns it’s green reputation. They even serve organic food in the cafeteria grown in their own gardens.  While environmental science is a big part of the school–they are well known for whale research–the emphasis is on a true liberal education with an environmental twist.  Stated simply, all educational path at C.O.A. lead to “the relationship among humans and their environment”.

Locals know C.O.A. as a place where lots of things are happening. This past Saturday night (Feb. 6) for instance there was a fundraiser for Haiti to benefit Doctors Without Borders. The evening featured Haitian food, storytelling and entertainment–even belly dancers! Throughout the year there’s always something going on; the calendar can be seen here.

New dorm with pellet storage

What I find most interesting about the college is their latest building project. Comprising 20% of campus, the new dorms are super-insulated, low power consuming and heated with locally produced wood pellets. They’ve even erected a wind turbine at their Beech Hill Farm. Composting toilets, LED lighting, certified wood for building, the list goes on. What carbon dioxide College of the Atlantic still releases is offset by support of a project through carbonfund.org to provide electricity to truckers at truck stops so they can turn off their diesels while they rest.

The college features three museums to visit. The Bar Harbor Whale Museum is at 52 West Street in Bar Harbor and is opened from June to October, seven days a week. Admission is free. On campus is the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, open year round Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is also free but donations are gladly accepted.  See great dioramas of animals in action.  Also on

The Dorr Museums touch tank is a hit with kids.

campus is the Ethel H. Blum Gallery, featuring 10 to 12 art exhibits per year by faculty, students, alumni and artists from around the world.  Summer hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. The college is also a great place to enjoy a stroll through the gardens, along the shore or have a picnic on the grass. There are five gardens in all, the Community Organic Garden, the Newlin Gardens, the Beatrix Farrand Garden, the Turrets Sea Side Garden and finally the Sunken Garden. You can read about them here.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts