The Town is a suburban-urban coastal community with highly developed shore areas. It is comprised of the Villages of Bar Harbor, Salisbury Cove, Hulls Cove and Town Hill with total land area embracing 44 square miles and approximately 34 miles of shoreline. Acadia National Park, formed in 1916, primarily by the financial and land contributions of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., encompasses 10,156 acres of the Town or 36% of its total area. It has over 50 miles of carriage paths available for hiking or biking; and the various mountain peaks beckon for hikers to watch Peregin Falcons and Eagles in flight or simply to view the surrounding islands. The shorefront attracts the walkers and the kayakers to engage in seal observations. Bar Harbor serves as the base for exploring the Park and the Town offers the charms of a small fishing village with a wide range of services, including seasonal Island wide free bus service for employees and tourists to easily reach many of the popular spots. Since the fire of 1947, the Town has gradually grown to be a seasonal tourist community as well as a year round home for scientific/education based research institutions and home to many year round residents who wish to experience the vibrant change of the four seasons.