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| My parents will be celebrating 50 years of marriage this fall. They are my heros in so many ways. |
My parents are here for a visit. After a nice breakfast at the restaurant, we put the canoe in at Michaud Farm and motored down the river to poke around the Henry Taylor Sporting camps. It was beautiful out, warm, sunny and breezy. Wade had to replace two sheer pins on the way. We hiked out to see the old Moir farm built around 1837 (
http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/history/allagash/history.shtml). Truly amazing!! The horse barn and chicken coop are still standing and we went in and looked around. The second story is collapsing but still full of hay and old horse poop still covers the barn floor. Out in the field a huge patch of rhubarb still going strong. It's amazing that a structure built with hand tools is still standing. I can't explain the feeling to look across that field the same way a farmer did over 150 years ago. I love the history on the river and I wish there was more of it left to explore (
http://www.meepi.org/files04/pa070104.htm). I think it should be preserved.
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| Wooded spoked wheels |
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| fireplace |
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| Henry Taylor cabins |
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| We made ourselves at home and had lunch on the porch. |
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| Footpath to Moir Farm ~ enchanting!! |
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| Moir Farm today |
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| The barn at the Moir Farm |
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| Inside the barn |
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| The chicken coop |
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I am Henry Taylor's granddaughter, Marguerite. My mother Rachel was his daughter. I spent many summers on the beautiful Allagash and with my wonderful grandparents, Alice and Henry Taylor. There were three camps and the middle camp was where we stayed, the one that you sitting on the porch in front of. Our initials used to be carved into the wood of the porch posts. I remember hiking to the falls and going up to the Moir Farm. What wonderful memories you brought back to me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy last trip up was in 1989. I would like to come back up this summer with my daughters. It is a trip from upstate NY, but one well worth it.
Marguerite Craft Dusha
Marguerite ~ thanks so much for writing and how we envy you with the memories you must have of those wonderful days and time spent in that special place. We love learning about the history of the river. I hope you can return, please look us up if you're in town and we'll help get you there!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. I certainly will look you up. I am hoping a trip this summer will work, but not in May or June, as I remember the black flies were thick that time of year! I will try to bring pictures to share. Is my grandfather and grandmother's camp still standing? What about the "big camp" on the other side of the small camp, as shown in your pictures? Can you give me your contact info? My email address is lablover3@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI look forward to meeting you this summer!
Marguerite
My dad, flew to Round Pond in January 1947 or 1948 in response to a woods phone call relayed from the warden's tower. His task was to return Henry Taylor, his sled, his beaver pelts and 6 dogs to the Moore Farm. John said he would take everything except the sled. (I might add that it was -33 degrees.) Stubborn Henry somehow made the 16 mile trip on his own. Needless to say he was irate. In the spring of 1953 Henry flew into the Caribou Municipal Airport like nothing ever happened. From that summer until 1964 when I graduated from High School.... I spent every summer with Henry and Alice. Dad always landed in the middle field, We even had one accident in 1960 the remains of which are still at the West end of the field. At the time the barn was still standing. The lower field still had some of its sawmill stuff there, but was not active.. I had been privileged to not only share in many stories, but here many more from Henry's repetoire. (Which was extensive especially after a couple hits of Vodka that my father brought when he flew in to visit me about every two weeks. I would love to be in touch with people who really knew him. I would also love to have a good picture of he and Alice.. Last but not least, I would like to know if he got buried under the big pine in the lower field. I think Alice would have no part of it. EDM@i3nh.com
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories here. I'm working on a video about the Allagash... do any photos of the Taylor Camp in it's early years exist? What about an early photo showing an intact Moir farm?
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