Let's Go Camping!

            Let’s go camping and do some fishing and hunting in the North Maine Woods! An undated, old brochure advertising Clifford’s Sporting Camps in the Famous Rainbow Lake Country is one of several sporting camp brochures in the collection at the Millinocket Historical Society. When a “sport” wanted to venture to the Katahdin area for hunting or fishing, they could select from several. A printed brochure would give them all the information they needed. The Clifford’s Sporting Camps brochure has a map showing motor (automobile) routes, railroad lines and boat lines from southern New England to Greenville, Rip Dam and the camps.

            The automobile trip is highlighted as the most popular route. When you got to Rip Dam, you would leave your car and take the Old Indian Trail (1 mile), then motorboat one and a half miles across Suncook Pond, then by trail one and a half miles more to Rainbow Lake, then by motorboat to the camps. It was described as an “easy two hour trip” after leaving your car.

            The pages of the brochure describe the amenities provided and includes photos. Clifford’s Camps “will give you excellent trout fishing, hunting or recreation.” Hunting and fishing licenses (non-resident) could be obtained at the camps (fishing $3, partridge, duck and bear $6 or deer, bear, partridge, duck $15).

            The spring-fed lake is “a beautiful sheet of water five miles long and one mile wide and is one of the highest lakes in Maine, 1500 ft. The lake is full of Square-tail and Brook Trout from ½ to q ½ lbs. and as high as 4 ½ lbs.”

            All the cabins are described as “well-made of peeled logs and are large and roomy” and there was a dining room and kitchen. Cabins contained 1-3 rooms (for 2 or a family). There were “single or double beds, comfortable rockers, open box wood stoves, and lavatories with running spring water in each cabin. Two well-equipped bath rooms, one each for ladies and gentlemen. Equipped with bath tubs, shower baths and flush closets ”  A beach of white sand nearby “makes it one of the best beaches in Maine.”

            One of the “best cooks in New England” was head of the “cuisine department.” The menu featured “fine table, milk, cream. Eggs and chicken, greens and vegetables, strawberries, raspberries fresh from our own farm with plenty of fresh trout from the cool, clear, spring lake water.”

            The museum collection contains brochures from many of the early sporting camps in the Katahdin area.