FULL: Rustic Architecture of Big Moose Lake

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Apart from its beautiful and scenic shorelines, Big Moose Lake’s celebrated rustic architecture is uniquely distinguished by its vertical, half-log construction. At a time when there were no sawmills in the vicinity, local builders developed this construction technique by which walls of pit-sawn logs were used not only for building structures, but also exterior and interior finishes. On this outing, we will explore the work of prolific builder Earl Covey, his father Henry, and the E. J. Martin family, all of whom constructed lodges for visitors, camps for seasonal residents, and structures supporting the area’s guiding services and visiting sportsmen. Their building style made creative use of readily available lumber with limited technology to create stunning architectural gems. The tour includes a visit to the Big Moose Community Chapel and its accompanying historic Manse, Covewood Lodge, The Waldheim, and a wonderfully inviting camp called Brown Gables.

This tour is led by several knowledgeable local guides and property owners and AARCH Educational Programs Director Nolan Cool. The tour begins at 10 AM and ends around 3:30 PM.

The fee is $70 for AARCH members and $85 for non-members. 

Please note that this tour involves navigating some mildly uneven terrain.

TOUR REGISTRATION INFORMATION

For More Information:
Big Moose Community Chapel
Covewood Lodge
The Waldheim
The Earl Covey Story (book available at Old Forge Hardware)