Initially known
as the Nature lodge when it opened in 1968, it was later named after Ken
Cadigan, chairman of the camping committee, who led the council in developing
not only this building but its twin, McCurdy Lodge at Camp Bomazeen and
the Tenny River Bridge. The lodge was dedicated in 1978.
Designed by Wilbur Ingalls, well-known Portland architect, the lodge was constructed in large part by inmates from the State Reformatory in Windham; in those days it was a much lower-security place than it is today. The walls were insulated and the roof was built using a new technique of placing dense insulation board between the roofing boards and the shingles. Twenty or so years later that roof system had to be replaced due to moisture accumulating in the insulating layer, causing rot to develop in the edges of the roof. Ken dreamed of a vinyl-tiled floor featuring a giant scout emblem in the center, but that never happened. Perhaps the wear and tear of winter camping and year-round use was considered too much for the tiles to withstand When the building was almost completed the state crews were withdrawn and Scouter volunteers completed the project. The electrical wiring was only half-done so Charlie Wilson, Ken Curry, Mason MacPherson and others figured out what had to be done and completed that phase. About that tim Camp Ranger Ken Phinney came down with cancer, leaving us without a driving force. The latrine was not yet assembled from pre-built sections and the slab for it not poured. George DiMatteo secured a donation of concrete which we hauled from Falmouth to the site in 55 gallon drums and poured the slab, making doorsteps out of the excess. Then a crew of Scouts and leaders assembled the latrine in time for the first troops to arrive. One of the first users was Troop 62 of Portland, led by Gary Culp. They fired up the wood stove and had a campfire in the fireplace, only to discover that the large chimney caused a backdraft from the kerosene stove in the kitchen, filling the cabin with fumes. After airing out the cabin they closed the damper on the fireplace and solved the problem. Within a few years the kitchen stove was converted to wood only. During summer this building has
been used as staff housing, a nature lodge, computer center, field sports
headquarters, and assorted other staff programs.
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Dean B. Zaharis Created: October 13, 2010 Last Update: December 19, 2010 Send comments to: FriendsOfHinds@gmail.com |