Dutton and the Infirmary

Published on August 24, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, Blog, Buildings and Property

The farmhouse on the shores of Loon Lake was the first structure used as the main building in the summer of 1924 when the Camp Maqua property was purchased.

“Dutton was a farm house on the property, and this was used the first and second years and about twelve girls could be accommodated at one time, with a staff of three. The screened porch (which was added in 1940) was used for indoor activities, and the cooking was done in the same building”, according to a note in the archives.

There were a few discrepancies in the notes as to year the upstairs porch was added to Dutton, but it provided sleeping quarters for the director and the nurse and at one time the dietician.

A few tents were set up for the first campers. Miss Helen Graves, secretary of the Girl Reserve Department of the YWCA was the first camp director and Mrs. E.B. Perry was the camp chairman.

Margaret Dahlem was one of the original campers in the twenties and recalled the nurse’s first aid room was near the kitchen in the lodge during her stay. Beverly Schlatter, who had camped in the mid forties, recalled a tent/cabin, which appeared to be a temporary structure, and was located down the hill from the lodge. “It was used as the Infirmary and it was about 50-60 ft. from the lodge between the craft hut and the lodge. The nurse dispensed meds or we went there if we were ill. I remember I had to go twice a day to get my meds for some reason.”

Aladdin–The Preferred Builder

Published on August 22, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1920's, 1930's, 1950's, Blog, Buildings and Property

Pictorial: Aladdin Homes – Bay City, Michigan : Bay-Journal

The Aladdin Company from Bay City was the primary builder of the huts or cabins, but it is unclear whether the lodge was built by the same company.

Founded by brothers W.J. Sovereign, O.E. Sovereign and Charles Munro in 1906, it was a pioneer for mail order pre-cut kit homes. Their best years were around the time the camp decided to build the lodge in 1924. Many of the huts were donated by the Aladdin Company, featuring their summer cottage style.

In 1937 the plans for the new counselor’s cabin were shown to Mr.Paul Thompson, president of the Rotary Club, with the suggestion the club may want to build it for the camp that year.

In 1955 the concerns of the camp committee revolved around different housing arrangements for the cook and whether two more tents (which would house eight each) should be procured, since camp leaders had determined it would be more economical to set up for one hundred girls. A staff cabin was also needed as soon as possible to “free up rooms used for sleeping in the lodge” for a nature room, music room and library.

Additions To The Property–

Published on August 17, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1930's, 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, Blog, Buildings and Property

In April 1936, the camp committee discussed a small piece of property that belonged to the D&M Railroad, which would cost $5.44 and back taxes of $800. It must have been purchased, because to this day the tracks can be seen on the back of the property, where the present owners hike during the fall.

In the committee minutes of October 1955, references were made about a piece of property owned by Mr. James Miller, who was willing to donate a lot at the corner of his property for the caretaker’s cabin at the east end of the property. They also questioned a cabin that lay at the foot of Chapel Hill that may have been built over the property line.

Another cabin had been built 15 feet from the camp property line and the owner was trying to sell it for $8500 unfinished or $9500 finished. There were concerns if it did not sell and was rented, it could be “disastrous” to camp.

Onto The Property–

Published on August 15, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1920's, 1930's, 1950's, 1960's, Blog, Buildings and Property, Off to Camp Maqua

Early photographs and postcards of Camp Maqua leave the viewer with the feeling that the property was a beautiful lakeside setting, but had very few trees. In later years, the trees matured with birch, oak, pine and other varieties creating a beautiful forested landscape.

A letter in the archival files from the State of Michigan Department of Conservation in Lansing, dated January 14, 1925, agreed to furnish 2,000 White Pine trees and 2,000 Norway Pines for the property. The letter also stated if more were needed, they would be amenable to providing additional pine trees.

The only other mention of trees on the property in the minutes was in 1963 when the caretaker agreed to check into timber cutting on the swampland of both the old and new property. (Forty-five additional acres had been purchased that year.) The estimate was $1,000-$1,500, but it was unclear if they were paying for it to be cut, or receiving payment for the timber.

The roads were always a constant source of maintenance and concern. As early as 1933 the minutes stated a need for improvements to the road into camp. For $35, they contracted someone to grade, crown and provide drainage in the low places. Other mentions of the road included adding gravel when needed.

