Real Maine Experience

The Middle of Nowhere, but NOT FAR from LOTS. It's 20 minutes to Swan Lake, 45 minutes to Bangor, 25 minutes to the Belfast Coast, 55 minutes from Camden, 1.5 hours to Arcadia National Park. IT IS NOT ON THE COAST! Use it as a base to explore! You'll love the coziness, space, and screened porch. It's great for couples, families, and groups. Get a glimpse into real-life Maine from a 19th Century farm house on 10 acres that was built with pegs originally, and lovingly restored recently!

All the bedrooms are upstairs, as is one bathroom. This house was built, as near as we can tell, about 1820. (Town records were destroyed in a fire in the 1970s). It's been remodeled and expanded several times since. It's a traditional Maine farm house in most respects, with the core part of the house built as a timber framed construction. While we do have some heat, it's not up to Maine winters, and so it's a three season house now. All beds have memory foam mattresses.

Guests should be aware that there is both custom furniture and a variety of antiques and other items (including tools) that do not lend themselves to roughhousing. We expect mature treatment of the house and furnishings.

Please acknowledge that this house is NOT located in the midst of tourist attractions or on the coast. Some people seem disappointed in the location, even though it's described very accurately. Jackson is not on the coast! It's VERY rural. Don't expect street lights, other than the moon and stars.

Also, please check with your cell phone providers to ensure that someone in your group has coverage in Jackson, as there is not a landline presently in the house. We're considering a number of options on that front, but our cell phones all work just fine (Verizon), so it's never been an issue with us.

There are televisions, but no cable or satellite service, so streaming is about the only real tv option. The internet connection is pretty good for a rural setting, but it's only DSL (which is all that's available), and it occasionally goes down without explanation.

Guests have access to the entire house, including the lower part of the garage where we have kayaks for exploring waterways nearby. We have a guide to our favorite places to kayak in the house. (Truck or SUV needed for that.) There are numerous tools, including power tools, in the garage, so adult supervision is required. Locked closets for owner storage should not be tampered with.

This is our summer house, and we are out of state when it is rented. But if you want to stop by Kentucky for a Bourbon on your trip, we'll be glad to pour you a glass!

We have assembled a user's guide for the house. Remember, it's a rural house with a well, pump (new), and septic system (new), so be prepared for a few oddities. You may have to flip the pump or Water heater when you arrive (it's just one switch for each). There is some air conditioning upstairs (two of the rooms), but it's generally not needed except perhaps for a week or two in mid August, and even then the house cools off well at night. Fires are permitted in the fire pit except when things are very dry and the local fire marshall prohibits outdoor fires. Always keep them well under control, and the hose ready nearby. We try to leave plenty of firewood in back and by the firepit, and have contact information if you want to buy more. There is no cable or satellite TV, though streaming tv's are available; just be sure to log out or someone else can access your service.

- Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate early check-ins