Chesuncook Lake is a reservoir in Piscataquis County, Maine, within the North Maine Woods. The lake was formed by the damming of the West Branch Penobscot River by dams built in 1835, 1903, and 1916 respectively.[1] It is approximately 22 miles (35 km) long and 1–4 miles wide, with a surface area of 25,183 acres (101.91 km2) and a maximum depth of 150 feet (46 m). It is the third-largest body of fresh water in Maine.[1]
Chesuncook Township, T2 R12 WELS, T3 R11 WELS, T3 R12 WELS
The lake was named "goose place" by combining the call of the Canada gooseschunk with auke (the Abenaki word for place) to form Chesuncook. Henry David Thoreau visited Chesuncook (village) and lake in 1853 and wrote about its beginnings in his book "The Maine Woods" Chesuncook Part 4; 'Ansell Smith's the oldest and principal clearing about this lake,...' Thoreau observed no geese on the lake during his visit.[2]
The original lake was enlarged by construction of Ripogenus Dam in 1916 to cover Ripogenus Lake, Caribou Lake, and Moose Pond. The enlarged lake became less suitable for Lake trout because of fluctuating reservoir levels for generating hydroelectricity.[3]
In H.P. Lovecraft's horror short story The Thing on the Doorstep, the ill-fated Edward Derby found himself lost in the town of Chesuncook, "close to the wildest, deepest, and least explored forest belt in Maine."
Chesuncook Lake features in First Lensman by EE "Doc" Smith as a clandestine handover point for a shipment of illegal drugs.
Chesuncook Village
Chesuncook Village is a small settlement located on the northwestern shore of Chesuncook Lake with a year-round population of approximately 10 people on this otherwise uninhabited lake. It is in an unorganized township in the heart of the east coast's largest unsettled logging forest and is considered to be the last wilderness area on the eastern seaboard of the United States. It is approximately 60 miles from the nearest towns of Greenville and Millinocket, Maine. It is completely off grid with no infrastructure.
The only public land within the village is maintained by the state as a pasture and public boat launch/beach area. There is a non denominational meeting house which is used by seasonal churches, as a meeting place, and for foul weather refuge by those traveling through the area.
History
Chesuncook "Village" was settled in 1849 by Ansel A. Smith as a logging outfit.
The historic Chesuncook Lake House Inn, built in 1864 is still in operation 150 years later by its current owners the Surprenant family.[4] Set on the shoreline of Chesuncook Lake and facing Mount Katahdin in the distance, the Lake House and its acreage are one of the few remaining North Woods "logging hotels" which at one time were built at intervals of every 14 miles (this was the average distance a man could walk in one day) through the logging regions in order to house and feed the logging industry as well as visiting travelers and sportsmen such as Henry David Thoreau.
The rest of the village which is actually a 1920s subdivision that never really took off, supports a scattering of privately owned seasonal camps and a few permanent year-round residents. In 2003 Chesuncook Village celebrated the 150 year anniversary of the original publication of Henry David Thoreau's book "The Maine Woods".
— Chesuncook Village news, photos and general info.