Over the years not only the entrance of the road changed, but so did the signs. According to many of the women who were interviewed, the road came in from the east side of the property that wound around the curve of Putnam Rd. and cars entered at the back of the property.

Later the road entrance was moved to Putnam Road at the south end of the property, which was closer to the lodge. The first reference was in 1955, as the minutes stated a discussion held by the camp committee about the road, and a motion was made to build it. A letter in the files from 1956 offered $600 toward the road from Mr. Miller, but “ the board was not inclined to accept that offer or the possibility of leasing property between his and the camps”.

Hear Our Voices! #2

Published on August 10, 2016August 8, 2016 by Kathy Baker Category: Blog, Cabin Life, Camping Life

Session one in 1949 posted an article about a newly organized council. “For many years there has been in existence a council composed of camper representatives, but this year the two councils have worked cooperatively on many problems,” it stated. The council first periods was composed of Lucille Harding, Jerry Fleming, Helen Hasty, Nan Lipscott and Bertie Van Welt, and represented a “wide diversion of interests”, attempting to be fair and objective with their decisions.

The agenda listed items such as setting up camper schedules, dealing with grievances, settling counselor problems, presenting questions of procedures at staff meetings and store hours. Their goal was to “widen opportunities for campers and extend the democratic system at Maqua” and they agreed that the first meeting was considered a success.

In 1950, the Camper’s Council consisted of Joan Beers, Janice Cameron, Karen Temple, Connie Fisher, Eileen Salmond, Pat Hubbard, Nancy Kula, Judy Harrison, Janie Hale, Judy Waldorf and CIT’s Judy Alcorn and Ann Malloy. Counselors Ann Hayden and Shirley Piguet joined “Dicky” the director planning the morning and evening programs and the frog races.

Hut 1 in fourth period of 1950 housed all the CIT’s and they joined the council, along with Louise Kibble, Karen Temple, Jan Mosier, Mary Brown, Alicia Roberts, Frances Kendrick, Mary Calopsis, Sylvia Jones and their director “Dickie”. They planned all the evening programs, which included a baby party, a water pageant, a chuck wagon style dinner “in true Western style”.

The councils were still operating in 1952, according to articles in the “Loon”. Mary Day, Mary Neal, Ann Martin, Lynne Brown, Sally Macey, Penny Nickel, Roberta Richardson, Nancy Penoyer, Rosemary Michaels and Mary Jane Keschman planned a square dance, a taffy pull, a silent meal, a treasure hunt and another chuck wagon dinner.

Hear Our Voices! #1

Published on August 8, 2016July 12, 2016 by Kathy Baker Category: Blog, Camping Life

The overall condition and set up of the camp season differed from year to year according to the needs of the campers and staff. Each director came in with new ideas, the camp committee meetings entertained and implemented best practices according to the financial situation and staff they hired and for the most part Maqua hummed like a well-oiled machine for all involved.

Humorously, with tongue and cheek quips, the campers were allowed to vent and express their desires with ideas that they felt would improve the camp. Some were serious and others just plain funny, but I am fairly certain they felt “heard”.

The “Loon” publication of 1950 listed “famous recommendations” from each hut, which appeared during each session of camp. The July issue wanted stairs for their bunk beds, softer mattresses, colored caps for further areas of the lake, a diving board on the green raft, showers, reading lamps over their bunks, more “Brownies”, screens fixed, nails for their clothes and (wait for it)—hut nine wanted an escalator to the lodge!

In August, the list continued in the same vein–hot water, rafts out farther, better stairs, bed lights, dock extended to the shore, water taps in the huts, an iron and ironing board, and for the staff to wash their own dishes.

The more hilarious suggestions were—“Stumpy wanted a whole new camp, Bobbi wanted a narrower lake, Dickie wanted to buy all the land from her to Hale Park and Betty wanted waiters instead of hoppers”, (Good luck with all that!)

July 10-24, 1952 brought suggestions to “keep huts closed up, paint the huts, be able to dunk the counselors, noisy the first night, then quiet, bigger swimming areas, mouse traps, lock on Brownie doors, fix the roof, more men and move the raft out farther”.

The famous recommendations continued into 1952 and included “taking the writing off the walls of huts, cut down the jungle in front of hut 2, escalators, hot water, fix the leaks, fix the bunks, get the mice out, Brownie in the hut”.

Girls of Camp Maqua

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