7102-R4_LSLA_2020_SummerNewsletter_Web

Saving Dunrovin Everyone in Maine knows that we’ve always named our camps. Our grandfather, Dr. Stephen Earl Vosburgh and wife Ruth, bought the land on Little Sebago Lake in 1928 and finished initial construction of the main cabin in 1929, naming it Dunrovin. His son, Lt. Col. Stephen Evert Vosburgh, served in WWII Europe as a front-line medic and then with his wife Bea and children Stephen, Richard and Phyllis moved around the country in his Army hospital administration career, moving to Sebring, FL in 1967, which became our

By Richard Vosburgh and Phyllis Vosburgh Braswell

hometown and where we both now call home. For all of us, Dunrovin represented our family Roots and we were sustained all year long with the knowledge we could spend 2-4 weeks on our beloved Little Sebago Lake. With our kids and Phyllis and John’s nine grandchildren, we are now on our 5th generation at Dunrovin. It remains the special family gathering place and between our two families we spend 4-5 months there each summer.

The professional life of Dr. Vosburgh as Superintendent for the Pownal State School for the Feeble Minded (1919-1937), and his wife Ruth as Chief Nurse, is well chronicled in the book Pineland’s Past: The First One Hundred Years , by Richard S. Kimball and available in the Pineland Farm’s grocery store (see “The Vosburgh Years” on pages 27-50). Dr. Vosburgh reported directly to the Governor and for many years was also the State Procurement Officer. Suffice it to say, he was well known and well regarded in Maine.

The new developer of Little Sebago Lake

2 Dr. Stephen E. and Mrs. Ruth Vosburgh, 1929

thought it would be great marketing to be able to say that Dr. Vosburgh owns a camp there, and one of the first lots was sold to him. Location: Lake Avenue, immediately north of Cambell Shore on the east side in the middle of the middle lake. On that first lot, the original cabin was built—horizontal cedar log cabin style. Within five years two additional adjoining lots were purchased and building additions were made. On the original cabin was added a Master Bedroom, Screened Porch and stone balcony with stairs. A garage was added at the top of the hill on the road. A Bunkhouse was added in the early ‘30s (the L.C. Andrews Lumber Company’s “Hunter’s

1”Before” picture with stone balcony; problem is that the foundation was crumbling so we could “demolish” or “renovate” and save it. We chose the latter.

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