Story at a glance
- David Lidstone lived in a cabin in the woods in New Hampshire for nearly three decades.
- Lidstone has been in a property dispute with the landowner since 2016, and in July, he was arrested on a civil contempt sanction, according to The Associated Press.
- Last Wednesday, just hours after River Dave defended himself during a court hearing, a fire demolished his cabin.
An elderly New Hampshire man who lived off the grid for nearly three decades by squatting on a wooded property says his days of living in isolation are likely over.
David Lidstone, or “River Dave”, made headlines last week after his cabin mysteriously burned down amid a legal battle with the property owner who demanded he leave the area.
Lidstone had lived in the area along the Merrimack River in the town of Canterbury for 27 years. He built a cabin there with his wife, who he is now separated from, and grew his food in the woods, according to The Associated Press.
River Dave has been in a property dispute with the landowner since 2016, and in July, he was arrested on a civil contempt sanction and told he’d be released if he agreed to leave the cabin.
Last Wednesday, just hours after River Dave defended himself during a court hearing, a fire demolished his cabin and he was released from jail after a judge determined he would have less incentive to return to the area.
Fire officials this week said the fire appeared to be accidental.
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News of River Dave’s story prompted a wave of fundraising support and offers of places for him to live.
In an interview with The Associated Press Tuesday, River Dave said he doesn’t think he can go back to being a hermit.
“I don’t see how I can go back to being a hermit because society is not going to allow it,” he told the news outlet.
“I would have people coming every weekend, so I just can’t get out of society anymore. I’ve hidden too many years and I’ve built relationships and those relationships have continued to expand,” he said.
“Maybe the things I’ve been trying to avoid are the things that I really need in life,” he said.
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