These snapshots from 1898-1900 are from the personal collection of Theresa Babb, the wife of the treasurer of the Knox Mill in Camden, Maine.
One of the most picturesque coastal villages in midcoast Maine, Camden emerged as a bustling town in the mid-1800s, with mills fed by the current of the Megunticook River and shipyards along the harbor producing up to a dozen ships annually.
Toward the end of the 19th century, Camden became a summer leisure destination for wealthy families from as far away as Washington, D.C., and Chicago. These “summer people” built sprawling vacation homes around the town, which they called cottages.
The photos, now in the collection of the Camden Public Library, capture Babb’s family and friends enjoying numerous rustic pursuits around Camden, hiking to the summit of Mt. Battie, boating on Lake Megunticook and picnicking on the rugged, rocky shore.
More here
