Mount Kineo is a prominent geological feature located on a peninsula that extends from the easterly shore of

Moosehead Lake Moosehead Lake is a deep, coldwater lake located in Piscataquis County in Northwestern Maine. It is the second-largest lake in New England, and the largest mountain lake in the eastern United States. Situated in the mostly undeveloped Longfellow Mo ...

in the northern forest of

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

. With cliffs rising straight up from the water, it is the central feature of Mount Kineo State Park, a protected area of managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

History

; Native American Native Americans once traveled great distances to Mt. Kineo to acquire its rhyolite rock. The mountain is said to contain one of the largest formations of rhyolite in the world. This rhyolite is evidence of an igneous (volcanic) phase although the mountain formations also contain slate and sandstone demonstrating sedimentary and metaphoric history as well. The mechanical properties of the rhyolite on Mount Kineo exhibits the physical properties of flint and was used extensively by indigenous peoples to make arrowheads and implements and thus, has often been referred to as "Kineo flint" in literature; but this term misleads by implication that the rhyolite is a cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz derived from a sedimentary origin. The rhyolite is actually an igneous extrusive material implying a volcanic phase that created the unique properties of this highly sought after material. Being the country's largest known mass of this rock, once used by

Indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

to craft

arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...

hatchet A hatchet (from the Old French , a diminutive form of ''hache'', ' axe' of Germanic origin) is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade on one side used to cut and split wood, and a hammerhead on the other side. Hatchets may also be us ...

chisels A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge (such that wood chisels have lent part of their name to a particular grind) of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal by hand, stru ...

, etc., Indigenous implements made from the stone have been found in all parts of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

and even further south, it is evident that various tribes visited Mt. Kineo for centuries to obtain this material. ; Notable visitors In 1846, Henry David Thoreau visited the Moosehead Lake region, and the mountain's geological formation, Indian relics and traditions deeply interested him. ; Hotel resort The first Mt. Kineo House was built on the shores of Moosehead Lake in 1848, but burned in 1868. Rebuilt in 1870 and opened in 1871, the second Mt. Kineo House burned again in 1882. Designed by

Arthur H. Vinal Arthur H. Vinal (July 1, 1855 – August 25, 1923) was an American architect who lived and worked in Boston, Massachusetts. Vinal was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, on July 1, 1855, to Howard Vinal and Clarissa J. Wentworth. Vinal apprenticed at ...

, the third Mt. Kineo House opened in 1884. In 1911, the

Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad Company was a U. S. Class I railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expanded to ...

purchased the resort and engaged the Hiram Ricker Hotel Company to operate it. Then the largest inland waterfront hotel in America, it had accommodations for over 500 guests. In 1933, the

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

eliminated its Kineo branch, and in 1938 sold the hotel. It burned during demolition and the old employee house was burned down in 2018.

Gallery

Features

;State park The state park offers various trails around the peninsula and to the mountain peak. The park can only be reached by water. The Mount Kineo Golf Course operates the seasonal water shuttle service from the public dock in Rockwood to Mount Kineo. The park is 1 of 5 Maine State Parks that are in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, with 3 minutes and 24 seconds of totality. ;Golf course Mount Kineo Golf Course is believed to be the second oldest in New England. It came under new ownership in 2009. Played on the original 1893 course, the classic lakeside layout has no sand traps, small greens, and the Kineo cliff as a backdrop for the scenic over-the-water par 3 hole #4.

References

External links

Mount Kineo State Park
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Moosehead Lake Shoreline Guide & Map
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry {{DEFAULTSORT:Kineo Mountains of Piscataquis County, Maine Mount Kineo Mount Kineo Mount Kineo Mountains of Maine State parks of Maine