Waterman House Memoir by Sylvia Wardwell (HOM.14)

THE WATERMAN HOUSE AS REMEMBERED BY SYLVIA CONNER WARDWELL

SCOTT LYMBURNER STARTED BUILDING THE WATERMAN HOUSE IN 1928, AND MR. WATERMAN HAD A.B. HERRICK FROM BLUE HILL FINISH IT. MR. WATERMAN HAD TWO SONS, STANTON ARTHUR AND WILLIAM.  MR WATERMAN WAS A VERY WEATHY MAN WHO OWNED A GREAT DEAL OF A CUBAN CIGAR COMPANY WHICH WAS LOST, BUT BEFORE HE LOST HIS FORTUNE HE BOUGHT THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE  SARGENT-HAGERTHY SUB-DIVISION AND THE POINT.

THE THREE STORY WATERMAN HOUSE WAS HUGE WITH 12 TO 14 FOOT HIGH CEILINGS.  YOU NEEDED A STEP LADDER TO REACH THE WINDOWS AND THE CURTAINS WERE SO HEAVY IT TOOK TWO PEOPLE TO HANG THEM.

THE HOUSE HAD MUD, COAT AND LAUNDRY ROOMS WITH ANOTHER ROOM FOR SUPPLIES. THE KITCHEN WAS LARGE, WITH A VERY LARGE SPACE FOR COOKING AND STORING DISHES, AND A SMALL CELLAR UNDER THE KITCHEN WHICH, IN MY TIME, HAD A HOT AIR FURANCE.

THERE WERE 2 SETS OF DOORS, ONE TO THE DINING ROOM WHICH HAD A FIRE PLACE, AND ANOTHER TO A ROOM FOR DANCING THAT HAD A PIANO. THERE WERE MANY ARTIFACTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.  THERE WERE BEAR AND MOUNTAIN LION RUGS FROM NORTH AMERICA AND RUGS MADE FROM TIGERS FROM AFRICA. ALL WERE EXTREMELY HEAVY.  THERE WERE A LOT OF MOOSE AND DEER HEADS MOUNTED ON THE WALLS AND PICTURES OF SAILING BOATS AND ANY WATER ANIMALS YOU COULD WANT TO SEE.  THERE WERE ALSO BOAT MODELS, ARROW HEADS AND BOWS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THE SITTING AREA HAD A LOVELY FIRE PLACE MADE OF VERY LARGE FIELD STONES AND WHEN THEY WERE THERE A FIRE WAS USUALLY GOING, EVEN IN THE MORNING.  BY THE FOYER GOING UPSTAIRS WAS A PLATFORM WITH A STATUE OF A SITTING ELF DIPPING OUT OF A PUNCH BOWL, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE PIECE OF WATER BETWEEN THE POINT AND THE LAND OVER TO HERRICK’S LOOKED LIKE A PUNCH BOWL AS IT WAS A PERFECTLY ROUND BOWL OF SALT WATER.  THAT AREA HAS ALWAYS BEEN CALLED THE PUNCH BOWL.

THERE WAS A CLOSET UNDER THE STAIRS ON THE RIGHT AND A POWDER ROOM ON THE LEFT SIDE. UP STAIRS THERE WERE 2 BEDROOMS WITH A FULL BATH BETWEEN THEM.  ONE BEDROOM OVER LOOKED EGGEMOGGIN REACH, WITH A VIEW OUT TO BUCKS’ HARBOR, AND THE OTHER HAD A VIEW TO THE DEER ISLE BRIDGE.

ON THE SIDE LOOKING ACROSS TO LITTLE DEER ISLE AND THE BRIDGE WERE 2 MORE BEDROOMS WITH A FULL BATH BETWEEN THEM. THE MASTER BED ROOM WAS NEXT WITH A FULL BATH AND THERE WAS A SHOWER AT THE HEAD OF THE STAIRS.  THERE WERE STAIRS FROM THE KITCHEN THAT LED TO THE 3 BEDROOMS AND A FULL BATH.  THESE ROOMS COULD BE SHUT OFF TO CONSERVE HEAT.

STANTON AND SUSANNA WATERMAN WERE GREAT FRIENDS OF MY MOTHER, LOUISE WEBB. SHE AND SUSIE WERE THE VERY BEST OF FRIENDS. SUSANNA WAS A PECK WHO SUMMERED HERE WITH HER PARENTS WHO OWNED THE ANCHORAGE, THE HOUSE ACROSS FROM THE CHAPEL.  THE FAMILY STILL OWNS IT.  SUSANNA HAD A BROTHER JAMES AND A SISTER REBECCA PECK PETERSON AND THEY HAVE HOMES HERE IN SARGENTVILLE TODAY. JAMES AND HIS WIFE ROSAMOND BUILT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEDGWICK – DEER ISLE BRIDGE AND THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN STILL SUMMER THERE. REBECCA LIVES HERE IN HER HOUSE ON BILLINGS COVE.

SUSIE AND STANTON HAD 3 CHILDREN, GORDON, EDGAR, AND SUSANNA. THEY ALL MARRIED, HAVE CHILDREN, AND WOULD COME TO STAY AT THE HOUSE, BUT ON OCTOBER 12, 1995 THE HOUSE THAT THEIR GRANDFATHER BUILT BURNT TO THE GROUND.  I WAS THERE TO HELP TAKE SOME THINGS OUT OF THE HOUSE. IT WAS NEVER FOUND OUT HOW THE HOUSE BURNT BUT IT WAS VERY LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.  IT WAS FULLY ENGULFED BEFORE THE FIRE TRUCKS COULD GET THERE AND EVEN THOUGH ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM AROUND HERE WERE THERE, IT BURNT FLAT.  I REMEMBER SEEING THE FIRE GO THROUGH THE ROOF.  I WAS ON CATERPILLER HILL AND YOU COULD SEE THE FIRE FOR MILES. IT WAS SUCH A HOT FIRE THAT IT TOOK DAYS BEFORE THE EMBERS COOLED OFF.

