From collection Sweetser Collection
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The Mount Desert Reading Room from Frenchman's Bay The Oasis Club completed construction of their new clubhouse in Bar Harbor called the Mount Desert Reading Room with a grand celebration on August 3rd, 1887. The avowed purpose of The Oasis Club was to promote "literary and social culture." The handsome new cedar shingled structure, designed by architect William Randolph Emerson, became the center of social activities during the summers before World War I. The historic Mount Desert Reading Room is now The Bar Harbor Inn and is home to the Reading Room Restaurant and Oasis Club Lounge. Several décor renovations have taken place over the years; however the original structure of the Mount Desert Reading Room has been preserved. The Main Inn, Oceanfront Lodge & Newport buildings have all been renovated over the years to provide guests with modern décor and amenities in a relaxing and elegant setting.
