anyone remember the sugarhouse in Danville?

[MainelyMaple]

im working out someting with the landowner right now but hopefully next year i will be fixing up and operating a sugar shack in Danville. it has been there for a long time but i know very little about it besides that it used to have a train engine in there to bring people into the sugar bush. does anyone have any information about this operation id be very curious about it. thanks in advance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/sugarshack004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/sugarshack006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/sugarshack012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/sugarshack017.jpg

[gmcooper]

Sorry I can't help you on that. Interesting pics though. Are there 2 sugarhouses? When we started in 89 there was a producer in that area but I do not remember anything about them or even if it was the same. Check with Ed Jillson in Sabattus or Maybe Ted Greene in Sebago as they might know more of the story.

Good Luck
Mark

[Revi]

Wow, that looks like a big sugarhouse. It looks like it's in good shape. Are you going to use the evaporator? It looks like it was last used a bunch of years ago.

[TapME]

Where in the Danville area is it? I know some people that grew up in that area and a more specific location would help in the discussion?

[barrelstove]

this isnt good for imediate information, but...

if you go the the fairs this summer (cumberland, skowhegan, fryeburg) and drop into the sugar shacks some of the old timers there might be able to get you info. also check with the county historical society. mabey even trace the deed to the land back and try to connect some dots that way.

[gmcooper]

Jeremy brought back a memory or 2 on this site. I think this is the same one but the train kind of thru me off as I don't remember that part. At least 5 maybe closer 8 years ago another producer tried to get me to check out a sugarbush for lease in that general area. I need more taps and it was maybe 20 miles from me. I never talked with the owner. The other producer had talked or met with him. The thing I remember was the access was horrible and the owner did not want any tubing put up or at least left up. There was something about hunting also. I don't hunt but maybe the owner did???
I almost think this bush was listed in Uncle Henry's at one time.
Mark

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If it's been empty for that long, it is probably for a good reason and will probably stay that way until the buildings rot and fall in. Shame how some people are.

[Parker]

If you are looking for an evaporator to put in that sugarhouse let me know, I have a lead on a very nice 5x14 forced air-stainless unit,,also a couple smaller ones if you are going R.O.,,,looks like a nice place

[TapME]

Just talked to a friend that came over today about this sugar house and he remembers when it was active. The big surprise was that he has pictures of the railroad and cars that they used to shuttle people back and forth with. He is getting the info and I will post it when I get it. He also said that it is all grown up and that the buildings were in need of a lot of work.

[gmcooper]

I just remembered where this sugar bush is. I used to drive past it frequently in the early 80's. Before I was doing any sugaring. Back then the farm nearly across the road used to grow potatos and had a few herefords as well. The train part is still confusing but I would love to see the pics if you can post them.

[TapME]

It was published in a rail book and I will get them in as soon as they come. There are still a lot of Maples there on a large piece of land.

[MainelyMaple]

heres a few more pics

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/miscspring08014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/miscspring08017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SMorin119/miscspring08018.jpg

[Parker]

Are you going to set it up?

[peacemaker]

the structure looks fairly sound the ridge is straigt and the eves look good no wall bulges

[TapME]

Mainely Maple, If you are looking to get another view about the sugar house and set up I could give you my limited Knowledge if you want it.

[MainelyMaple]

absolutely, i am very interested in any information about this sugar house

[TapME]

I have been busy here so here is some info. There was a railroad that us to bring the visitors from the road to the sugar house. The owners at the time were Debbie Ludwig and Scott Perry both from Augusta. I would say the early 60's. The railroad was called The Rock Maple Mountain Line. I was wrong it was the late 50's. He at that time had 1000 taps and a tractor to hall the sap to the sugar house. If the wood has not been cut you could have 2x that many taps in the 50 yrs. since then. I have the article and will scan and place in on the site shortly. Mainely Maple if you have any questions PM me and we will talk.

[MainelyMaple]

hey just curious if you had a chance to scan that article with pictures on to your computer? thanks

[TapME]

where in Auburn are you? I make it that way at least once a week maybe we can meet up. Send me a PM.

[mapleman3]

That is some awesome history... that will be cool to talk about with folks who go to visit.. and especially when some of the ole timers visit !!

[TapME]

Here I go. Trying to attach the doc. to the post. I hit the wrong key. Still having issues with the posting of the pics.

[dano2840]

is there a rig in the little sugar house? the other sugar house is HUGE, man i like these things alot, i have found 3 sugar houses w/in 2miles of my house, the first one was used by my moms boyfriends family 45 years ago, and wouldnt you know it i made a phone call and im going to be the 5TH generation to sugar it!!!!!!!!! it was sugared by walter gaylord, my moms boyfriend is Hadley Gaylord, walter had just built a new sugar house on Cntr fayston rd, ( the first one is a 1/16 mi in the woods from cntr fayston, but this new one he built was right on the road and closer to the majority of the taps he built it and had the woodshed full and ready to go, then he died of a heart atack in early feb before he could sugar it
the third was my nieghbors last sugared in the 60s and logged off, the sugar house fell in w/ the evap all hooked up it looks like they stopped 1 year and walked away, it had a 5x14 brick arch, and a 2x4 finisher, i am the proud owner of the 2x4, now the arch needs to be re done and it needs pans but thats next years chore
keep us posted this is an interesting spot!!!

[Flat47]

Dano,

Waitsfield, eh? As a kid, I spent many summers up on Bragg Hill Road and recall a shack down the road from the old Bragg farm. The Vasseur (spelling?) family sold maple syrup, but I don't know if that sugar house was their's or not. Really nice area. Good luck in '09.

T

[dano2840]

Dano,

Waitsfield, eh? As a kid, I spent many summers up on Bragg Hill Road and recall a shack down the road from the old Bragg farm. The Vasseur (spelling?) family sold maple syrup, but I don't know if that sugar house was their's or not. Really nice area. Good luck in '09.

T
yea there still sugaring to this day, they stopped by the farm the other day and complained to my mothers boy friend (hadley gaylord) who they are good friends with to complain about my sugar house that was going up and about the competition, funny small world there shack is just barely up the road set back in the woods from the barn (whats leftof it , some people bough the barn tore the L off it and shortened it to a horse barn) you cant see their sugar house from the road though

[dano2840]

ohh i know the shack your talking about its not down bragg hill but down stage coach, its right on the side of the road, its there but they built a new one across the road down in the woods so it flows into the sugar house that wasnt the vassures though, some other guy, maybe it was at one point but some other guy owns it now.

[MainelyMaple]

Well we will be tapping there this year, although not the full blown operation like i had dreamed but we will start off with 60 taps this spring, a nice increase from last year. i will post pictures soon of our setup. and once the sap starts flowing feel free to stop by, when you aren't busy with your syrup of course.

[Flat47]

Glad to hear you'll be moving forward with this. Seems like there is a lot of history there, and I'd love to hear and see more about it.

Good luck in 09!

[Jerome]

Please keep this up to date it looks like a cool project.

[MainelyMaple]

will definetly keep an update, ive got some pictures in my photobucket album and will add more. im putting all 80 taps in tomorrow.