About Us
Stevenson Lodge is an all-seasons cabin rental community in Combermere, Ontario, situated in the scenic Madawaska Valley. Built on 12.5 acres with 2,200 feet of waterfront in 1939, it currently features nine lakeside housekeeping cabins with a variety of rustic amenities and occupancy capacities, and a lodge facility for large group rental. Situated on the waterfront, each cabin overlooks the lake and has its own dock.
We facilitate a variety of family-friendly activities such as painting, yoga, and meditation led by experts from the Stevenson family, depending on season and availability, and partner to provide access to other seasonal outdoor activities. For children we have a safe swimming area and a playground on the beach. If you’re a pet-owner, you will not have to worry about finding someone to watch your furry family members during your stay, because Stevenson Lodge is pet-friendly!
Our History
In the 1930s, founder Harry Stevenson was a worker in Hollinger Mines in Timmins, Ontario, one of the biggest mines born from Canada’s early 1900s Gold Rush. Every day, laboring away underground, he daydreamed of a life of relaxation. Whenever he could afford to do so, he purchased a ticket for the Irish Sweepstakes, which cost between half and all of a day’s wages. His coworkers would ask him what he planned to do with all that money should he win. His answer? He would hunt and fish until he got so tired of it, he would be glad to again pick up the pickax and head into the mines.
Then one day in 1939, to everyone’s surprise, the question was no longer theoretical. Harry Stevenson won the lottery.
The $140,000 Irish Sweepstakes prize, worth around $2.5 million CAD in today’s dollars, was his, and he got more serious about his plans. Some of Harry’s fellow miners had suggested that, if he liked fishing so much, he should open a fishing camp. The concept had a nice ring to it. Instead of relaxing in the wilderness on his own, why not put his winnings towards helping others enjoy nature as well? He picked up his younger brother Ernie in their brother Norman’s car, and set off in search of property where they could make the camp a reality. They found the right spot in Combermere, Ontario, and built Stevenson Lodge.
Harry, of course, never returned to mining. Rather, he and Ernie cultivated a place where families could gather and relax in the outdoor environment he so loved. His “fishing camp” grew into something much bigger; a vacation spot that would hold a special place not just in the life of the Stevenson family, but the many others who made Stevenson Lodge their home away from home, generation after generation.
A special place for generations
As the decades passed, much changed in the world, but at Stevenson Lodge families could always find the same kind of rustic getaway. The natural beauty and serene climes even attracted famous Canadian artists A.Y. Jackson and A.J. Casson, who there found the inspiration and peaceful solitude they needed to paint great works. In 1988, Harry and Ernie passed the business on to Harry’s sons Brian Stevenson and Ralph Stevenson. Along with Bev Brewer Stevenson, they built on a proud tradition, adding even more fun ways for guests to spend their time while out enjoying the wild. By the 2020s, there were families who had been vacationing at Stevenson Lodge for nearly 70 years.
In July of 2024, a new chapter in Stevenson Lodge history began. It was acquired by Sandy, the niece of Bev Brewer Stevenson, and her husband Yann Gauthier. This exciting opportunity has meant working hard to maintain the same rustic experience that families love, while adding new improvements and amenities to meet the vacationing needs of visitors long into the future.
A new era for a timeless tradition
In the main Lodge, anyone who visits will see, around the fireplace, stones sent from regular visitors, some from far abroad, built right into the hearth. This is the heart of Stevenson Lodge. Because just as a trip to Stevenson Lodge becomes a part of a family’s story, families that visit become a part of the story of Stevenson Lodge.
It is a much different world out there than on that day in 1939 when Harry Stevenson’s dream came true, but when guests visit Stevenson Lodge, they will always find the same scenic landscape and relaxing environment, and can always expect a vacation to remember.
