Maine is home to nearly 6,000 lakes—each offering their own unique beauty and perspective. Among them, Lake Katahdin has been one of the most celebrated. There was just one catch: the lake was privately owned and had eluded all conservation efforts for centuries.

Sitting at the foot of its namesake Mount Katahdin, Maine’s tallest peak at 5,269 feet, Lake Katahdin was in a prime position to join Baxter State Park—named after Maine Governor Percival Baxter. It was Baxter’s dream to protect Katahdin Lake, and 37 years after his death, his dream came to fruition.

In December 2006, Trust for Public Land helped the Baxter Park Authority and Maine’s Department of Conservation finally bring Katahdin Lake into Baxter State Park. The transaction involved fundraising $14 million, with over 1,000 donors involved—resulting in over 4,500 acres of protected land. A key (and unorthodox) aspect of this campaign came through Maine’s art community, which contributed proceeds from the sales of paintings depicting the lake.

Today, Katahdin Lake remains one of Maine’s most iconic natural gems, protected for public use for countless anglers, paddlers, hikers, artists, and beyond.