Snapshots in Time: Seen and Heard at the Lakeshore

The following appeared on Page 1 of the June 25, 1896, edition of the RANGELEY LAKES newspaper in a regular column entitled, “Seen and Heard at the Lakeshore”. Enjoy these passages from a bygone era and be sure to get outside and make some great outdoor history of your own!

(Contemporary commentary shared in Italics).

Early Rangeley promotional post card

Kimball & Bowley’s carriages, with the span of white horses, driven by George Church take you over the carry to Hayne’s Landing through a pleasant piece of wood and along a nice road.

(This one-mile-long stretch of road still connects Oquossoc Cove on Rangeley Lake with Haines Landing on Mooselookmeguntic and began as portage used for centuries by Native Americans traveling through the region).

The Mooselookmeguntic House shines out in its new coat of paint, the new guide house and landing add to the effect, the guests scattered about the broad and attractive piazza given an air of restfulness to the scene.

Mooselookmeguntic House at Haines Landing

(Once located at Haines Landing this hotel catered to the hoards of anglers wishing to try their luck on the “Big Lake” for which it took its name).

Quite a marine effect as you come in sight of the “Landing,” the steamers at the wharf or coming in, their discordant whistles and the jingling of signal bells, the myriad of row boats, guides and tourists, the baggage, express, chicken coops, mails and a general rushing to and fro. It lacks the city hackman for which let all be thankful.

(A “hack” was a hired horse-drawn carriage and in this day and age, a taxi).

A pleasant change comes as The Birches on Student’s Island are approached. The. flag is flying, the numerous camps open, the children running about, groups, gathered under the shadows of the birches reading, chatting, sewing, while others await the coming of the mail. Students Island, on which is located “The Birches,” is three-fourths of a mile long. There will still be room for the Captain to busy himself in clearing up and building log cabins for many years to come.

(This refers to Capt. Fred Barker, guide and adventurer turned entrepreneur, steamship, and lodging property owner. He remains a legendary regional icon).

Upper Dam House and Cabins

Such a change the years have made at Upper Dam. Fond memories linger about the old log house that did duty for a hotel. The half-dozen old buildings constituted the settlement, all were closely sheltered by the forest which extended for miles, unbroken by civilization. Now there are cleared lands, fruit trees, a cozy hotel, numerous cottages, and other neat buildings, all fresh with paint. The old dam has given place to a long solid affair, along the top of which is a carriage road leading to the next lake. The gate house is a large building in which is located the machinery for letting out or retaining the stored power that is utilized at so many manufacturing places below. Here also is the celebrated pool on whose waters some half-dozen boats containing double that number of active sportsmen, casting the fly, but alas for them, during the brief quarter hour, they were watched no fish was beguiled from its retreat.

(For the better part of the late 19th century Upper Dam Pool was considered the home of the finest brook trout and landlocked salmon fishing in the world! It remains an iconic fly-fishing destination to this day).

Bemis Log Railroad Station

Beautiful Bemis and Busy Bemis are synonymous terms at the present time. Its beauties are unmarred till you venture back from the camps and then you find romance has given place to reality. Here you are at the extreme limit of civilization, the terminus of the Rumford Falls & Rangeley Lakes railroad. Men are digging, drilling, blasting, and ballasting and carpenters and boat builders, add to the busy scene. The new station is being completed and will be the most unique in New England, barring none. It is wholly of logs, about 25 by 60 ft. in size, with a large fireplace at each end. The ticket office is formed of small logs standing on end. The doors are made from trees neatly halved and fastened by blind nailing. The handles are to be Capt. Barker’s curious crooks. A long, covered walk connects with the baggage room, also made of logs. A platform will be built around the whole.

Camp Bemis

(The original founder of Bemis was the above-mentioned Capt. Fred Barker. After earning his stake in life in his early twenties by trapping furs in the Parmacheenee country with his close friend John Danforth, Barker built his first sporting camps at Bemis. He would go on to operate the first of his eight steamships transporting travelers and freight on Mooselookmeguntic and the adjoining Cupsuptic lakes. He also the previously mentioned resort “The Birches” on Student’s Island and later “The Barker Hotel” located a short distance from the present-day Bald Mountain Camps. The Captain co-authored a book with Danforth about their fascinating exploits while trapping the virgin forests of Parmacheenee and the Upper Magalloway River Valley. He also wrote a book about his life entitled “Lake and Forest as I’ve Known Them”. Both are wonderful reads.

Happy Trails and enjoy your time in the beautiful and historic Rangeley Region.