Dogs, I can’t believe it! We have a second chance at a once in a lifetime opportunity! Tuthill Village is on the market again! For those who may not recall the first go around, back in 2021 Angel Chuck Billy introduced us to this great opportunity to purchase our own village and make it a dog utopia! Tuthill Village, located approximately 15 minutes outside of Augusta, Maine, is a 40-acre complex with 21 buildings, and open spaces to run and play. Created by Kenneth Tuttle starting in the 1980s, over the decades he purchased, moved and restored 19th and 20th century houses to this property to create his own “antique village.” Now the family is selling it…again! Angel Chuck Billy had some great ideas on what to do with this once in a lifetime opportunity, but unfortunately he had trouble convincing investors 5 years ago. Therefore, now that it is back on the market, here is my revised business prospectus for Mutthill.
The Property:
There are seven homes on the property, with the oldest being ca. 1840. In addition, there are multiple garages that we can convert into living spaces. Angel Chuck Billy’s original plan only called for dogs and a few well-behaved humans as inhabitants. I think we should open it up to our cat friends as well. We could even invite squirrels, but only if we promise not to constantly chase and bark at them. After all Mutthill will be a utopia, with everyone living in harmony. However, if I recall correctly there was much debate over allowing humans to join us. Humans can be a bit high maintenance. But we also need them to help with such useful things as picking up the poop, serving meals, throwing the ball for fetch, and taking us on car rides. Therefore, I have a solution! I’ve heard some neighborhoods have HOAs – Home Owners Associations – where the humans living there agree to abide by a certain set of rules to keep the neighborhood looking nice and everyone happy. What if we draft a HHA – Human Habitation Agreement – in which they sign a pledge agreeing to certain good human behavior. If they misbehave we can set repercussions on a scale from a time out, to buying us treats for forgiveness, to banishment from playtime. We can discuss further the HHA. These are just a few ideas as an example.
Speaking of playing well with others, we can turn the smaller outbuildings into indoor play spaces so that on cold winter days or hot summer afternoons, we can have a comfortable place to hangout. There is also a church built in 1825, that has been recently restored and on its original location. We could have our own version of Dog Chapel, where we can gather to send good vibes, celebrate lives well-lived, and perhaps hold weddings for those who relationships go beyond puppy love. Here is where I also want to expand on Angel Chuck Billy’s original plan. He set aside office space to conduct his UFO research, as well as offer detective services. I agree detective services and ufology are important, but perhaps we can also add an animal hospital? I go to see my vet friends a lot, and it sure would be comforting having a fully functioning health clinic close by, especially with staff that make house calls. Again, this is just my idea. We can discuss further at a later time the usage for individual buildings.
The property also includes open green spaces that we can designate areas for fetch, digging, and lawn potatoing; as well as maintain the paved walkways for those who don’t like to get their paws dirty. In addition, based on the photos, there appears to be our own private pond on the property! And when we want to seek adventures beyond our doorsteps, we are just a short trip from lakes, hiking trails, and beaches.
Sustainability:
Angel Chuck Billy’s vision included blueprints for turning the barn into an auditorium for concerts, lectures, and community events. This in my opinion can also double as a means to raise revenue to maintain our village. Using The Muppets’ business model, we can put on regularly scheduled shows and invite members of the public to attend. We can even do fundraisers for causes we support. Another way we can get revenue to keep our community afloat is offering walking tours of the historic grounds. Because who is better at leading humans on a walk, than us dogs! We can put historic markers around, and guide visitors for nominal fee.
Governance:
Now here comes one of the awkward part from the original plan. Angel Chuck Billy appointed himself as Mayor of Mutthill. I’m sure he would have done a good job. But I also know some dogs disagreed with a few of his views, especially on his insistence on rules without flexibility. Who knew that a strict 5PM dinnertime would be a deal breaker for some? However, that is a moot point now that he accepted an offer to work in the Rainbow Bridge office. So what if instead of a mayor, we have a village council, with multiple members working together to make decisions, based on discussions and votes held at town meetings!
Investment:
However, paradise does come at a price. The family originially tried selling the property for $5.5 million in 2021. They are now asking $6 million. But if we all pitch in our treat, squeaky toy, and tennis ball allowances, I’m positive we can swing that price with no problem. Also in his original plan, Angel Chuck Billy did provide suggestions on ways to take a bite out of the price. In a 2021 interview with the current owner he noticed a squirrel run across the lawn. If we invite the squirrels to join us living in this utopia, maybe we can hatch a plan for them to be extra mischievous, which would convince the current owners to knock down the price for a serious buyer such as ourselves. The owners were also adamant in that interview that that despite the age of the buildings there are no ghosts at Tuthill. What’s the point of buying an antique village of old houses, if there isn’t a ghost or two? So this may help with negotiations too.
In summary, it’s not often that we can have a second chance at a once in a lifetime opportunity. By investing in Mutthill, YOU can own your only little piece of paradise, where dogs, cats, squirrels, and well-behaved humans can coexist in their own village! For those who need more information about Tuthill Village, you can find details and photos at Realtor.com.
