Vacation in Lovely Downeast Maine
Waterfront Cottage Retreat
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Tour the Narrows Cottage Take a Virtual Walk Around the Property Tour the Cobscook Cottage History
Selected History of Dennysville – Edmunds Area and The Narrows Cottage The town of Dennysville began as a land grant to Theodore Lincoln. In 1789, General Benjamin Lincoln sent brothers James and Josiah Chubbuck to assist in the building of the Lincoln House, which was the first house built in the area. It still sits majestic and golden across the Dennys River and can easily be seen from Route One. (In 2007 it will open to the public as a tea house, pub and other yet un-foretold magical things. Melinda and John Jacques the owners, are delightful. So check it out)! James Chubbuck and his brother Josiah stayed and were among the first settlers of this area. James moved to Perry and Josiah settled in Edmunds. Josiah, “while turning logs fell through the flood gates and drowned”. As a diary of the time said Josiah was —“ buried at the Narrows, Dennys River .” It is thought that his grave is somewhere to the west of this house. James Chubbuck was an ancestor of Pam Chubbuck, the owner of this Cottage (Pam’s brother is also named James Chubbuck). Pam’s parents, Dan and Elsa Chubbuck first came to Dennysville, in 1959 and purchased the second home that was built in Dennysville - a large yellow house across from the post office on Main Street . Dan & Elsa came to find a summer retreat and a retirement home for the future. Dan was born in Maine as were his father, Alfred, and his grand and great grandfathers. Dan and Elsa acquired another large home that they later turned into an antique shop and Doll Museum in Edmunds at the corner of Route One and the Dennys River . The house burned in 1993 but the beautiful old red post and beam barn still stands. The “Building” of the Narrows Cottage Dan Chubbuck acquired this Narrows property and “re-built’ this cottage in about 1970 as a guest cottage and a place for Dan to write. It turned out that Dan spent more time shingling the roof, working on the house and land and watching eagles soar over his head than writing. His daughter Pam however, has done a lot of writing while in residence. The Narrows Cottage on the Dennys River, is a wonderful inspiring place to have a quiet rejuvenating retreat, and to write. The Narrows Cottage, over 170 years old, was originally further to the west and up the hill facing the road. Dan fortuitously wanted it near the water. The town’s people were excited to watch the old house being picked off its foundation by a huge crane and moved to its current location, on the new foundation, very close to the water and facing down river with its spectacular view. Current building code no longer allows building this close to the water.
There is a strong Native American connection with the ground that this house sits upon. Passamaquoddy, Native American Indians, paddled their canoes up the Dennys River , fished for Salmon here, and camped, hunted, clammed and ate their meals on these banks. (The Passamaquoddy Indian Reserve is only about twenty minutes north on Rt. One. Turn right toward Eastport and the Reserve is a short distance on the left and right. There is a wonderful museum open most days you will want to visit and across the street to the right a traditional Indian basket shop. If you are here the second weekend in August, Indian Day Celebration includes Indian Dances and drumming. This is free and open to the public.) The small cabin at the top of the driveway is also owned by Pam Chubbuck. Recently renovated and also available to rent, it was built as a residence 80 years ago. When acquired by Dan Chubbuck, it became the care takers camp for many years up until 2005. The entire inside and out was remodeled into a lovely rustic cottage in 2007. 2008 is the first year the Cobscook Cottage was rented. |
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Dan Chubbuck had been counseled to demolish the old house and build from scratch, but he was from a generation of, fix-it-don’t-throw-it-away, but he saw beauty, history and lots of good boards in the old house. So he moved it.