On the Maine Lakefront Property Owner’s Bookshelf: Our Kezar

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On the Maine Lakefront Property Owner’s Bookshelf: Our Kezar

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Kezar Lake, Lovell, Maine, Truly a Beauty

by Leigh Macmillen Hayes
The cover shot of the coffee table book, Our Kezar, is one of photographer Kelly Rickards’ favorites. “This is what Kezar Lake is,” she says. “It really captures the lake . . . We’re very lucky to have such a beautiful spot to go to.”


At nine miles long, Kezar Lake in Lovell, Maine, has picturesque mountain views. Set in the foothills of the White Mountains, the lake encompasses 2,665 acres and is divided into sections known locally as Upper Bay, Middle Bay and Lower Bay. The Narrows separates the latter two.


Kezar Lake was supposedly described by National Geographic as “one of the three most beautiful lakes in the world.” The Lovell Historical Society, however, has been researching this statement and in their newsletter (Volume 21, Number 4), they state: “Unfortunately, the magazine refutes this claim. In a letter to Peter Koutrakis, dated July 6, 1964, the Chief of Geographic Research, George Crossette, wrote, ‘The Society has not published a statement to the effect that Kezar Lake is the third most beautiful lake in the world.’ The origin of this claim may have come from Rudy Vallee’s brochure, ‘You Are Invited to the Lodge,’ printed in 1940: ‘The National Geographic Magazine states quite authoritatively that Lake Kezar in the middle part of Maine, is the third most beautiful lake in the world; the other two being in Europe.’”
The newsletter article goes to question whether or not Lord Bryce made such a claim. Apparently there was “an even earlier reference to the lake being ranked the third most beautiful in the world found in the December 8, 1922 article in the Biddeford Weekly Journal about the Outlet Dam: ‘The late Lord Bryce, author of The American Commonwealth, declared [Kezar] was one of the three loveliest lakes in the world.’ Lord James Bryce (1838-1922) served as Ambassador to the United States from 1907 until 1913. During this time he may have visited Kezar Lake.”
Nonetheless, Kezar is beautiful and Our Kezar captures the beauty and character of the area. Kelly, from Marblehead, Mass, joined forces with fellow photographers and Kezar enthusiasts, Lee Conary of Lovell, Maine, and Kenneth Goldman of Brooklyn, New York, to create this 152-page book.
“We wanted to show Kezar from our three different perspectives,” says Kelly. They agreed on a seasonal portrayal as they began to assemble the photographs they’d taken over a number of years. The result is a pictorial essay that shares the natural wonder and beauty of Kezar Lake with the world. The book reflects the simpler time and slower pace that people who spend time on the lake relish.
As they covered Upper Bay to Lower Bay, the photographers wanted to capture something everyone would recognize with each photo. “It was a puzzle trying to pull it all together,” says Kelly. “I had a gigantic bulletin board with contact sheets. We tried not to duplicate a scene.”
Four local organizations that have done an incredible job to preserve Kezar Lake and its watershed will benefit from sales made via their Web sites. The photographers are donating 10% of online sales to the following organizations:
Greater Lovell Land Trust
Kezar Lake Watershed Association
Lovell Historical Society
Lovell Invasive Plant Prevention Committee
To learn more about lakefront properties for sale on Kezar Lake, click on the green box above.
To learn more about the Lovell area of the Sebago Lakes Region of Maine, click on the blog links below.
Kezar Lake, Lovell, Maine: Pristine Lakefront with Stunning Mountain Views
Ebenezer’s Pub in Lovell, Maine – Where Kezar Lakers Go For Beer and Hospitality

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