Step back in time this summer for a visit to the historic hotels and sporting camps of the region. The new exhibit at Historic Rangeley’s Outdoor Heritage Museum gives a unique insight into the region’s recreational tourism dating back to the 1800’s, including hotels, lodges, sporting camps and resorts.
The “Wish You Were Here” exhibit displays an extensive collection of photographs, film and three-dimensional artifacts from establishments such as Mooslookmeguntic House, Pleasant Island Camps, and York’s Log Village. The region’s lodging history weaves a tale of booming hospitality, recreation and transportation industries. It also gives insight into the customs, economy, fashions and trends of a long-ago era.
“The exhibit will be the largest display on the history of the Rangeley region’s golden age hotels and camps ever assembled, exploring the stories of those that visited and worked at these establishments,” said Historic Rangeley Executive Director Michelle Landry.
Menus, brochures, and other mementos on display tell the story of the gilded age of the region’s resorts.
“There is so much to learn from the brochures. They are a valuable source of important historical information,” Landry explained.
Brochures often included an establishment’s prices, history, photos and other historical tidbits.
Initially, traveling to the region was a challenging journey by buckboard. The introduction of the railroad made for better travel to the region, she continued.
“Visitors would have a direct route to their resort,” she said. “They could hop off the train and get on a steamer that would take them right to their destination.”
The Outdoor Heritage Museum is located on the site of the former Oquossoc train station, she added.
An eye-catching sepia-toned wall photo of the 1890 staff at Mooselookmeguntic House featured in the exhibit. The photo includes the hotel cook, sporting guides, waitstaff and housekeepers from well over a century ago.
On the opposite wall is a large-scale image of a Charles Farrar map of the Rangeley Lakes Region. The pre-railroad map, dated 1876, notes steamer landings and includes locations of lodging establishments such as Mountain View House and Camp Kennebago. Interestingly, Landry pointed out some of the lakes are referred to differently than they are on current maps. On Farrar’s map, Upper Richardson Lake is referred to as Molechunkamunk Lake and Lower Richardson Lake is noted as Welokenegagcook Lake.
A larger-than-life image of Cornelia ‘Fly Rod’ Crosby’s exhibit at a sportsman’s show takes up a third wall. Crosby would travel to shows with a disassembled camp. Once at a show, the camp would be reassembled, complete with animal and fish mounts and other artifacts depicting a typical sportsman’s camp. Local guides often joined her at these shows to market the entire state, and specifically, the region.
The Outdoor Heritage Museum includes more permanent exhibits featuring the people of the region dating from the first Paleoamerican people that inhabited the area nearly 13,000 years ago to the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Game Wardens of today.
Included in the collection is the largest known collection of Carrie Stevens handtied streamers, a collection of bird eggs, and a returning exhibit featuring the infamous Rangeley Boat. An entire room is dedicated to Herb Welch, who resided at Haines Landing for many years. Welch was well-known as a sportsman, guide, artist and taxidermist. The collection dedicated to his work and contributions includes a cash register from his Haines Landing store. The display on the register is frozen at 40 cents, evoking curiosity as to what was purchased on that last transaction.
“People think you have to enjoy fishing or hunting to enjoy the museum,” Landry said. “That is not the case at all. There is something here for everyone.”
The Outdoor Heritage Museum hours during May, June, September and October are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July and August, the museum is open the same hours Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free for members, children 12 and under, and active-duty military. Adult admission is $8. Special admission pricing for veterans is $5.
For more information about the museum, exhibits and upcoming events, visit historicrangeley.org.
