Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 8 : Spring 2011 | Page 78

Red River Camps
by Janet Kelle

Nestled in the heart of the Deboullie Lakes Region
of the Northern Maine Woods is a secluded but picturesque
location called Red River Camps. Named after the Red
River which flows out of Pushineer Lake, these camps have
a long history dating back to the 1800’s. Originally built
around 1886 by Harry Chatman and William Whitman as
a private camp for friends and family to relax and enjoy the
beauty of the Maine woods. The camp compound included
sleeping cabins, the main lodge, school house, blacksmith
shop, barber shop and several horse barns.
Red River Camp owners throughout the years included:
1886 Harry Chatman and William Whitman
1928 William McNally
1932-1948 Dr. AC Christie
1948 Herschel Currie
1962 Wilfred “Sleepy” Atkins
1967 Gene Bovard
1972 Pete Norris

1979 Mike and Rhonda Brophy
2009 Jen and Joe Brophy-Price

In the 1930’s Dr. Christie changed the camps from
private lodging to commercial sporting camps. Over the
years there have been several changes to the camps. The
school house from the Whitman years is now the current
owner’s residence. Other changes include the Blacksmith
Shop is now Gardner Cabin, the Barber Shop is now
Pushineer Cabin, and the horse barns have been replaced by
Upper and Denny Cabins. An exact replica of the original
boathouse can be found along the water’s edge.

Current owner Jen Brophy-Price began her love
of the camps at the young age of nine months old, when
in 1979 Mike and Rhonda Brophy purchased the camps.
Beginning in April 1980 the entire family lived at the camp
throughout the summer until the last week of November.
When school was in session Jen and her brother Matthew
stayed with friends “in town” but weekends and summer