The Oldfarm application was developed as part of a research project designed to explore "what works" for visitors using smart devices to obtain interpretation of cultural resources in National Park Service units. "Oldfarm" is the name of the former estate of George B. Dorr, the founder of Acadia National Park. Oldfarm passed into the park's ownership but fell into disrepair and the manorhouse and other buildings were demolished. Locals and park visitors still walk the crude paths found around the estate site, marveling at the remanent foundations and ornamental vegetation that still survives today, and enjoying the wild, overgrown nature of the site. This application's goal is to bring a deeper understanding of the drive and motivations of George B. Dorr as he worked to make Acadia National Park, and the importance of this estate to his vision.
The reseach that produced this application was administered through a cooperative agreement between Acadia National Park and Northern Arizona University and managed through the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. The Principal Investigator of this research was Michael Kelly, adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University's School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability. This application was released to the general public in 2018 and is maintained by Michael Kelly at no cost to the National Park Service or Northern Arizona University.