The History of Stone Camp

Stone Camp was built by John and Imogene Lufkin in 1901.  He was the inventor of the "improved  buttonhole machine."  He was a really nice guy but wore funny clothing. 

Interestingly, but you may not think so, a google search mentions nothing about either Lufkin or his machine.  There was some mention that Lufkin was tight with Thomas Edison.  But I didn't find any mention of that either.  I think he just worked at Edison's labs in Menlo Park and lived in a big house down there.  He did come up to the lake with a chauffeur, though.  That's kinda cool.

The camp is built on a prominent stone ledge overlooking Androsoggin Lake near Cedar Point.  Lufkin supposedly used dynamite to shape the point so that it would part the ice and keep it from damaging the boathouse.  I looked around the camp and don't know what they are talking about.  I think he just wanted to blow stuff up and make lots of noise.  Came up with the story later.  Stonecampgate if you ask me.

Comprised of a main house and a boathouse, the buildings have a first story of fieldstone and a second of stucco.  The fireplaces were designed and constructed by Norman Safford of Wayne, ME.  Imogene's name is inset into the stone in one fireplace, "a face in the fireplace" on the other.  The boathouse is shaped like a castle turret, is comprised of three floors: water below the first floor allows boats to enter the boathouse from lake, above is a garage with horse stall and then a third floor party room offering spectacular views of the lake.  For what its worth, Luffin's home in Menlo Park, NJ was designed as a castle.  He obviously had a thing for castles. 

The camp was sold to Ned and Isador O'Malley in 1941.  The O'Malley's sold the camp in 1951 to Eli and Elsie Blanchettes.  Ten years later, they sold the camp to Ralph and Alice Johnson who owned it until 2009.  Sara bought the camp in 2009 - much to the chagrin of her husband.