Summer vacations at Whitney Pond in Oxford, Maine were a treat when I was a kid. After a long ride in the back seat of the station wagon Dad would turn off Route 26 and find the way to the dirt road that led to the Milletts' cottage. Our first glimpse of the water would be through fluttering pines. I remember barely taking time to greet our friends, the Iveys, with whom we'd spend our vacation, before donning my swimsuit and jumping into the lake - only to jump right back out. BRRR, it was a delightful shock to the system. Harold and Muriel Millett, who owned the cottage, were also family friends. They stopped by daily to visit us. My memories of the cottage include pumping water from the well outside the kitchen door, playing board games by the huge windows that overlooked the pond and... 03/31/2010

Thompson Lake is rated one of the 10 best lakes in Maine for water quality. This lake, located in Casco, Otisfield, Oxford and Poland, is spring-fed by the Poland Spring Aquifer and one of the most pristine in the state. Volunteers with the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitor Program test the waters of Thompson Lake at two week intervals during the season. The maximum depth of this 4,426 acre lake is 121 feet. The bottom can be seen to a depth of 35 feet. Back in 1971, the Thompson Lake Environmental Association (TLEA) was formed by folks who had the foresight to make sure that Thompson Lake remain the clear, beautiful body of water that it is today. Since then, TLEA has increased its role in publicizing "best management practices" for watershed residents, solving soil erosion problems and com... 02/04/2010

Last Tuesday the voters of Maine rejected a proposal to allow the building of a resort-casino in Oxford County, probably somewhere along Route 26 in Oxford. The measure lost by a 55% to 45% differential. Proponents of the proposal feel strongly that Mainers have  missed out on an opportunity to bring good paying jobs to the state while opponents hope this rejection will dampen further attempts by the gaming industry to site a casino in Maine. Similar proposals to bring a casino to Maine have been voted down in recent years. This latest vote is just further evidence that most Mainers don't really like the idea of Maine being the location for a big-time casino and resort. From the vote tabulations it would seem that the casino got its strongest support from the neighborhood that it wanted... 11/10/2008

There's an election next Tuesday and among the ballot items we get to vote on here in Maine is the following question: "Do you want to allow a certain Maine company to have the only casino in Maine, to be located in Oxford County, if part of the revenue is used to fund specific state programs?" The plan is to locate a $184 million hotel, casino, spa, and conference center somewhere on Rte. 26 in Oxford. The promoters of this idea have estimated that once this place is built it will provide 907 jobs to the local economy at an average salary of $35,000 annually.  It is my understanding that it will provide tax revenues to both the state and the local community. As you might imagine, this ballot question strikes a nerve. Most folks are in favor of good jobs and economic growth, but questio... 11/01/2008

The first snow fell atop Mount Washington on October 3rd. The leaves are reaching peak color. The Fryeburg Fair is over. The frost is on the pumpkin. The election is four weeks from today. Do you get my drift here? Summer is long gone and fall is much in evidence. While many current lakefront property owners are doing their planning to get their boats out, pull the docks in, and close up the camp, many lakefront owner "wannabees" are finding a jackpot of lakefront properties that have been reduced in price. These price reductions are running concurrent with the calendar, as usual. But the added pressures of their being an abundance of inventory coupled with the turmoil in the financial markets has led to a larger number of price reductions than usual.  Some buyers seem to want out of th... 10/07/2008

A little over a million dollars can still buy you a heckuva lakefront home here in Maine. While it's rare that I can promise that you can "have it all", there is that occasional exception. In the opinion of Mr. Lakefront, "having it all" means great plot, great location, great neighborhood, great house and great lake.Our listing at 131 Fish Hook Road in Oxford is in a splendid lakefront neighborhood on Thompson Lake. The lot has everything one could want. There is a nice sandy beach, great for kids and seniors alike. The east shore location is highly desirable for the afternoon sun and dazzling sunsets. The broad water views from the screened porch and deck look out onto the widest part of late. The lot is flat with old-growth pine and hemlock. Privacy is assured with 214 feet of fronta... 03/17/2008