About Oxford County, ME

Bring your father to the Sebago Lakes Region this Father's Day and take a look at a cabin, camp, or vacation home you might relax at together on one of the many lakes and ponds in western Maine.

Use our Lakefront Locator to search all the available lakefront properties in Maine and when you find one that looks interesting send us an email and we'll provide you specific information on it.

We, in the western Maine lakes and mountains region, know that Father's Day is a day to not only honor our fathers, but all men who have acted as father figures in our lives. This is a day where sons and daughters can express appreciation for their fathers and the men who have acted as fathers in their lives.

There are plenty of gift ideas and cards available at local shops and bookstores. You might also treat your dad to boating on Long Lake, fishing in Sebago, hiking a mountain trail, playing golf at the Bridgton Highlands, Kezar Lake, or Naples golf courses, or canoeing or kayaking on the Saco River. How about just just enjoying some family time? What better place than at a lakeside camp or cabin?

In 1909, a young woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, decided to hold a Father's Day Celebration to honor her father, William Jackson Smart. Sonora's mother had died in childbirth, leaving Smart, a Civil War veteran, to raise five children and the newborn by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. That first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a Father's Day, but it wasn't until 1972 that President Richard Nixon established the third Sunday of June for the national observance.

"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers-and fathering is a very important stage of their development." ~ David M. Gottesman

Happy Father's Day from all the folks at Mr. Lakefront!

Located in the foothills of the western mountains of Maine, Thompson Lake is a gem left behind by the handiwork of the receding glaciers. What Nature has made here for our enjoyment is truly an ideal setting for a classic Maine summer vacation destination - The Cape in Otisfield.

So many times I've returned to Maine in the summer and relished the drive back to Thompson Lake. Whether coming to The Cape, or enjoying some other private lakeside camp or cottage, traveling back over these familiar roads induces a sweet reverie brought on by the fond memories I have of this lake. Even if I had grown up elsewhere, I"m sure I'd still be enthralled with this region.

The Cape is a world unto itself, transporting visitors into a timeless place where "peaceful enjoyment" become the watchwords of the day. Started in 1928, The Cape consists of ten lakeside cottages, located on a peninsula in Otisfield and equipped with all the essentials - and then some. While the cottages may be somewhat rustic in appearance, they come with full baths, comfortable beds, well-appointed interiors, fireplaces (it can be cool at night here, even in mid-summer) private decks, docks, and sandy beach. Welcome to life in the slow lane.

Enjoy a quiet evening on the front porch, overlooking Thompson Lake, and you'll think this is something all people should experience. In fact, I think the world would be better off for it. World peace through superior summering instead of fire power. Perhaps I'm on to something?

So, for those of you interested in ushering in a new era of lakeside diplomacy, a good place to start is at The Cape, located on a private peninsula on one of Nature's great creations, Thompson Lake, in Otisfield, Maine.

If you're interested in having your very own private lakeside home on Thompson Lake, take a look at these dozen offerings currently on the market:

Poland - 280 feet of frontage, flat lot, humble camp, watch the sunset - $329,000.

Casco - 2 bdrm, log-sided camp with bunkhouse, 177 feet of frontage - $359,900.

Oxford - great summer getaway, 1/2 acre, fieldstone fireplace, expansion available - $399,000.

Poland - big house by the road, small separate lot on the water - $419,000.

Oxford - east shore, classic camp right at the water, sandy swimming, pine interior - $425,000.

Oxford - 200 feet of sandy frontage, east shore, 1.5 acre lot for privacy - $449,000.

Oxford - year round waterfront living, cathedral ceilings, 90 feet of frontage - $450,000.

Otisfield - 3 bdrm, 3 baths, quality construction throughout, separate 2 car garage - $495,000.

Oxford - new home on the water, 3 bdrm, 3 bath, level lot, walkout basement - $569,000.

Oxford - executive home, 3000+ sf of living, 150 feet of frontage, 10 rooms, 4 bdrms - $789,000.

Otisfield - 23 acres with 350′ of frontage, 5 bdrms plus in-law, updates, gorgeous barn - $895,000.

Casco - own an 80 slip marina and your home on the lake, mix business with pleasure - $995,000.

When thoughts of "a vacation camp in Maine" come to mind, the vision conjured up is often one that is typified by Maine's own L.C. Andrew cedar log home.

