The construction of the two gate lodges was regarded as an important step in the development of the carriage road system, the whole island, and the park. Jordan Pond Gate Lodge was completed in 1932, and it and the Brown Mountain Gate Lodge near Northeast Harbor ornament the carriage road system. Their gates serve as symbolic barriers to automobiles and welcome travelers into a motor-free system of carriage roads in the heart of Acadia National Park. Their design was inspired by rustic architecture in France near the home of explorer Sieur de Monts, who once held land claims on Mount Desert Island, and like the bridges and the carriage roads themselves, the lodges were designed to blend harmoniously with their surroundings.