Aroostook County
Sporting Camps Offer
History, Tradition,
and Summer Fun
By Jen Brophy
The Maine sporting camp tradition has come a long way
in 150 years. Once a haven for the die-hard fishermen and
hunters in society’s upper crust, sporting camps now offer
refuge from the real world for a wide variety of sportsmen,
hikers, families, and weary travelers.
Sporting camps boast a long and proud tradition in
Maine, with the oldest commercial camps dating back to
the mid-1800s. According to the Maine Sporting Camp
Heritage Foundation (see www.sportingcampfoundation.
org/) more than 400 sporting camps were open for
business in 1905. Although the industry has tapered off
drastically (the Heritage Foundation estimates that there
may have been fewer than 40 traditional camps open
for commercial business in 2007), many camps still in
operation today were among those open at the turn of the
last century. Most are still family-owned and operated by
Mainers who love the outdoors, and quite a few have been
in the same family for generations.
Part of the decline in sporting camp fame ironically stems
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from the camps’ greatest appeal: uncrowded remote
settings. Unlike many Main Street businesses, sporting
camps can’t rely on potential customers driving by and
deciding to stop in. That difficulty, however, doesn’t stop
sporting camps from offering world-class destination
vacations right here in Aroostook County. In addition
to fishermen and hunters of all styles, camps also cater to
a wide variety of hikers, paddlers, birders, photographers,
snowmobilers, skiers, bikers, families, and folks who want
to escape the hustle and bustle of real life. Although
the clientele has subtly shifted over the years, the camp
tradition remains largely unchanged from its original
roots. Guests (who are still called sports or sportsmen,
regardless of their reason for visiting) are treated to a
uniquely-Maine experience, not just a room to sleep in.
Most camps offer accommodations in traditional log
cabins (or in a lodge or farmhouse), and many still use
wood stoves for heat and propane for light. Nowadays,
most cabins also offer the modern convenience of indoor
plumbing; for some people, the appeal of a good bathroom
can’t be overstated!