Maqua After Camp

Camp Envy–Opening Up

Published on by Kathy Baker

THE ROADSIDE PORCH ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LODGE

I wish for the magic of an energetic crew to appear to help me dust the cobwebs, tear down the screen tarps that protect our wood floors from winter snow and mop the winter dirt off the porches of the lodge. The pollen from the pine trees coat the porches and furniture in pale yellow dust 1/4′ thick.  I tip the bootstrap benches over and vacuum the spider webs and laugh as I see wads of chewing gum older than me clinging to the old wood. It takes hours to clean the screens, furniture, and floors.

In days of old, there was a volunteer crew. Either the YWCA committee members, staff or volunteers from different organizations assisted the caretakers with the opening of camp. It had to be a huge undertaking to open a camp for the season, with so many outbuildings and acres of property.  My offspring will discover how much work is involved when they start taking over from their aging parents, (As they have grown into adulthood, they have taken on a  new sense of ownership and offer to help when in residence. This summer, they labored at the beach with the weeds, raking, gardening, and general repairs.)

Many years I paid to have the place opened up and cleaned before our arrival. With four young kids and slivers of a break that fit into the time slot between the end of the school year and the beginning of the next one, summers seemed to fly. By the time our family of six arrived, I just wanted to unpack, be on vacation and relax. Other years I have just done the work myself, especially when we have had construction and I knew cleaning was a lost cause.

The perennial garden has to be weeded, and if I get up in June instead of May, the weeds have taken root and the acorns have sprouted into baby trees that are difficult to uproot.  It is a rock garden of sorts, with Michigan stones and pieces of the old sidewalk that trailed to the door by the kitchen between both porches. Irises, peonies, lilies and other summer flowers grow under the two planter boxes that house red geraniums. They appear happy from my tall paned kitchen windows, and it is a garden that needs only a modicum of care to keep it lovely.

The bunkhouse next to the lodge, which is in use all summer with relatives and friends, needs the spiders and ants eliminated, so our guests don’t get a fright in the night. I even turn over the mattresses to make sure no nests or webs are hiding. The boathouse and craft hut get a good sweep and thorough cleaning to ready for guests who enjoy the rustic camping style. Since the new stairway went up to hut nine, it is now a favorite spot to camp, but needs all new screens. The lower boathouse, catch-all for anything beachfront, gets its yearly organization and sweeping, too. The craft hut still contains a few cots with the original mattresses, but most of the campers have their favorite inflatable beds. Usually, the chipmunks and mice have dragged in pieces of nesting material that we sweep out, which has also included pieces of our mattresses.

Our association of residents takes the maintenance of the Maqua property very seriously, plowing the roads in the winter and grading them in the summer. When the potholes jar our senses, fill dirt and stone are brought in. When tree limbs look precarious on our trails, the men get their chainsaws out and make our world safer. When the corral fence planks rot, new ones are nailed up. When the biffy needs new plumbing or cleaning, someone volunteers. If the dock is dipping and splintering, the crew goes into action for repairs or replacement. The beach sand is refurbished when needed, the campfire pit is cleaned out periodically and one resident is appreciated for his Paul Bunyon skills by keeping our firewood piled high for campfires.

It took a village when the camp was a real camp and it takes a village now! Thankfully, the next generation, with their happy memories of this magical place so ingrained in their childhood, return with grandchildren for all of us to love and create new memories. And, they are young and strong and able and we don’t mind watching the babies in the water while they take over some of the maintenance and repairs and heavy lifting, and they do! The circle of life at Maqua continues in familiar traditions.

 

THE ROADSIDE PORCH ON THE WEST SIDE UNDER RENOVATION

 

 

 

Camp Envy-Bunk Houses and Outbuildings

Published on by Kathy Baker

Those musty wooden huts had to be a little frightening for little girls who had never left their homes. Bunking in with seven others, sometimes all strangers and accompanied by mosquitoes and spiders, had to leave lasting memories. Many of those little bunkhouses are still standing, but a few were removed from the property before the subdivision was developed by the previous owner. They are scattered around Hale as outbuildings for whoever purchased them.