Chesuncook Lake House website
Chesuncook Village Property Owners Association website
Columbia Encyclopedia entry
August 20, 2023
chesuncook, lake, reservoir, piscataquis, county, maine, within, north, maine, woods, lake, formed, damming, west, branch, penobscot, river, dams, built, 1835, 1903, 1916, respectively, approximately, miles, long, miles, wide, with, surface, area, acres, maxim. Chesuncook Lake is a reservoir in Piscataquis County Maine within the North Maine Woods The lake was formed by the damming of the West Branch Penobscot River by dams built in 1835 1903 and 1916 respectively 1 It is approximately 22 miles 35 km long and 1 4 miles wide with a surface area of 25 183 acres 101 91 km2 and a maximum depth of 150 feet 46 m It is the third largest body of fresh water in Maine 1 Chesuncook LakeChesuncook LakeShow map of MaineChesuncook LakeShow map of the United StatesLocationPiscataquis County MaineCoordinates45 59 14 N 69 20 27 W 45 98722 N 69 34083 W 45 98722 69 34083TypeMesotrophicCatchment area1 420 square miles 3 700 km2 Basin countriesUnited StatesMax length22 5 miles 36 2 km Max width1 4 mi 1 6 6 4 km Surface area25 183 acres 101 91 km2 Average depth40 feet 12 m Max depth150 feet 46 m Water volume136 667 acre ft 168 576 000 m3 Residence time6 monthsSurface elevation942 feet 287 m IslandsGero IslandSettlementsChesuncook Township T2 R12 WELS T3 R11 WELS T3 R12 WELSThe lake was named goose place by combining the call of the Canada goose schunk with auke the Abenaki word for place to form Chesuncook Henry David Thoreau visited Chesuncook village and lake in 1853 and wrote about its beginnings in his book The Maine Woods Chesuncook Part 4 Ansell Smith s the oldest and principal clearing about this lake Thoreau observed no geese on the lake during his visit 2 The original lake was enlarged by construction of Ripogenus Dam in 1916 to cover Ripogenus Lake Caribou Lake and Moose Pond The enlarged lake became less suitable for Lake trout because of fluctuating reservoir levels for generating hydroelectricity 3 The lake is on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Contents 1 In fiction 2 Chesuncook Village 2 1 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksIn fiction EditIn H P Lovecraft s horror short story The Thing on the Doorstep the ill fated Edward Derby found himself lost in the town of Chesuncook close to the wildest deepest and least explored forest belt in Maine Chesuncook Lake features in First Lensman by EE Doc Smith as a clandestine handover point for a shipment of illegal drugs Chesuncook Village EditChesuncook Village is a small settlement located on the northwestern shore of Chesuncook Lake with a year round population of approximately 10 people on this otherwise uninhabited lake It is in an unorganized township in the heart of the east coast s largest unsettled logging forest and is considered to be the last wilderness area on the eastern seaboard of the United States It is approximately 60 miles from the nearest towns of Greenville and Millinocket Maine It is completely off grid with no infrastructure The only public land within the village is maintained by the state as a pasture and public boat launch beach area There is a non denominational meeting house which is used by seasonal churches as a meeting place and for foul weather refuge by those traveling through the area History Edit Chesuncook Village was settled in 1849 by Ansel A Smith as a logging outfit The historic Chesuncook Lake House Inn built in 1864 is still in operation 150 years later by its current owners the Surprenant family 4 Set on the shoreline of Chesuncook Lake and facing Mount Katahdin in the distance the Lake House and its acreage are one of the few remaining North Woods logging hotels which at one time were built at intervals of every 14 miles this was the average distance a man could walk in one day through the logging regions in order to house and feed the logging industry as well as visiting travelers and sportsmen such as Henry David Thoreau The rest of the village which is actually a 1920s subdivision that never really took off supports a scattering of privately owned seasonal camps and a few permanent year round residents In 2003 Chesuncook Village celebrated the 150 year anniversary of the original publication of Henry David Thoreau s book The Maine Woods See also EditNorth Maine Woods topicsReferences Edit a b Mark Shanahan Searching for Thoreau Portland Press Herald 1997 Thoreau Henry David The Maine Woods Apollo edition 1966 Thomas Y Crowell Company pp 162 414 416 amp 423 Chesuncook Lake PDF State of Maine Retrieved 2012 12 30 Chesuncook Lake House Inn open as of 2017External links EditChesuncook Village Website Chesuncook Village Historical Preservation Association website Chesuncook Village Maine website a non profit publication The Suncooker website Chesuncook Village news photos and general info Chesuncook Lake House website Chesuncook Village Property Owners Association website Trails com entry Columbia Encyclopedia entry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chesuncook Lake amp oldid 1083792379, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
