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Former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell
December 15, 2023
Acadia visitor center would be renamed in honor of U.S. Sen. George Mitchell under proposal
Courtesy / National Park Service
The Hulls Cove Visitor Center at Acadia National Park dates to 1986.
Former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell would be the namesake for an Acadia National Park visitors' center under a proposal by Maine's current congressional delegates.
A bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King calls for the renaming of the Hulls Cove Visitor Center as the George J. Mitchell Jr. Visitor Center.
Mitchell, who was born in Waterville in 1933, represented Maine in the U.S. Senate from 1980–95 and was majority leader from 1989 to 1995.
He later served as a special adviser to the peace process in Northern Ireland under President Bill Clinton (1995–2000). Mitchell also served as a member of the special envoy to the Middle East under President Barack Obama (2009–11), and spent time in the judicial branch, when he was appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to serve on the U.S. District Court of Maine.
“During his storied career in public service, George Mitchell was a peacemaker, a statesman and a loyal champion of the state of Maine,” said Collins. “Naming Acadia’s Visitor Center in his honor will serve as a reminder of his commitment to improving our country and inspire others to do the same.”
“George Mitchell has dedicated his life to public service, working across all three branches of federal government, in pursuit of a more perfect union,” said King. “Throughout his career, George Mitchell has largely embodied the character of our state motto — Dirigo — a leader working to resolve conflicts here in the United States and around the world. Renaming the Acadia National Park Visitor Center after Majority Leader Mitchell will remind Maine people and tourists alike what it means to give back, tackle hard challenges, and overcome the odds in an effort to provide a better future for generations to come.”
The Hulls Cove Visitor Center dates to December 1986. It originally served as the park's administrative headquarters as well.
“We would like to thank Sens. King and Collins for their efforts to recognize Sen. George Mitchell, who has given so much to Acadia National Park, by naming the Hulls Cove Visitor Center in his honor. As national parks tell the story of America’s greatest natural and cultural places, it is important to recognize its champions,” said Eric Stiles, president and CEO of Friends of Acadia, a fundraising group for the national park.
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