Our hut was number one next to the lodge. It has been since transformed into a cozy little guest house that sleeps five. The original wood floors gleam golden honey and the walls are painted white. (Had I known how sentimental ex-campers and staffers were about their names on the wall, I would have preserved at least one wall.) The windows with the pull ropes and damaged screens were replaced with vintage sash windows from the same era, and they let the breezes blow through on hot and humid summer days. A ceiling fan was installed and window shades for privacy, but the porch screen door still slams shut and the original wooden front door remains.

The Brownie at the dip in the hill by the trail to the lake still stands. It is constantly used, as it still contains a portable shower on one side with the boy’s commode and a girl’s commode on the other with sinks on both sides. It is convenient to the lake and kept up in repair and cleanliness for our family and guests.

Further up the trail, another hut tilts at an angle that is precariously dangerous when the skewed door is opened. The names are still plastered in lipstick and toothpaste and the floors are rotting. There are plans to take it down and I have asked for boards with names I recognize from interviewing campers when that day happens. Housed in there for years was a cubby that graced one of the huts and it was gifted to me. On the same property, the owners preserved the hut that stood tall and proud by the lake as their own bunkhouse before building their log cabin. The names still remain on their walls and the sliding glass door at the front gives a great view of Loon Lake.

On the property where the senior Brownie stood is a magnificent log home with a garage attached. It was the senior Brownie, transformed by turning the roof around and installing a garage door. This family also owns one of the huts that was utilized for years as their weekend cabin until they built their home. They also moved the cook’s cabin to their property, high on a hill where “Scold Trail” is used for their cross country skiing in the winter.

The last two huts face the lake by the boathouse. One was moved off the property next to the firepit to make room for a log cabin for the family and sits behind the craft hut and used for storage of lake toys. The other hut has had a renovation, complete with a bathroom, deck, new windows and siding painted to match the owner’s house, which was the cabin by the fence. Their grandchildren have full use for sleeping and activities and the renovations from the lake make the property appear like a resort or a family compound, which it is!

Along with the lodge, the campcraft (left) hut on the front lawn and the boathouse and craft hut still stand and are in great shape, since the historical committee of our association sets aside funds to keep up with repairs and renovations. Every building that survived is utilized and treasured as a piece of history from the camp and enjoyed by our family and friends. The craft hut and boathouse, especially hut nine above, has had floors repaired and exteriors shored up and painted and are in constant use with residents for their reunions and overflow company.

Gone is the gazebo, which was consumed by age, the elements and the chipmunks. The infirmary is now a part of a guest house, and the trading post (or camp store) did not withstand the test of time. Dutton stood for years, but from the very beginning, repairs were constant. It was taken down to make room for a family cabin and they saved the doors covered in graffiti.  There are photos and memories and traces of what was—including the concrete of the tennis courts, the campfire pit area and horse trails that serve as hiking trails.

 

 

Camp As A Role Model–

Published on by Kathy Baker

Melissa Plambeck’s camp experiences in the seventies influenced her entire life. Her husband attended camp, so when they met they knew the same songs. When her children came along, she wanted them to enjoy the same experiences she loved at camp, so she and her husband worked for a camp and their kids went to Camp Daggett. All three ended up as counselors and one worked as an assistant director for another camp. The family sometimes rented cottages on lakes and one child even requested “Hobo Dinners” for her birthday one year! The family still canoes to this day.

“It was a good thing—camp. I was never afraid to go places by myself, to travel alone and meet new people. Living with eight to ten girls I didn’t know, well—I made it work and I learned to appreciate different people and different personalities. It broadened my perspective, even for people I did not like.”