THE WATERMAN HOUSE HAS BEEN REBUILT BY THE CHILDREN AND STAN AND SUSIE, WHO WERE MARRIED IN JAN OF 1950 SOME 63 YEARS AGO.  THEY STILL COME REGULARLY. THIS NEW HOUSE IS MUCH SMALLER AND THE CEILINGS ARE ABOUT 8 FEET HIGH, MUCH LIKE THOSE YOU SEE TODAY. THERE IS A VERY LARGE FIELD STONE FIRE PLACE AND A FIREPLACE THAT TAKES UP TO 4 FOOT WOOD LENGTHS  IS KEPT GOING ALL THE TIME.  THERE ARE STAIRS BEHIND THE FIRE PLACE THAT GO UP TO THE BEDROOMS WHICH ALL HAVE FULL BATHS.

THE KITCHEN IS LARGE AND THE DINING ROOM AND LIVING ROOM ARE VERY NICE.  THERE IS A PORCH ALL AROUND THE EAST AND SOUTH SIDES AND I HAVE HAD TEA THERE WITH THE WATERMANS AND SOMETIMES WITH OUR SON BLAINE AS HE DID A LOT OF WORK FOR SUSIE AND STAN ON THE OLD HOUSE THAT BURNT.  BLAINE ALSO REBUILT ALL THE GLASS WINDOWS AND REPAIRED THE DAMAGE IN A BUILDING ON THE SHORE CALLED THE GAME ROOM AND, THIS SUMMER, SUSIE TOLD BLAINE IT IS HOLDING UP JUST FINE.

THERE IS A GARAGE AND BOAT HOUSE BY THE WOODSHED FOR THEIR BOATS, CARS AND THE SAWS FOR CUTTING UP THE FALL DOWNS.  ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER THEY HAVE ANOTHER BOAT HOUSE THAT HOLDS THEIR BIGGER BOATS AND A GARDEN WHERE SUSIE ALWAYS RAISED ALL THE VEGETABLES. SHE WAS A VERY GOOD GARDENER.

THE WHOLE FAMILY COMES THERE YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THEY REALLY ENJOY ALL OF THE AREA. WHEN SUSIE’S PARENTS DIED SHE TOOK ALL THE MONEY SHE HAD AND BOUGHT THE SCOTT LYMBURNER HOUSE AND HIS PROPERTY FROM THE ICE WORKS SO THAT NO ONE WOULD COME IN AND BUILD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PUNCH BOWL, SO IT IS VERY MUCH LIKE IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO

THE GIRLS FROM THE 4 WINDS CAMP ALWAYS HAD THEIR PICNIC AND OUTTINGS ON THE BEACH AT THE PUNCH BOWL, AND THE PEOPLE WHO OWNED HOUSES ALSO USED THE BEACH.

WILLIAM AND ELLIE WATERMAN LIVED IN THE GUEST HOUSE THAT MR. WATERMAN HAD BUILT IN 1928 OFF BY THE SILVER MINE LOOKING UP THE REACH TOWARD PUMPKIN ISLAND LIGHT HOUSE. IT HAD A SMALL KITCHEN, A FIELD STONE FIRE PLACE THAT TOOK 4 FOOT WOOD IN THE LIVING ROOM AND 2 BEDROOMS AND A BATH. THERE WAS A WOOD SHED OFF TO ONE SIDE FOR STORING 4 FOOT LENGTHS OF WOOD.  ON A GOOD DAY THE SUN WAS VERY WARM THERE EVEN THOUGH THE GUEST HOUSE WAS IN THE WOODS JUST DOWN FROM THE GAY’S GUEST HOUSE.

ELLIE AND BILL DIDN’T HAVE ANY CHILDREN AND HER PARENTS SPENT MANY SUMMERS IN THE GUEST HOUSE BUT ELLIE WAS NOT A LOVER OF MAINE SO, IN TIME, THE PLACE WAS SOLD TO A LAWYER FROM WATERVILLE.  HE ENJOYED IT WITH HIS WIFE, BUT THEY DIED AND THEIR SON INHERITED THE COTTAGE.  HE WAS AN UNSETTLED PERSON WHO DECIDED TO SAIL AROUND THE WORLD IN A NICE SAILBOAT.  HE GOT AS FAR AS THE SOUTH SEAS AND, IN A VERY BAD STORM, THE BOAT SANK. I THINK HE STILL OWNS THE COTTAGE.

ON THE MAIN ROAD THERE WAS A CARETAKER HOUSE AND WHEN I WAS YOUNG, JOHN MC CABE, HIS WIFE AND THEIR GRANDSON RICHARD LIVED THERE.  IT HAD A BARN AND THE HOUSE HAD A FULL BASEMENT AND A PORCH. THERE WERE 2 BEDROOMS WITH A FULL BATH BETWEEN THEM, A SMALL KITCHEN, A LIVING ROOM WITH A FIRE PLACE AND A SHED OR PLACE FOR WOOD. THE PLACE STILL STANDS AND THEY USE IT WHEN IT IS COOL AS IT HAS A FURNACE FOR HEAT.

MC CABE SAID HE BROUGHT THE TROLL THAT SAT AT THE PUNCH BOWL TO THE WATERMAN HOUSE IN HIS TRUCK AND IT LOOKED SO LIFELIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKED IF IT WAS A PERSON. THE MC CABES ARE BURIED IN FOREST HOME CEMETERY.

Written by Sylvia Conner Wardwell
Sargentville, Maine 2014