BANGOR (NEWS CENTER Maine) — The owners of the historic Chesuncook Lake House said they plan to rebuild after fire destroyed the 150-year-old structure over the weekend.
“We survived and that’s the big thing,” David Suprenant said as he and his wife, Luisa, made the more than 100-mile trek to pick up supplies in Bangor Wednesday.
The couple has owned the remote property for 20 years. It was once a logging camp; one of the last Great Northern sites in the Moosehead Region before becoming a destination for outdoor enthusiasts around the world.
The storied house and surrounding cabins on Lake Chesuncook served as a popular spot for snowmobilers to stop, recharge and refuel in the region.
"It's an oasis. I mean it's tough not to mention the place and people haven't heard it or have been there,” Suprenant said.
They were with family at the home when fire engulfed the structure Saturday night. They said there was nothing they could do except watch the place where they raised their children go up in flames.
"It was probably a whole ten minutes by the time it started and engulfed the whole building,” Suprenant said.
Now they are determined to start over as they sift through what is left. Luisa Suprenant said it has been humbling to realize all the small things we often take for granted can be gone in an instant.
"It's just stuff. stuff can be replaced,” she said.
There was one special item the family was able to salvage from the ashes—a nativity set Suprenant said was stored in their basement.
As they look to the future, they are determined to bring the lake house back.
“It did [bother me] but now we move forward,” David Suprenant said.
Hundreds of people have taken to social media to share their memories and show their support since the fire. Over $17,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe site.
“It's just been tremendous. I can't even describe it,” Luisa Suprenant said. “It's just more than I could have ever thought."
"It's your home so it's special to us. We didn't realize how special it was to other people,” she said.
An event they are calling ‘The Last Ride’ is set for Saturday to bring people together for a barbecue and fundraiser.
The Suprenants said they hope a new lake house will be open next year.