“I think Maqua contributed to my character,” said sixties camper Laurie Cone, pictured with her husband.  “It demonstrated friendships, loyalty, and camaraderie. You can view the results just from the Camp Maqua Alumni site. They were treasured times. I cannot tell you how many times I have had moments where I remembered my camping experiences. It was rustic, not fancy. We took baths and shaved our legs at the lake. We skinny-dipped. It was a simple place but had a whole range of activities from crafts to nature classes. Why we learned to dissect a frog there long before I ever did in Biology class!”

“My husband and son both hated camp and I wanted them to have the same kinds of experiences I had, but they did not,” said Laurie sadly.  Laurie just retired from her career as co-owner and former President of the Board of Directors of Mapleview Consultation Center in Michigan.

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Camp Envy–The Next Generation

Published on by Kathy Baker

Spring has thawed the ice on the lake and our photographic friend, Carole Elizabeth Wilson, is famous for getting up early for her daily sunrise photo to share. She is the weather girl on the lake, letting us all know when the loons are out or nesting, what the temps. are and what incredible sunrises and sunsets we enjoy. I am in Florida awaiting the journey north to escape the Florida heat and humidity that is just around the corner.

This year our summer home is even more meaningful to us, after selling our home of 38 years with all its memories tucked in each corner. The house was built with love by an uncle of my husband, who is from Hale, and his brother, who was my husband’s father. Various family members helped to build this first home we ever owned, and a Hale stonemason created the Michigan fieldstone fireplace that held our many stockings at Christmas and even a few fires!

Our four children had mixed feelings about the sale of the home they grew up in but had one thing to say. “Do not ever sell the lodge!” For all the memories that were stored in their childhood home, none could compare to their relaxing and carefree summers on Loon Lake. It is where they learned to ski, build campfires, play in treehouses, hike trails, and enjoy the out of doors. Their happy times included making new summer friendships, driving the boat, fishing, catching fireflies and camping in the bunkhouse next to the lodge with their cousins. For all of you who camped and worked here, those were memories that are relatable.

This summer the entire family will gather in July and for the first time ever we hope to have every one of our children, spouses, and grandchildren all in one place. It will be a new experience for this growing family, who we manage to see on a regular basis, but not as a huge unit. With the new loft and extra space, we have room for everyone on the east side. The importance of the lodge as a gathering place will be cemented by the new memories made by the next generations.

With our life in transition and retirement just around the corner, the lodge gives us a sense of permanence and a place for future projects and reunions. It will always be our summer happy place. Our hearts remain in Florida where our children were born and raised, but our Michigan souls remain at Maqua. As the blogs come to an end in June, the transition of this website will turn to stories from the existing residents and perhaps a laugh or two. Thank you for all your special memories that have helped to keep the history of this magical place alive.

Sale Of Camp Maqua

Published on by Kathy Baker

Bob Sukenik saw an ad in the Detroit News advertising the lodge for sale in 1979 by the Bay City YWCA. He submitted a sealed bid, forgot about it and after a business trip, arrived home to a congratulatory message from the YWCA. The following weekend he and his family drove north to see what they had bought.

“What we got was an abandoned camp that had been closed for quite a few years.—maybe five. Everything was quite dilapidated and nothing worked”, said Bob. “The toilets were called “Biffys” and I think the only one that worked was the one adjacent to the lodge. You could not see the lake from the lodge because of the dense forest of trees 8”-12” in diameter. There was some rudimentary wiring on half fallen poles. The lodge itself was a huge open room filled with tables and benches. It had no bathroom, running water or heat.”

“It had not been vandalized, but small animals had chewed through the back screen doors. On that weekend, we were sitting inside and a chipmunk ran across the floor, stopped and looked at us with a face of no fear and proceeded to run into the kitchen, eat some of our dog food in the bowl on the floor, then scampered back out. Groundhogs were also a problem, eating all the tomatoes that had been planted by the west side outdoor wall.”

