Bearnstow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Spruce Point Camps
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 84 Bearnstow Rd., Mount Vernon, Maine |
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| Area | 14.8 acres (6.0 ha) |
| Built | 1915 |
| Built by | Stevens, Charles E. |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000011 |
| Added to NRHP | February 7, 2007 |
Bearnstow is a special summer camp located on Parker Pond in Mount Vernon, Maine. It's a place where kids and adults can spend a week or a day learning about nature, art, and science. The camp started in 1946. It covers about 65 acres of land right next to the pond. Many of its buildings, built in the 1920s and 1930s, are so old and important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These historic buildings were once part of something called the Spruce Point Camps.
Where is Bearnstow?
Bearnstow is set on 65 acres of beautiful, mostly wooded land. It sits between Ithiel Gordon Road and the eastern shore of Parker Pond. This area is in the western part of Mount Vernon.
The main part of the camp is on about 12 acres. This is where most of the buildings are located. You'll find the main lodge and the dining hall close to each other. They are also very close to the lake. Camp cabins are spread out through the woods. They are found along the shore to the north and south.
Near the main buildings, there are cool rock ledges that face the water. A bit further south, there is a sandy beach. There's also a small outdoor stage for performances. This stage is located inland, near the main parking area.
A Look Back: Bearnstow's History
The land where Bearnstow now stands was first used as a private summer getaway. This was around the early 1900s. The building that is now the main lodge was already there in 1906.
The property became a summer fishing camp in the mid-1910s. Four cabins were built just south of the lodge. By 1922, even more cabins had been added. The dining hall was also built around 1922. Later, other buildings were added. These included a cabin for employees, a wood shed, and a toolhouse by 1938. The stable was built in 1956. The outdoor performance space used to be a tennis court. It was changed to be a stage.
The camp first opened in 1915. It was a fishing camp started by Charles Stevens. He was a carpenter from Fayette. In 1922, he sold the property to Webster Chester. Mr. Chester was a professor at Colby College. He ran the camp until 1938. The camp closed in 1940 because of World War II. It reopened in 1945 under new owners and was named Bearnstow.
