Both my aunts and uncles have camps just like this... -David Sent from my mobile phone... -----Original Message----- From: New Englander / Marilyn Arnold <New.Englander@verizon.net> Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 12:00 PM To: mamiddle@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [MAMiddle] odd question . . . RE: Camps To follow up on Betty's comments, many folks in New England bought "camps." ie a summer cottage (unwinterized, weatherized) near the lakes or mountains or ocean, and in those days the $$ were small. My GF bought two plots of land on the coast of Maine for ~ $600, and built a "camp" one room at a time. They first built a room, which was intended to be the garage, but ended up being their bedroom, then expanded to a (wonderful!) pantry and kitchen, then two bedrooms out front, and finally a livingroom w/fireplace. My father and his brothers all helped bring stones up from the ocean to build the fireplace, which was the last ever built by this man (I'd have to find his name). As an aside, I looked for homes for > 1 year in the DC area, and walked into this place, and just gasped, because it had a 2-story stone fireplace, and reminded me so much of "Maine." Signed a contract w/in an hour. I only wish grandma and grandpa ARNOLD -- Willard Clark ARNOLD and Julia DAVIES of Reading, Mdsx, MA, could have seen it. But, every day I think of them. I am so very blessed. I was brought up in Gorham, ME and most folks there had "camps" on the local lakes, or a few on the coastal islands/areas. And, yes, they cost very little in that time period. There were also folks "from away" (ie MA, NY) They (the houses) were idle during the winter months. Do try the local land/tax records to get more info on your folks. Some info will be at the town level; some at the county. Best wishes, Marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <mamiddle@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 7:27 AM Subject: Re: [MAMiddle] odd question . . . > Hi Kathy, > > It is not an odd question, but a question that is not asked on the Lists > very much. > > I can offer a few comments. As I lived in Billerica for a long time, I > know how many "summer camp" neighborhoods exist (and still exist) in that > town. And they started around 1950 when people living "in the cities" > wanted a place "in the country." I can only guess that "summer camp" > could be bought for very little money in Billerica (and Wilmington and > Tewksbury, etc.) And it wouldn't have been too much trouble to > winterize > it. And, even a person bought a very small house, he or she might not > have needed a whole lot of money to buy it. > > My husband had 2 sets of uncles and aunts who lived in the city, but they > soon bought a small house in Wilmington near the shore of Silver Lake. > Later they sold that and bought small houses in Hull. I doubt very much > they had much money, but perhaps the aunts' husbands had good-paying jobs