History

Lobster Buoy is a very special place. In addition to having been run by the same family since 1969, we are also currently run by three generations of women.

Fred and Mabel Batty opened Lobster Buoy Campsite in 1969. Lobster Buoy is located on seven acres of the old salt water farm where Mabel spent her childhood. Fred and Mabel started with five tent sites. Our campsite has grown slowly to forty sites over the years.

Fred was a lobster fisherman and enjoyed taking campers "out to haul" on his yellow lobster boat. You can still hear stories about "adventures with Fred" around the campfires. Even after his passing, his legacy still lives on.

Mabel was the historian of Lobster Buoy. She had written three books about how she spent her entire life in South Thomaston and how the campground came to be. The books are available for purchase at the office. Mabel passed July 6th, 2007 but her presence is still felt every day. We are planning a memorial garden in her honor.

In 1980 Eleanore came home to help her parents run the campsite. Every morning in July and August she makes a batch of homemade doughnuts that are sold at the office starting at eight in the morning.

In 1984, Eleanore's first daughter Eva opened the Dayroom. She prepared breakfasts (French toast with homemade bread or pancakes served with pure maple syrup) as well as baking pies and cakes for sale in the evenings. In 1988 Eve moved to an island 20 miles off the coast to teach in a one-room school house.

For the past few years we have sold homemade desserts in the evening at the Dayroom, but are unable to continue with that tradition at the present time. We hope to reopen the Dayroom for the 2008 camping season.

Eleanore's second daughter Anna grew up at the campsite and is now the office manager. In 2005 she married and now has a daughter of her own.