“Now that we had it, we had to figure out what to do with it. It was a gorgeous piece of property on a beautiful lake”, said Bob. “Our first thought was that we might be able to fix it up and lease it to someone who might want to operate it as a camp again. That didn’t work. We fixed it up so that it was relatively safe, but never even found the slightest bit of interest. We had an opening party for our friends that out to be a work weekend just to survive. It is a miracle they took to it so happily and that they remained friends.”

“Lacking any better ideas, we decided to convert the lodge into a duplex and subdivide the rest of the property for sale. This required surveying, making decisions on subdivision, writing restrictions and setting up the Maqua Association,” continued Bob.

“We continued to work many a weekend doing one thing or another to upgrade the property. One spring weekend, with no heat and freezing temperatures at night, my son Jim and I plus a few of his friends, slept in front of a roaring fire on the west side in front of the fireplace. (This was where you broiled on one side while freezing on another!) The heat also woke up a few mosquitoes, so it was not too comfortable. The boys had built a huge fire. Suddenly, there was a roaring sound, and I discovered what it meant by a chimney fire. We went outside and watched flames shooting out of the chimney for about one minute.”

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Camp Envy—Fourth of July 2018

Published on by Kathy Baker

 

Happy Fourth of July from the present day owners of the property, once home to Camp Maqua. I thought it would be nice to hear a little history on the current owners and find out how they came to find their little piece of heaven in Hale. The lodge and the story behind the William and Kathryn Baker and Aaron and Blanche Starks families purchase was featured on June 18, 2018, entitled “In The Right Place At The Right Time”. https://www.girlsofcampmaqua.com/in-the-right-pla…t-the-right-time/

We celebrated our Independence Day, as we usually do, with a boat parade and this year my youngest son and family were here to enjoy the decoration of our boat  with the theme “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic”. We were among about 18 boats who participated and won the coveted boat flag for 2018!

Charlie and Jane Johnson decided, they would like their three children to enjoy the same experiences they had as youngsters with cabins in the woods. “I searched the Free Press ads and found the ad for the Maqua land almost as soon as it started running in 1985, so we came up and selected our lot—Chapel Hill,” said Jane, who built their log cabin three years later.

“We had so much fun with the kids on the lake—tubing, waterskiing and just floating. When our kids were in cross country in high school, we had both the boys and girls teams up for 3-4 days of running camp. The boys slept in the loft and the girls in the basement with the coaches on the couches in between. They would run three times daily and play on the lake in between. Charlie was exhausted, because he ran with them and was also the boat driver, but it was a wonderful experience. Now as we are older, we don’t spend as much time up here, but I still love the peace and quiet and just the “aaahhh” moments when I sit on my deck.”

Neighbor Rick Baker, at the bottom of Chapel Hill, bought in the early eighties and his cedar home was built by his uncle (Al Baker) in the early nineties. His early years, as a single male, was spent camping on the property. After his first marriage to Aimee, he and wife and two children spent every summer weekend on the lake, next to his best friend from college, who built next door.

Kim and Laura Gorman’s cedar home, also built by Al Baker, utilized the senior brownie as their garage by turning the roof around and adding a home to the lakefront side of the building. Kim bought his property in 1984 and camped from one of the huts on the property until his home was built in 1994. Their only son grew up on the lake on the weekends and they now spend more time up here in their retirement.

The property with another lakeside hut belongs to Jim and Pat Fidler and (now deceased) brother John McConnell. While deer hunting in the area in 1987 or 1988, they spent many hours looking for a place to buy. Somewhere around 1989 they purchased their lot and built a log home in 2005, after camping many summers with their two daughters in the hut.

The farmhouse called Dutton was home to the Farmer family. The Dutton house became a haven for Carl, Marilyn and family, and their kids, grandkids and friends.“When we first became aware of the old YWCA camp in 1979, we were visiting friends on Loon Lake. While out for a boat ride, we spotted Dutton house, which was in pretty shabby condition, but we fell in love with it and the location was great! We checked with the realtors and found out the land was in the process of being divided, so we made a deposit on it and the rest is history.”

