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The main section of our cottage known as Balsam was originally one half of a bunkhouse used at the Blodgett Lodge (over
at Blodgett's Landing) as sleeping quarters for the wait staff. Around the turn of the century (1900) the bunkhouse was cut
in half and slid across the winter ice to where it is now located. One half of the building is now the living room section
of Balsam; the other half became the main room of our neighbors' original building, which was known as "Hemlock". Balsam is
still very rustic; you'll note the original boards which are very wide and show the saw blade marks from an 1800s saw mill.
The divided cottages were added on to as more room was needed. A dinette, kitchen and bedroom were added onto
the original cabin of Balsam, and the upstairs was also added. There are nice covered porches on both the front and back of
the cabin.
The two cottages were owned by George and Lou Draper. Both cottages have small guest houses behind them,
for a total of four cabins on the property. George was a local artist and the guest house of the neighbors was once his studio,
called the Sunapee Studio. After George died, Lou continued to rent the camps for years. In 1956 Lou approached my father
to see if he would be interested in purchasing the property as the upkeep of the cottages had become too much for her. The
Drapers had known my folks for many years; our family had been vacationing next door since 1935 in camps owned by Harold Croft
(hence Croft Beach). We came every summer for two weeks over many years, becoming familiar with the families along the beach.
My folks had lived through the depression and were very conservative about money. They felt that they could not afford
both the cottages, so I suggested that they find someone they knew that might be interested in buying half of the property.
Dad approached a good friend and fellow Croft renter about splitting the property. Thus the property was divided, and both
families lived side by side every summer for the next 45 years, enjoying a very special friendship that is part of what camp
at Croft Beach is all about!
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