The Sterling Section built, in 1947, a fine log camp, called Beaver “Medder” Camp about 1 1/4 miles directly south, and 900 ft. in elevation below Whiteface Shelter. [GB 13th Edition 1947] A log cabin built by the Sterling Section was completed in 1947. It has space for 15. Water is found in several adjacent brooks. In use from 1947 to present. [GB 24th Edition 1996]
From the “History of the Sterling Section” – The new Sterling Section organized on January 27, 1946, in Morrisville with Henry Mould, one of Fred’s sons, as its first president Spark for the group’s formation was a plan to build a replacement lodge for what by that time was the somewhat bedraggled Mould Lodge. Work began in May that year and throughout the balance of the warm weather months 12 to 15 Section stalwarts (including Fred Mould on some of the trips) turned out almost every Sunday to help erect a sturdy log cabin near the Beaver Meadow area from which the new lodge took its name … A horse was used to skid logs to the site and some of the lumber came from nearby Mould Lodge which was dismantled.
Beaver Meadow Lodge, 2013
It is very obvious, reading the Sterling Section Outing Log, 1971 to 1977, that the GMC Sterling Section people loved the outdoors, respected the beauty of the Beaver Meadows area with its abundant wildlife and flora, and made an enduring effort to care for the trails and shelters in this area of Vermont. The Beaver Meadow Lodge, French Camp, and Whiteface Shelter had tender love and care during these years under the direction of Robert Hagerman. A few excerpts from the outing log will make this very clear.
Snowshoes were left at the door of the lodge … a fire was quickly started. As soon as the lodge began to warm up, three or four spots in the roof near the chimney began to leak, but soon slowed to almost nothing. However, for a few minutes Dick Spear was kept busy … this is an indication that roof repair is needed. Before departing “the crew” collected dry dead wood from the “ghost forest” surrounding the pond and piled it in the cabin … The following is a list of work. needed on the lodge:
Fix roof leaks & inspect.
Put in glass windows and in some cases new frames. Snow is blowing in window openings and cracks.
Inspect and repair caulking where needed.
New logbook.
Check outhouse facilities.
Close out dump and put-up signs like the Killington section has done, Garbage in, Garbage out “GiGo.”
Possible buy new kettle and pot for Lodge.
General repairs around and to the building.
Plant apple tree in the opening near the lodge for future springtime beauty and harvest time enjoyment.
[Brent Teillon 2/7/71]
Marking the downhill trek were several outbreaks of snowball fights. The Martins spotted what appeared to be a large hawk perched in a tree at the very top edge of the Notch cliff. [Bob Hagerman 3/14/71]
On June 12, 1971, a large group gathered on a beautiful Saturday at the Morristown Corners store for a Beaver Meadow Lodge work trip … At Beaver Meadow Lodge:
Repaired all windows, using Plexiglass on most of them.
Screened over all windows (a porcupine was in the lodge when the group arrived)
Put damper in stove pipe for new stove brought up previous year.
Patched roof by tarring seams and several small holes.
Caulked logs with oakum.
Repaired one bench.
Some rebuilding of outside fireplace.
Mounted “Beaver Meadow Lodge” sign on front wall which was provided by the Vt. Forest and Parks Dept.
Cleaned up inside and left new register.
Finally, what remained of the BM dump was carried out. The bulk of this was carried out by a group of students at Sterling School, Craftsbury, and their leader Ron Rosen on a special trip May 22. [Bob Hagerman 6/12/71]
Spring inspection Trip May 20, 1972: Selected site for outhouse to be built by a group of Stowe High. School students as special project May 29 – June 2. After much labor removing stones from hole in ground, planted one Delicious Apple tree in open area in front of lodge. It immediately blossomed and bore fruit, 2 McIntosh apples and one orange! [Bob Hagerman 5/20/72]
Work Trip Oct.28, 1972: Another objective not accomplished was the re-identification of the boundaries of the five-acre plot of land around the BM Lodge on which the Sterling Section holds a lease. This was acquired in 1 S49 from Parker and Steams Inc. of Johnson and calls for a payment of $5.00 per year as rent. A map prepared by Willard Sanders gives the surveyed boundaries with the lodge located at the center of the tract. No foreclosure is pending as the section is paid up on its rent! [Bob Hagerman 10/28/72]
Work Trip May 18, 1974: The following marks of vandals and thoughtless hikers were found: good wooden sign identifying lodge had been stolen, a typewritten welcome notice was gone, two windows were broken (Plexiglass, not glass), and several bundles of refuse were left for someone else to carry out. Teillon and Steven patched up the door of the outhouse. [Bob Hagerman 5/18/1974]
Work Trip June 14, 1975: Installed new stove pipe which had been carried in, patched two holes in the floor; made other minor repairs, carried out three bags of refuse … apple tree looking quite healthy, though no apples, or even blossoms yet. [Bob Hagerman 6/14/75]
A Beaver Meadow Lodge History by Willard K. Sanders
This log cabin, so well-equipped and so beautifully situated, is a gift from those names appearing below, to all who love the out-of-doors.
Conceived in the winter of 1946. work commenced on its erection in May of the same year. The ground was cleared, logs were cut and peeled and skidded into place, cut, and shaped to true fit, and lumber for the floor and roof, together with the roofing paper, chinking material, stove, and furnishings were dragged or carried 2.5 miles by hand from the nearest access road. During the building cows went un-milked, loved ones were forgotten, fish poles, hitherto in constant use. stood in the closet gathering cobwebs, the family car spent many a Sunday parked in the field at the end of the road, wedding anniversaries went by the board unnoticed, fingernails were pounded, several new cuss-words were coined, false teeth were parked at home over Sunday, and interest in the Beaver Meadow Camp at times overshadowed that of the Green River Dam, another small project currently in progress.
Thus have the works of nature and man been blended into these pleasant surroundings; the ageless rocks of Whiteface look down upon this edifice with approval, and Morse and Madonna Mts. shelter it in their bosoms from the tempests of the higher steeps; the first morning rays of the sunshine with luster in the front door while the nearby brooks babble their greetings.
May all who come to this spot appreciate the time and sacrifice which have made it possible, and help keep it in its present excellent condition, that it may continue to be a source of pride and pleasure to all who chance this way.
Lucy Bagley, Harold Eaton, George “Doc” Goodrich, Morris Greene, Bobbie Jones, Clyde Limoge, Florence Mould, Fred Mould II, Richard Perkins, Neil Sargent, Jr., Charles Tinker, Paul Cornell, Judith Gilman, Frederic Greene, Glendora Hall, Walter D. Jones, Charles Mould, Fred Mould, Henry Mould, Willard K. Sanders, Ronald Terrill, Orrin Warren.
