In 1963, during the fall, machinery was brought in to take out that culvert, the
pond was completely drained, the road bed dug down and two larger pipes put in,
one over the other. In the spring, before the pond was filled again, the beach
area was dredged from the culvert way around a bend, sixty feet out and eight to
ten feet deep. Sand was spread along the shore and the lower pipe covered to
let the spring rains fill the pond. The dam was also extensively repaired at
this time. The height of the pond is now controlled by boards in the
sluiceway. Many loads of white sand were spread on the beach. The next year
the pond was lowered some and plastic was spread along the shore from the water
level out and covered with sand to keep the oozy, clay soil of the pond bottom
from working up through the sand. All these efforts over many years have
changed a marshy pond to a pleasant beach and sunning area.
After Al J. got the beach cleared somewhat, he began to work back clearing the
new recreational area and parking lot. This was the same story of cleaning out
brush, felling trees and removing stumps, large boulders, etc., filling holes
and then smoothing some parts at first by dragging an old bed spring around. He
had help, but the bulk of the work was done by Al J. with crowbar, shovel and
wheelbarrow, the same process as was used for the early developed roads. In
1956 a contractor was hired to bring in much fill for the parking lot – which
made Pat in her Solairama remark about “the new look in the parking lot.”
Thereby hangs the tale of the camp gaining new members – not right away,
though. Norman (Bernice) was the driver of a truck hauling fill and he “fell”
for the camp. He really FELL – not only in love with the place – also into the
drink, truck and all! He was crossing the bridge between the pond and lagoon
and over he, in his truck, went into the water on the lagoon side. Fortunately,
there wasn’t as much water there as there is now. It was some years later
before he persuaded Bernice to come to camp.
This section of camp has seen many changes since the first clearing started:
the canteen, then the steambath in ’62, the teenage building in ’65, Bill L.
spent one whole summer chipping out rock to make the drive from one level to the
other near the steambath, more and more fill, etc. Now in ’67, we are enlarging
the area for a new volleyball court, putting in shuffle board courts and other
recreations. It is a story of constant change and improvement.
As with the parking – recreational area, so with the roads. At first a road to
the lodge and adjoining area was enough, but after World War II, when the camp
was re-opened after being inactive for about four years, there began to be a
spreading out. The first few buildings except for Capt. Green’s and the Lodge
which were pre-war, were built in the immediate area. The ones now owned by Al
and Rita, Len and Ann, and Arnold and Vera are of early post-war vintage, also
Al J’s. that one was the first individually owned, built by Florence’s son for
a man named Atwood, later owned by Ann’s (Chaplain Bill) parents, then by Al.
At about the same time Roger, then President of the club, built Al and Rita’s on
a Tent Platform brought over from about where George and Mary’s cabin now is.
Later Roger let it fall in disrepair and Al J. fixed it up for a camp rental.
The other two were built for the camp and were rented also. Some time along the
“Duplex” was built for rental by the camp, also. Then in ’50 Willard and Lucy
started their cabin and in ’52 Bill S. built his. This started a scattering and
also improvements of roads by the hand method mentioned before. Where there was
a continual wet spot, flat rocks were laid in and covered with fill, and always
the process of filling pot holes. In ’56, when Fernglades closed, we had a
sudden influx of about thirty members from there that led to more sites and more
roads. Also, according to Red, at that time he was building and talking and
persuading others as to the joy of having a cabin. So in the fall of ’57 and
’58 having run out of sites on this level, trees were cut and a road bull-dozed
out on the lower level, now called Fox Hollow Drive. Bob and Ella were the
first to take residence there in their trailer now used by their daughter, Jan
and family. Again in ’63 roads were cut through Whippoorwill Drive, etc. The
cabins and tenting sites keep increasing, soon it will mean more cutting of
trees and bull-dozing of roads to open more sites.
In ’59 four of the early cabins that were camp-owned were sold to individuals.
In’57 the split-level with four small rooms had been built for weekend rentals.
After acquiring and converting Eddie (Ivah’s) cabin and steambath building, the
camp made both the duplex and split-level into seasonal rentals. At the present
time the camp-owned buildings are: the Lodge, Canteen, steambath, Teenage
Pavilion, two tool sheds, the Duplex, Split level and two Motel buildings and
four toilet buildings. Oh, yes, I must add, two out-buildings for emergencies!!
The steambath idea was first brought into camp when Eddie (Ivah) opened one on
the hill in May, 1958 – to which he later added the Dressing room. It was
heated by a stove, serviced from the inside, with a tank of boiling water to
make more steam. That meant, in the winter when it had its greatest use,
bringing in several five gallon cans of water to fill the tank and provide water
to douse the hot seats and the people, a popular practice. It was only the
pranksters who ran to the pond or rolled in the snow. It was fun to watch them
when they got going. At first Eddie was allowed to charge a small fee of which
the camp had a percentage, but that practice was discontinued when it was
learned that by charging, it left him liable for State inspections. Donations
were then in order. In 1960 there began to be suggestions from some to have a
camp-owned steambath near the beach. With that in mind, donations were asked
for, camp help was enlisted and in 1962, in November, in time for the winter
season, our present one was completed. The steambath and shower part was of
plain cement construction and that winter it was discovered that blocks that
stood in the cold all week did not readily heat up for the weekend. So the next
fall insulation and siding were put on the inside of the steamroom and all went
well until one wintry Sunday night after most had gone home, fire was discovered
between the rafters, etc. Extensive damage was done, but before spring, all had
been repaired, this time with fire-proof materials. The shower room had also
been tiled and looked so nice. We thought we were all set but we hadn’t counted
on the steambath becoming so popular during the summer months and the whole
place getting such extensive use. Today it is far from attractive – it can’t
stand up to the use and abuse it gets.
I nearly forgot to tell the story of the Teenage Pavilion. In 1965 we had a
large active group who liked to get together, play their kind of noisy music,
and dance. That didn’t set well with some of the older people who wanted to
play cards and talk, the Canteen being the only center for both. So the young
folks go together and raised the money by having games of chance during social
times, bake sales, etc. They had a few money gifts by way of encouragement and
help from parents and friends in the actual building. They also had gifts of
lights, benches and tables and a record player but they maintain their own
building, make their own rules and showing themselves as responsible members and
an asset to the camp in helping around on various jobs. This year they have
planted two Rhododendron bushes near their Pavilion in memory of their lost
friend, Terry.
