Forest Lodge is a historic homestead in rural northern
Oxford County, Maine. Lying in a hard-to-reach corner of
Upton, on the northern bank of the
Rapid River, it comprises seven buildings, four of which are residential. The complex was owned and occupied by the family of writer
Louise Dickinson Rich Louise Dickinson Rich (14 June 1903 – 19 April 1991) was a writer known for fiction and non-fiction works about the New England region of the United States, particularly Massachusetts and Maine. Her best-known work was her first book, the auto ...
(1903–1991) year round from 1933 to 1944, and as Rich's summer home until 1955. The property, the surrounding country, and its small number of year-round residents and seasonal visitors were recurring motifs in her writings, which spanned forty years. Her book ''We Took to the Woods'' (1942) is about her first six years there. The property was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2008.
Description and history
Forest Lodge occupies a roughly triangular parcel of land of , on the north bank of the
Rapid River. Although within the municipal bounds of
Upton, it is isolated from the rest of the town, requiring a lengthy drive through one of the adjacent counties to reach the Carry Road, which passes through the property. The main complex of buildings is on a loop road south of Carry Road, which runs closer to the river.
The complex includes a variety of buildings built at different times. The oldest buildings, of uncertain date, include the Winter House, the Summer House, and the Guide House, all of which were extant in 1933 ,when Ralph Rich moved to the property. That summer, he met
Louise Dickinson and her sister, who were canoeing on the river and stopped at the camp during the lengthy portage between
Lower Richardson Lake
Upper Richardson Lake and Lower Richardson Lake are impounded as a single reservoir by Middle Dam at the outlet to Rapid River on the western shore of the lower lake. Rapid River flows to Umbagog Lake headwaters of the Androscoggin River. Upper R ...
and
Lake Umbagog. Louise moved in in the following year, and the couple adapted the seasonal camp for year-round living, producing two children before Ralph's death in 1944. Louise took up writing to supplement the family income, publishing her best-known work, ''We Took to The Woods'', in 1942. This book is an autobiographical account of living and working in the Maine woods, and has become an iconic work of regional writing. After her husband's death, Louise Rich wintered on the Maine coast and lived at Forest Lodge in the summers. In 1955 she sold the property to a relative of one of her long-time local workers, and the property has remained in sympathetic hands since then.
[ In 2014, part of the property was for sale, with the idea to turn the rest into a memorial to Rich.
The Winter House is a one-story rectangular wooden structure, about , finished in clapboards. Its main façade faces east, and is sheltered by a hip-roofed porch supported by log posts. The interior is divided into two sections, the southern having two bedrooms, and the northern a large living space. The northern space has a pine floor, wainscoting, and a brick fireplace.][
The Summer House, the largest building in the complex, is nearly twice the size of the Winter House. Its main block, almost as large as the Winter House, rests on a concrete foundation, which is exposed because the terrain slopes; a slightly smaller ell is attached to the west. A porch extends across the full length of the southern elevation. This building still houses some of Rich's furniture and working materials, including a typewriter and a rolltop desk.][
The Guide's House is a small wood frame structure measuring with a side-gable asphalt roof. It is divided into two sleeping chambers, has no plumbing or electricity, and was used by the Riches as housing for seasonal workers on the property.][
Of the other buildings on the property, two woodsheds and a workshop were built by the Riches. The other structures, including the Guest House and Fly Shop, are additions by later owners.][
]
See also
*
References
External links
Friends of Forest Lodge
{{National Register of Historic Places
Victorian architecture in Maine
Buildings and structures completed in 1942
Buildings and structures in Oxford County, Maine
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine
1942 establishments in Maine
National Register of Historic Places in Oxford County, Maine