Photos by Mimi Bigelow Steadman
It was the first day of summer 2025, and things were bustling on the northeastern shore of China Lake. We’d stopped for lunch at The Landing, a waterside take-out stand that’s been a fixture here for decades. After placing our order at the window, we settled at a picnic table overlooking the dock to await our food and enjoy some people-watching.
Beneath a cloudless blue sky, jet skis zoomed by, water-skiers zigged and zagged behind speedboats, and kayakers gunkholed in the shallows. Multiple pontoon boats tied up at the dock, their crews clambering ashore to pick up ice cream or lunch. At nearby tables, families chatted over their meals, while several dogs and even a bold mallard loitered nearby, hoping for a handout. It was a classic summer-at-the-lake scene, one that has played out at China Lake for generations.
Shaped like an abstract Y, this 6.8-mile-long expanse of water 17 miles northeast of Augusta is bounded by the towns of China and East Vassalboro. Shoreline development along the western branch is limited because of the waterway’s use as a municipal water supply. In contrast, the notches and indentations along the edge of the eastern branch are dotted with rustic family cottages, or camps, where memories are woven with morning coffee on the porch, afternoon swims, wetting a line for largemouth bass and brook trout, hammock napping, rainy-day board games, and loon cries rippling the night air.
No doubt the lake helped attract European settlers to the area, beginning in 1774. A group of Quakers arrived at the start of the 1800s, and the town soon became home to a significant Quaker community. Among them was Rufus Jones, born here in 1863 and considered one of the most influential Quaker leaders of the 20th century. The town was incorporated in 1818—its name taken from the title of a hymn that was popular at the time. By the late 1880s, China’s residents had established gristmills and lumber mills, a tannery, a small boot and shoe factory, and even a cheese factory.
The peaceful, freedom-loving Quakers defied the federal Fugitive Slave Act, passed in 1850, and made it known they would not cooperate with slave hunters. As part of New England’s Underground Railroad network, the community welcomed escaped enslaved people and free Blacks, some of whom formed a small settlement here. Most of them later moved away, but remains of a Black cemetery in the northeastern corner of town attest to their having lived here.
Quakers continue to have a presence in China today, including through Friends Camp, established near the lake 73 years ago. Still guided by Quaker values, the camp draws nearly 500 young girls and boys every summer, though most of them are not Quakers. The complex includes the simple, white-clapboard Pond Meeting House, built in 1807 and one of the town’s oldest structures.
We also found our way to the China School’s Forest, tucked beside the primary and middle schools, two minutes up the road from the Quaker camp. Tended by community members and described as a “learning forest,” it has won awards from the Arbor Day Foundation and other organizations. Walking one of the trails, we were charmed by life-size, wooden silhouettes of forest animals and a series of signs telling a children’s story. We crossed a footbridge over a lily pond and discovered a “gathering place,” with a birch-sapling arch at its entry and benches arranged in a circle—one of more than a dozen outdoor classrooms in the woods.
A few months after our visit to China, I heard about a Nigerian dwarf goat farm in the southernmost part of town. Of course we went back to see them. Numbering between 75 and 100, depending on the season, they all live at Scalawag Farm in South China. Paul and Trina Kraemer, their hardworking caretakers, are a bit like Old MacDonald: The couple also own three cows, flocks of chickens and Muscovy ducks, two Great Pyrenees guard dogs, four house dogs, and a striped, gray barn cat. When we entered a large pen to meet the goats—all of them individually named—they crowded in and nudged our legs, clearly asking for pets and head scritches. We happily obliged.
Paul took us inside a customized shipping container housing the milking parlor and creamery room to demonstrate how they operate. The Kraemers sell their raw milk, as well as pasteurized cheese, at the farm, and also at the Camden Farmers Market. As I enjoyed a sample of Trina’s fresh, creamy herbed chèvre, I was reminded of the cheese factory that was in China in the late 1800s. I smiled at the thought that, in this timeless lakeside town, Scalawag Farm is carrying on a tradition—in a small but delicious way.
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Contributing editor Mimi Bigelow Steadman lives on the Damariscotta River in Edgecomb.
If You Go To China
On the Water
Public boat launches can be found in China at the head of the eastern branch, and in Vassalboro near the outlet of the western branch. Maine Boat Rental in Winslow delivers rental pontoon boats, ski boats, fishing boats, and jet skis to China Lake with advance reservations. Be sure your boat is free of any aquatic invasive vegetation prior to launching.
Do
Paul and Trina Kraemer welcome visitors by reservation to Scalawag Farm in South China between May and October. They note that the best months are May and June. Contact them to set up a convenient time to visit or to purchase milk, cheese, or meat at the farm. Subscribe to their newsletter to be alerted to special events or check their website for news of special days and to sign up for them. The Kraemers are also at the Camden Farmers Market every week.
Stocked with brook trout and some of the state’s best largemouth bass, China Lake is a popular destination for freshwater fishing. There are several fishing tournaments every year. A valid Maine fishing license is required for everyone aged 16 or older. Licenses are available at sporting-goods stores and many convenience stores, as well from town clerks, at turnpike service centers, and online from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.
While there are no public beaches, visitors are welcome to swim from boat launching ramps.
Eat
A popular, longtime destination, whether arriving by car or by boat, The Landing serves up burgers, sandwiches, fried seafood and chicken, pizzas, and Giffords ice cream. Picnic tables are right beside the lake. The menu at Majek Seafood & Grill features lobster dinners, crab and lobster rolls, a variety of fried seafood, hot dogs, fried chicken, and pizza. Both eateries are closed in the off-season.
Shop
Stop into China Lake Provisions on Main Street in China Village for a good selection of Maine- and New England-made food products as well as meats and seasonal produce from local farms. This appealing shop also sells prepared-to-order pizzas and sandwiches made with local products and served on locally baked bread.
Hike and Paddle
In the northeastern corner of China, town-owned Thurston Park encompasses 387 wooded acres laced with a little more than 5 five miles of trails, all of them rated easy to moderate. Highlights include waterfalls and picnic areas. The award-winning China School’s Forest lies beside the primary and middle schools. Four trails loop off a central trail, taking walkers to outdoor classrooms as well as to a variety of other educational and interactive spots. It’s a wonderful place for family exploration and discovery. Kayaks and canoes can be rented from Old Town Kayak & Canoe Sales & Rentals in Belgrade.
