Setterville on Big Lake - The Author’s Cottage 

 

49 Memory Lane
Big Lake Twp., Maine  04668

207-796-5358
304-358-3154 (Winter)        

dennislabare@earthlink.net

Offered at $225,000

Showings

Beginning approximately July 1, 2010 by appointment.       

Introduction

Tagewahnahn, The Landlocked Salmon at Grand Lake Stream author and his wife Stacy  announce the offering of Setterville on Big Lake.  For the author, much of the inspiration and research for his acclaimed book were here in the lovely water’s edge setting.  Find your very own inspiration to the sound of lapping waves and singing loons - read on!

The core cottage structure was built in 1939 as one of three essentially identical structures that were part of a family compound of sorts. The other two camps are still owned by descendants of the original builders.  Over the years, additions have been built to provide additional space and amenities.  These expansions, along with several supporting structures on the grounds,  have made and kept Setterville a comfortable, three season residence.  Beside the main camp, supporting structures include a two car garage, a water’s edge boat house, a utility shed, and even an outhouse (now sealed off and used as craft storage!).  All major appliances and much of the furniture stays with the camp.  It is traditional for camps to sell with more than enough furnishings in them to at least get a new owner started until you can make things just to your liking!  A side note, “Camp” is a Maine euphemism meaning the same as “Cottage”.  The terms are used interchangeably here.

So, if you have dreamed of a home at the water’s edge, dream a little longer and read on as you learn more about Setterville on Big Lake.

At the Water’s Edge

Why you live here....a picture is worth a thousand words.

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Location

Situated in the Downeast/Grand Lakes District of eastern Washington County, Maine, Bangor is a two hour drive.  The city of Calais, about twenty-five miles away, is gateway to Atlantic Canada.  For an afternoon on “the salt”, an easy drive of forty minutes puts you there.  It’s the best of all worlds.

Cottage location on Big Lake is 4.5 miles from the town of Princeton.

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General

The main camp is twenty feet from the lapping waves and flaming sunsets’s of Maine’s acclaimed Big Lake.  The boathouse is sixteen feet from the water, subject to variations in lake level.  Grand-fathered in when early 1970's regulations pushed all new construction back to a 100 foot minimum distance (plus tree clearing restrictions), this unique setting can only be found in older camps.  If you want lake-fresh breezes and an intimate experience with diving eagles, singing loons, and swirling fish, your perch on the lake-side sun-porch is perfect. It is important to note that as the saying goes “Waterfront: they ain’t making any more of it”. In fact, it could be said that in this desirable area of Maine, they are making LESS of it due to established and on-going conservation efforts to restrict development on all water bodies. 

Specifications

Main Camp

Total square footage - 1260

Sun-porch - 22 x 7

These photos show the sun-porch right to left and left to right.  In the third photo, note the drape across the door to the camp interior and the lowered and closed forest green mini-blind.  This is to demonstrate that the porch can be made into a private space for sleeping as all windows have these mini-blinds and there is even a light blocking drape for the porch’s exterior door.  Be assured, you will have guests that will want to sleep as close to the water’s edge as possible to hear the loons!  A fold out couch or futon will make them comfortable!  Your small table along the windows makes everyday meals looking over the lake taste that much better!

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LR/DR - 19 x 15

The main living space walls and ceiling are finished in classic, old-time knotty pine, the kind you can’t get anymore.  Its warm, welcoming patina makes this room inviting for meals and entertaining, with the lake-side porch perfect for overflow and breakout space.

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Kitchen - 16 x 11

The kitchen has been updated and customized with large refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, glass-top stove, over-stove microwave with built-in lighted, outside-vented range hood.  All counter tops are new, and one cabinet (last photo below) has under-cabinet, touch-activated lighting over a 48"soapstone counter top.  A new, larger window provides wonderful sunshine, and a new ceiling fixture offers overall excellent illumination.  In addition to the thoughtful, convenient spaces for ordinary storage in all cabinets, the entire wall opposite the window offers massive floor to ceiling storage for anything you can imagine.  All behind easy-swinging doors that match in finish, giving an almost invisible effect.

 

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Bath - 13 x 7

 Bath spaces in Maine cottages are meant to be functional, and this one is no exception.  Behind the screen is the forty gallon hot water heater.  Along with the washer and dryer there is an upright linen cabinet as well as a 36" counter top with underneath storage.  The sink/vanity also includes underneath storage and has a in-wall medicine cabinet w/mirror over top. 

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First Flr BR - 13 x 12

This fresh, brightly refinished space has two twin beds that can be lashed together into a King-size, and features a new 48" window for a lovely view and lake-fresh breezes.  Artful lighting and cottage color scheme furniture make for a delightful wake-up to the lake!

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Upstairs BR - 19 - 15

This traditional knee-walled upstairs is a cozy, private space with excellent built-in storage and furniture that stays.  The bed faces the lake-side windows for a gorgeous wake-up!  Space-saving, customized storage make this room surprisingly practical.  New windows at each end provide flow-through, lake-fresh ventilation.

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Back screened porch - 16 x 7

This is the practical utility screen porch is what every Maine cottage needs.  Good lighting, shelf and hanging storage round out this everyday-use with two entrance doors, one from the stoop, one from the deck.

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Boat House - 24 x 15

The boathouse on average is sixteen feet from the water’s edge.  It has two new, light-weight garage doors (8w x 7h) that raise and lower easily.  Inside, there is a refrigerator/freezer for storing anything from bait to beer, to extra food.  There is a sturdy workbench designed for using while standing, excellent lighting and plenty of shelving and hanging storage.  A real bonus is the boat/canoe parking rack with power winch (operated with a key chain remote) for easy in and out.  Outside, there are flood lights on each end’s roof peak. On one side are racks for kayak storage.

This photo shows the canoe outside the boathouse waiting to be winched in onto the rack.  Other described features also visible. A boat can also be used with this system.

This photo shows the canoe on the outside roller rack waiting to be winched in.

The canoe stored safely inside and showing the outside roller ramp.

Kayak storage is close to the water for easy launching.

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Garage - 24 x 22

The two car garage has a workbench w/vice in the left rear, shelved storage cabinets, overhead, toolboard, and other wall-hanging storage space.  Excellent lighting inside and out along with a side door make this a practical and useful building.  The photo below shows the new, lightweight overhead doors being installed.

The side garage entrance and the craft storage outhouse are viewed as you look to the center-rear of the premises.

along with the ax throwing target (Owner’s wife competed on Dartmouth College’s Women Woodsman’s Team!)

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Shop - 21 x 8

This building, by appearances, was built to house the traditional Grand Lake Canoe as seen in the boathouse photos, which is a traditional craft used on area lakes by anglers and professional guides.  This building has been used as a carpentry/project shop to date.  Like the outhouse, it too, has electricity and lighting.  Close to the ground along the side of the shop is the cover for the 224 deep well that was drilled in 2005.  It produces abundant cold, high-quality water.

Grounds and other exterior features

A noticeable feature of the property; upon entry is the raised mound that exhibits two three by eight foot  planting boxes, wild and domesticated flowers and grasses and even a asparagus bed that is just starting to produce.  In reality, it is part of a modern, high-tech septic system that processes water from the household.   Built in 2003, it is necessary (some neighbors have them also) when being situated close to the lake.  Groundwater elevations in the soil preclude ordinary below-grade drain fields so this high-tech engineered system meets the needs of the cottage perfectly.

Photo below is with garage to your back and looking toward the lake, showing the kitchen herb/vegetable garden and the mound system. The second photo is an elevated view looking across the mound toward the boathouse and the dock.  Note the collapsible dog kennel attached to the boat house. The last photo is looking back at the property from out on the floating dock. The floating dock’s lakeward limit is fifty eight from the shoreline.  It is placed and pulled each year by its manufacturers, Mallet Mills, of Lee, Maine.  Cost is $80 Spring, and $80 Fall. The floating dock area is 16 x 12 and a small table and chairs is left out there in all seasons.

There are two decked areas accessible from cottage doors.  The front is a small deck for lake-side leisure and reclining (next photo) and the second is off the side door of the screened porch (following photo). The second deck takes the morning sun and is very private for sunbathing. In the corner of the deck, note the pressure tank/pump house for the well-water system.  There is under-deck access built into the deck surface for access to water system components below.

The property is comprised of a low-maintenance total of .30 acres, has eighty feet of water front, and is on OWNED land, not leased.  The mail box is out on the paved road, about a 150 yard walk,  though one may opt to keep a post office box in nearby Princeton.  Known as 49 Memory Lane per County Emergency/911 services, this is a UPS and other carrier deliverable address.  There is electricity and standard phone service to the cottage. If high speed internet is desired, a satellite system is recommended.  If television is desired, a satellite system would be in order here.  Professional care-taking services are nearby and of excellent quality.

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Miscellaneous

The cottage is heated by four wall-mounted electric resistence individually controlled heaters (generally needed only for early Spring and parts of October).  For exceptionally warm days, there is a small A/C unit included for the upstairs BR. 

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In summary...