Snug Harbor Camps, located on Great Pond in Belgrade, was closely associated for much of the 20th century with Morris Deering, a prominent figure in the region’s hospitality and tourism history.
Maurice Deering was born on May 17, 1898, in Quidnick, Rhode Island. In 1926, he came to the Belgrade Lakes region when he purchased Snug Harbor Camps from Millard Gleason. Recognizing the growing appeal of Maine’s inland lakes as a destination for adult summer visitors, Deering operated Snug Harbor for the next twenty years, establishing it as a well-known American Plan camp, where lodging and meals were provided.
During these years, Deering developed a reputation as an energetic promoter of the Belgrade Lakes. He was instrumental in the formation of Belgrade Lakes Region, Inc., and for ten years served as the area’s public relations representative, actively marketing the region at sportsmen’s and travel shows, including the New York Sportsman’s Show. His efforts helped broaden awareness of the Belgrades beyond New England and reinforced their identity as a summer destination.
In 1946, Deering sold Snug Harbor Camps to Roland Nadeau, but he remained active in the hospitality industry. From 1949 to 1954, he operated Hillside Camps in Rome, and for ten winters managed the Gulfstream Golf Club in Delray Beach, Florida. He also managed the dining room at the Hotel Templeton in Waterville, further strengthening his experience in hotel and food service operations.
In 1954, Maurice and his wife Marjorie Deering entered the restaurant business, establishing the first Chicken Coop Restaurant, which proved highly successful. An additional location followed, as a popular Oakland restaurant. The Deerings also acquired Galley I, a modern restaurant building on Route 27 south of the former Salmon Lake House.
By the mid-1960s, changing travel patterns and the decline of traditional American Plan camps led to Snug Harbor’s closure during the 1965 season, and the property fell into disrepair. Seeing renewed opportunity, the Deerings repurchased Snug Harbor Camps in 1966, returning to the site of Maurice Deering’s first Belgrade enterprise with the same enthusiasm that had marked his arrival in 1926.
Plans were announced for a comprehensive renovation, including repairs to porches, repainting cabins and general improvements to the grounds. The Deerings envisioned a revitalized Snug Harbor, combining elements of traditional camp life with more modern, motel-style operations, while reaffirming their belief in a resurgence of American Plan camps in the Belgrade Lakes – at a time when many had shifted to housekeeping cottages.
Maurice Deering died in 1970, leaving behind a legacy that spanned summer camps, hotels, golf clubs, and restaurants, and a lasting imprint on the development and promotion of the Belgrade Lakes as a destination for generations of visitors.
Source: Morning Sentinel (Waterville, Maine)