Final Days of Summer – Little Sebago Lake, c1950s

Labor Day weekend is here, which traditionally signals the end of summer and the end of the wonderful days spent on Little Sebago Lake.

Here are a few more of my photos documenting those unforgettable years.

This was always my first view of the water as we got very close to the cottage. My excitement was running high because we were almost there after an 8 hour car drive from New Jersey.

I remember being very disappointed when Dave and I visited in 1980. The trees had grown so high in two decades that the lake could no longer been seen from here.


Aunt Barbara, sitting on the cottage porch

Aunt Barbara spent many hours and days helping to keep me entertained. We picked blueberries together down near the water.

We played in the water – we had a great time.

Life was so simple and tranquil back then. Here is the cottage, seen from the woods.

Mealtime on the porch – every meal was taken on the porch, with the screened windows open when the weather was nice. I suspect I took this picture since I’m not in it. I would have been nine and Aunt Barbara taught me how to use a camera. She took zillions of photos of people and scenery.

Grandfather’s boat was tied up at the dock. It was painted light green and had a putt-putt motor on it, but I just loved all the boat rides we took in it.

This was the summer that Aunt Barbara took the train from Massachusetts to New Jersey to bring me to New England for a few weeks, as my brother was going to be born. Grandmother and Grandfather kept me busy at the lake.

I didn’t appreciate the lake view from the porch when I was little.

Aunt Barbara always took me shopping for a pretty dress and there was the obligatory photo op with me wearing my new outfit. I don’t remember this doll so I can’t tell you if she was an extra special gift with the dress or if she was one of the toys that made the car trip.


Grandmother, Aunt Barbara and Linda, c1955

The last photo in this year’s summer memories was taken from the Wetherbee’s camp, next door. They had a beautiful beach and allowed me to play there (with supervision, of course!) when they weren’t there, which was most of the time. When they were gone, their dock was pulled back out of the water, as it is here.

I was hoping maybe we would make it back to Maine for a visit this summer, but it didn’t happen. Perhaps next year, as I would really love to see it now.

4 thoughts on “Final Days of Summer – Little Sebago Lake, c1950s”

  1. How very special your memories are. Love your photos too, Though times have changed and the lake is very different, memories are still created in this wonderful lake. I hope you do make it here again to create more memories.

  2. Wonderful memories, Linda. I also have very fond memories of my maternal grandparent’s summer cottage in Quebec. It struck a chord with me when you wrote about not appreciating the view. I can relate to that. Although I loved being there, I did not appreciate the view there or at other summer places in my family, at least not in the way that I do now. Thanks for sharing your photos.

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