"While cleaning out the camp we found this wooden sign hung from the rafters. It is an elaborate sign with a black background and gold letters. On one side is the word 'Excelsior' and on the other 'You Fathead'. Imagine our surprise when we read the title of the book. We have been wondering what the significance of the sign was. I always thought Excelsior was probably an obscure beer since we found a work of art with every imaginable beer label in the camp. I believe it is signed by Shep and that he did it himself. He also drew a flower thing on one of the doors.

One of the first things we noticed was a large old propeller which was hung on the wall of the downstairs room. It was so big and we just didn't know what to do with it. We finally called an antiques dealer since we really had no way to keep the thing."

The propeller could very well be the one given to Shep by a group of students after a show at Middlesex High School on January 26, 1968. He spoke with one of the students on his January 29th show.

Another interesting item left behind was a room full of Ham radio equipment and 5 antennas on the roof. No lonely nights in Maine for Shep!

The cabin is 17x34, two levels, a daylight basement on the lower level with a 17x17 addition built in 1974. The porch, 34 x 8, runs the entire length of the daylight basement overlooking the lake. The cabin had no running water or functioning septic system. The water was fed from a neighbors camp and seemed to be a source of tension. The rights to use the neighbor's water ended with the sale of the cabin.

William Forstchen, author of "The Lost Regiment" series, One Second After, co-author of "Gettysburg" and other books with Newt Gingrich, also lived in Snow Pond and met Shep one day when he became bold enough to knock on the front door. You can read his story here: