Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in one of LandVest’s properties? We invite our owners to tell us a bit about their experience, what they love about their homes and some of their history.
Having been a long-time summer resident of Boothbay Harbor, and property owner, Fred (a writer and professor in NYC), knew the area well. When Rhoda (a NYC literary agent) and Fred decided to leave NYC and work from home and also to have a retirement home, they naturally looked on the Boothbay peninsula. Here, they share how they found their Boothbay waterfront home set on seven and a half acres overlooking Maine’s Back River.
The Property
Its undeveloped beauty is what first attracted us to this property where we created a beautiful house & lovely gardens. We are close to nature and its wildlife (there’s now an occupied fox den at one of the far ends of the property – the parents and kits will be gone in a month or so) with access to the river for kayaking especially, and nearby deep water. We love the birdlife on the tidal river and the ever-changing flow of water and light on the river and land.
We purchased two shorefront lots (5+ acres) of wooded land on the Back River in January 2001 and had our custom Deckhouse built. This beautiful 5,184-square-foot post-and-beam home was a collaboration between the architect, Acorn Deck House Company in Acton, MA, and our own ideas. In 2016 we purchased two additional adjacent lots (2.5 acres) in order to preserve our privacy and have more woodland trails of our own, including the point waterfront lot that juts out into the river.
The Location
We chose this property because it’s close enough to Boothbay Harbor’s downtown for easy access. It is also secluded and private, with excellent water views on 3 sides. Across the river is a Land Trust property, Miles Island. It is within easy reach of Wiscasset, Brunswick, and Portland. Boston and Logan Airport are 3 hours away by car or 2 hours from Portland by Concord express bus.
Best of Both Worlds
Familiarity, convenience, privacy, and high-tech accessibility made it an attractive area for us. It was, and is, perfect for someone who wants to be far from their neighbors’ lights and sounds but still not be isolated. It is a rural location, yet still close enough to what one needs to lead a modern life. Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor have a year-round community life, but especially warm weather cultural activities, attraction, and restaurants. There are excellent doctors in the area and major hospitals are close by in Brunswick and Portland.
Favorite Rooms
I have 3 favorite rooms. One is my study/office since that is where I write books. My life as a writer is one of my highest priorities. The room has a high, sloped oak ceiling, a skylight, windows, and a sliding glass door that gives me a view of the landscape, river, and immediate access to the outdoors. My hot tub is about eight feet away. I use it all year round.
A second favorite room is the huge living room with its cathedral ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, looking west and north towards the river. It has my favorite couch on which I often recline and read or watch TV late in the day, in the winter with a fireplace nearby and all year round with long vistas of sky, trees, and river.
My third favorite room is the lovely kitchen, with its cherry-wood cabinets, island, and cooking facilities. I enjoy cooking there, often looking through the living/dining room towards the river. In the mild weather, my gas grill is on my deck, and, in the winter weather, I move it to the screened porch
Favorite Spot on Property
Set on 7.5 acres on the Back River with gardens, Japanese maples, ornamental shrubs, a waterside patio, and granite benches to encourage private walking and meditation, it is hard to pick just one favorite spot. But if you’re going to put us on the spot, we would have to say the bench by the large Japanese Zen temple-style stone (crushed white granite) garden in the spring and fall. In the summer, we love the sitting area on the far southwest part of the lawn by the river where there are always cool, gentle breezes, with reeds and light moving on the water, and a sense of almost endless space.
A Wharf with a History
The stone wharf at the point end of the property was used in the War of 1812 by American small ships escaping from larger British warships which couldn’t navigate the river. It was also used by American smugglers, attempting to evade US import taxes, from the late 18th century through the 19th century.
What We Love
- An architecturally distinguished & well-kept modern home with room for offices, family, visitors, & interior privacy.
- Lovely views, vistas, and gardens, with protected river waterfront, without the wear, tear & other weather hazards of exposed ocean waterfront property.
- Absolute privacy and quiet, yet close enough to stores, cities, etc.
- High-tech smart system, with full house generator and high-speed internet that provides the infrastructure for working from home.
- Value for the money, with 3 adjacent building lots that can be retained or not.
To find out more about Sunny Acres and the many special features of this modern-style house adapted to the Maine landscape, click here or contact Karen Reiche, kreiche@landvestcom.
