LEEDS – They’ve only been here a few months, and already the 7-year-old is giving directions.

Jessica has memorized the blue campground map.

“This one’s pretty good,” she told a prospective camper who had pulled his Tioga Arrow off Route 106 Tuesday afternoon. “It’s near the river.”

Jessica and the rest of the Koscinski family are quietly and swiftly adjusting to life along the Dead River, a mile from Androscoggin Lake.

The family purchased the Riverbend Campground, closing on the deal in June. They take over for Tom and Elaine Gomolka, who had owned the campground for 16 years.

Marc and Lovia Koscinski, in their mid-30s, are the principal owners. Joe and Marguerite Koscinski, Marc’s parents, also own a share.

“We had been looking probably four or five years for a campground to buy,” said Lovia, running the camp store on Tuesday. “Both of us have been camping most of our lives. This opportunity came up, and we went for it.”

The family comes here from a small town in western Massachusetts, and they bring three children, Tiffani, 12, Laura, 10, and Jessica.

They take over a well-known campground 30 minutes north of Lewiston. Over the years, the Gomolkas developed Riverbend as a destination for bass anglers, as well as retirees and other RV travelers. Several families return every year.

Riverbend offers 80 sites on 25 acres, geared toward RVs with water and electric hook-ups. There are 17 sites with no hook-ups. Some of the sites are in wooded areas, while others are in open spots along a broad curve in the Dead River. Visitors use the camp boat ramp, only a mile from Androscoggin Lake, where bass fishing tournaments are held throughout the summer.

“The biggest thing here is the fishing,” Lovia said. “People come from all around.”

Riverbend also has a reputation for special events that bring the campers together, such as Christmas in July, beano games, and theme weekends, like the ’50s and ’60s weekend in early August.

The quiet rural setting works for Lovia. That was one of the family’s requirements during their search.

Last winter, the Koscinskis considered a property in Holden, but it didn’t work out. They saw the Riverbend Campground listed with Dutton Commercial Properties.

It was exactly what they were looking for.

“It’s closer to the water than where we were, it has a nice big house for the family, it’s a good-size campground with possibilities for expansion.”

Planned changes include construction of a pavilion, which will host special events. The family also wants to increase the playground and expand bathrooms to make them handicap accessible.

The Kocsinskis moved up in April, long before closing on the property, so they could learn the business from the Gomolkas.

“We were lucky to have more than two months working with them,” Lovia said, adding that the Gomolkas are still helping them with the planning of special events.

Lovia and Marc are learning the requirements of the daily operation. On top of that, Marc works part-time at the RV Super Center in Auburn. He is a master certified RV technician. To bring in a little extra money, they have decided to extend the season this year until October 13. Rates start at $20 a night, with discounts for longer stays.

“It’s busy, a lot of work, which is exactly what we expected,” Lovia said. “There are a lot of nice people we’ve met.

“Since the Fourth of July, we’ve been pretty much booked solid for the weekends.”

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