five original log cottages and a motel with six rooms. For
Through A Child’s Eyes
several years, Craig and Terry fought against the age and
neglect, and eventually decided to replace most of the Growing up in a small town in Maine is not always easy. There
cottages and completely gut the motel which was renovated isn’t much to do compared to a bigger area like Bangor. But
into the current “guest suites.”
one thing I always looked forward to was going to Shin Pond
Village. My mother and father both worked in the store,
Craig and Terry have been at the rebuilding of Shin Pond so my visits to the village were often. Shin Pond became
Village for 28 years with the addition of something new my second home. Terry’s niece became one of my closest
each year. The property consists of Terry and Craig’s home friends, and during the summer I practically lived with Terry
attached to the main building that includes a country store, and Craig. There was always something to do at Shin Pond,
a restaurant, a function room called “The Loon’s Nest,” a whether it be swimming and frog catching in the summer or
laundromat, and a public shower house. Also included in the sledding and building snowmen in the winter. I was always
property are seven housekeeping cottages, three guest suites, amazed with the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, especially
two homes on Lower Shin Pond, and thirty campsites. In in the winter when there would be over 100 snowsleds
the summer, they rent out canoes and kayaks. Terry and parked on the yard. Their riders would be sitting patiently
Craig are active
in the dining
in the Bowlin
room waiting for
Matagamon
a hot steak and
Shin Pond Area
cheese sub and
Snowmobile Club
some homemade
and they maintain
fries. Even now, I
100 miles of
still associate the
groomed trails in
smell of a loaded
the area. Craig has
steak and cheese
also been involved
with snowmobile
in the Volunteer
season. It’s funny
Fire Department
how things like
since he moved
that stick with us.
to Shin Pond in
Both of my
1976 and has been
parents and two
Mt. Chase Fire
of my older sisters
Chief for the past
worked at Shin
36 years!
Pond Village and
I followed in their
Terry and Craig
footsteps. At 14, I
are very involved
started working for
in the community
Terry and Craig. To
and are always busy working on a project whether it is at say I was a little overwhelmed would be an understatement.
Shin Pond Village or at the Patten Lumberman’s Museum. I didn’t last very long. But two years later in August of 2012,
Blaine is all grown up now with two daughters of his own: I came back and this time, I was ready. I was 16 and I was
Maddox, a 7 year old with a big personality and Brynne, prepared for the hustle and bustle that working at Shin
born in March of this year. He lives with his daughters and Pond Village would surely bring.
his girlfriend, Elka, in Alton.
I have been back for two years now and I couldn’t
be happier. Terry and Craig are the best bosses I could ever
Shin Pond Village has come a long way since Craig purchased ask for. It helps that I spent my entire childhood playing
the property in 1981, and it continues to improve every day. in their backyard and sleeping in their spare bedroom.
It isn’t just that, though. Terry and Craig are the type of
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WINTER 2015