Since the 1920s, L.C. Andrew has provided the quintessential example of Maine lakefront, cedar-sided cabin and cottage aesthetics with their locally grown and built homes. Constructed only with Northern White Cedar from Maine, these homes have been a staple in lakefront design and simplicity for generations.

Thuja occidentalis (Eastern Arborvitae, Northern White cedar) is among the most long lived trees in North America. There are living specimens that are dated at over 1000 years old.

This fact isn't lost on the discriminating home builder whose needs include a camp or cottage that compliments its surroundings, while being easy to maintain. Northern White Cedar is naturally insect and rot-resistant while providing superior insulating properties, as well.

For those interested in a classic example of Maine lakefront design that is efficient and easy to maintain look no further than the classic L.C. Andrews cabin.

As a matter of fact, we happen to have a current listing that is a fine example of the authentic L.C. Andrew home. It's located on Sand Pond in Norway and dates from the 1960s. Click here to have a look!

As I sit at my hillside perch in Harrison, looking west out over Long Lake, Crystal Lake and the surrounding hills, I can still see the vestiges of winter on the horizon - patches of snow on the east face of Mount Washington. Between here and there lie a multitude of lakes and ponds including the two "Special Ks" mentioned in the title - Kezar Lake and Keewaydin Lake.

When I think of Kezar Lake I first think of the anectodes I've read about Rudy Vallee vacationing here back in the 1930s. He was a well-known crooner of the day (if you didn't know), wildly popular, and had his own radio show. My vision is of him cruising around Kezar Lake, his hand at the helm of a Chris Craft runabout, a champagne picnic lunch stashed below, a wind up Victrola playing the latest swing, and Hollywood starlets sunbathing on the foredeck. If the stories I've read are true, this representation is not greatly exaggerated.

Even after dispensing with the reveries, Kezar Lake still conjures up a mystique and romance all its own predicated on its remoteness, its cleanliness, it's mountain views, and the fervor with which its lakefront property owners protect and defend it. The Kezar LakeWatershed Association is very active in the area and coordinates efforts to maintain the quality of the lake through lakefront owner awareness and education and providing input and insight regarding area development.

Kezar Lake is 2510 acres in size, lies within the confines of the town of Lovell, has a maximum depth of 155 feet, a mean depth of 34 feet, and is 155 miles from Boston. It is the largest lake in the greater Sebago Lake region after Sebago, Long Lake and Thompson Lake.

Keewaydin Lake does not have a mystique (that I know of), but it does have romance and for many of the same reasons that Kezar Lake has it - clean water, mountain views, and a certain amount of remoteness. Lying along side the winding curves of Rte. 5 in Stoneham, just to the northeast of Kezar Lake, Keewaydin Lake is 263 acres in size and has an exceptional maximum depth, for its size, of 52 feet. There's great fishing to be found here, as I can attest. A recent fishing conversation with lakefront owner R.J. Johnson ended with him extracting a three pound frozen brook trout from his freezer that he had caught through the ice this winter. Impressive as it was when he handed it to me, it looked even better on my dinner table.

If you have ever entertained ideas about being a lakefront property owner on Kezar Lake or Keewaydin Lake you might be interested to see what is currently for sale there. Here are the current lakefront and lake access listings:

Kezar Lake - condo cottage 500 feet from a 400 foot sandy beach - $219,900.

Keewaydin Lake - classic lakefront cottage, screened porch, sandy beach - $279,000.

Kezar Lake - another seasonal condo cottage, affordable - $339,000.

Keewaydin Lake - at water's edge, sandy swimming, remodeled, great views - $349,900.

Kezar Lake - attractive 3 bdrm saltbox at Westways - $650,000.

Kezar Lake - classic Maine camp with 195 feet of frontage on Middle Bay - $699,000.

Kezar Lake - rare boathouse/camp at water's edge Upper Bay - $700,000.

Kezar Lake - private, east shore, South Bay, 4 bdrm, 3.5 baths - $879,000.

Keewaydin Lake - contemporary, 10 rm cedar log home, 300′ of frontage - $1,395,000.

Kezar Lake - lakeside lodge with guest cabin, 454′ of frontage, 38 acres - $1,450,000.

Kezar Lake - private retreat, 3 bdrm plus 2 bdrm guest cottage, 13 acres - $1,500,000.

Kezar Lake - 4 bdrm, 4.5 bath contemporary with 2 bdrm guest quarters - $4,495,000.