Built from the very trees that surrounded it almost a century ago, the Fairbanks is nestled in a lush forest area known to the world as Sprucewold. This exquisitely peaceful property with commanding views of the ocean, is located within walking distance of all the excitement downtown Boothbay Harbor has to offer.
When I’m here, I imagine the pioneering spirit of my great, great, great-grandfather, Lyman Nichols Fairbanks, who in 1853 sailed around Cape Horn on an adventurous trip in search of gold during California’s Gold Rush.
His is the picture you’ll observe hanging over the mantel, proudly attired in his bearskin coat which must have kept him quite warm on his long ocean-going journey. You’ll also notice his sea chest in the Great Room that carried his clothing and supplies from New England to the West and back again.
I love watching the boats sail in and out of Linekin Bay while enjoying the shade of the full-length covered porch. Sometimes, on misty summer mornings, I feel as though I can see Lyman’s ship heading out into the Atlantic for parts unknown.
Another thing I like about the lodge is that it has all the creature comforts that you could want, yet maintains the atmosphere of its history.
Much of the furniture in the Great Room is original to the lodge and handmade by Mr. Elmer Bergquist who is mentioned in the book ‘Rusticators in Sprucewold: Preserving the Legacy’.
“Oh, the peace and quiet of this cabin porch as I sit here next to the very branches of fir balsam trees among which many little birds dart. I can look over the tops of the trees below…It nears sunset and the sky and waters beneath are painted in glorious colors, crimson, ceruse, and purple, slowly changing to soft mauve and pink…The night air is cool, I go into the cabin, light the lights and the fire, turn on the radio. The spell is broken. Again I become a part of the world outside with its strife and greed. It is hard to believe that is the same world.”
-Sprucewold guest c1928