”It needed a lot of hard work. The upper porch was leaning out toward the lake, so it had to be pulled in and secured, painted. We added a new side porch, windows, doors, and a fireplace was added to keep us warm in the winter and a well was drilled by hand. Oh, if these walls could talk, what a story they would tell! Writings and signatures everywhere, cracks in the wood, so you could see outside, and the old metal bunks. And don’t forget all God’s little creatures! We had a lot of great times and memories in that place!”

“But, in 1993, with mixed emotions, we decided to build a new place. What a sad day when the old Dutton house had to come down, but now in its place stands a beautiful log home, where we still share and enjoy all the fun things. Swimming, fishing, tubing, boating, water play, waterskiing, and looking for mushrooms on rainy days, or board games, cards, arts and crafts or just enjoying the great outdoors or being lazy. These are memories we will cherish forever.”

The Farmers sold their log home to Steve and Julia Sigg, from Chicago, in 2017. Although not yet retired, they had purchased a small cottage on Long Lake in 2008, with no real intention of retiring there. They began looking for another place in the area, with the help of realtor Carole Wilson and began their search with a place near the Long Lake Bar, a second duplex near the same area and third choice on the Loon Lake property. A friend helped them with their “HGTV experience” by giving advice on their three choices and pushed for the log cabin in Maqua. With a grown son and retirement on the horizon, they hope to spend more time at their new home.

The property next to the campfire pit was bought by Bill and Sandy (now deceased) West. They bought their property in the early eighties with the intent of building a house in five years. They wandered down for a picnic with their two young children overlooking the lake. My husband and I happened to see them, (meeting them for the first time) and wondered who were these strangers who just showed up on Maqua property? We talked them into building right away, so our children could have playmates and within six weeks of starting construction, their beautiful log home was completed! (I might add that Bill West has a construction company and their crew, fed daily by wife Sandy, were up full time from suburban Detroit to complete the project.)

Thom and Lydia Engel own the property that housed the Infirmary and the nature hut. Purchased from someone they actually knew (the Haney family), they had no idea the Haneys owned the property! The Engels, along with their daughter, summered on Mullet Lake for three years, while looking for a cabin within a three hour radius of their home. A fellow employee suggested they try looking in the Tawas area, so they contacted realtor Carole Wilson in Hale and stayed in West Branch with plans to look in Cadillac the following day. They began their search on Long Lake, but Lydia had a vision of a summer home down a trail lined with tall trees and they found it in Maqua! Their search ended.

“I loved the lake access and it felt safe. When we walked to the beach, future neighbor Bill West was washing his windows on his new house and told us what a great community Maqua was and we had to buy here! We put in an offer that day,” said Lydia. “ The happy vibe of the place and the history just made it even more special!”

Year round residents Ric and Denise Braun bought their ten acres of Putnam roadside property in 1985 just as the Jim Sukenik family was dividing the Maqua property into ten parcels. They built their home in 1987 and raised two sons. “The reason I picked the road frontage and not lakeside was not only the price, but I knew I had lake access and I wouldn’t have to plow that long road in the winter,” laughed Ric.

The cabin that sat beside the fence along the Camp Maqua property belonged to the Williams family since 1957. They raised their two daughters summering on the lake, overlooking the activity of girl campers next to them. Their oldest daughter, Sharon Williams, was also a counselor in the sixties! The second daughter Denise, husband Joe and three daughters from Cincinatti, have summered here their whole lives, and purchased the Maqua property once owned by Dick and Judy Pfahl that bordered their cabin last year. The Clancy family recently remodeled the little cabin into a stunning lakeside home with two of the huts from camp being utilized for storage and for grandchildren’s campouts. They have come full circle!