Sunday, May 4, 2014

CCC: Lovelis Lake

Back in April we finally got to read what the entire Historic marker at Missouri Lake said about the CCC Camp that Far Guy’s Dad was at in the 1930’s.

He used to talk about his time in the CCCs.  He planted Pine trees near the walk to the Headwaters.  They made roads and cleared trails.  He was at the Lake Itasca Camp and Lovelis Lake Camp and the Camp on the Hanna Ore Trail.  We know where the camp is on the Hanna Ore Trail very near the lake we call Bottomless Lake.  The foundation can still be seen.  We are now searching for the one that was near Lovelis Lake.

CCC marker at Missouri Lake

Here is that Historical Marker.

IMG_7859

Hopefully you can read the marker if you wish!  The important parts are : The Lovelis Lake Camp (S-57) was located about one mile north and slightly east of this marker.  Today all that remains of the camp itself are concrete foundations and a lone stone chimney.

Far Guy spent some time on Google Earth.  Finding Lovelis Lake was a Challenge…finally we found it under Lovelace Lake.  Someone was an idiot.

We took off to scout it out.

Lovelis Lake

This is Lovelis Lake.  Far Guy walked around in the brush and picked up some Deer Ticks…the tiny fast little buggers.  We were hoping that we could see the lone chimney that the historic marker mentioned.  No luck.  We drove around just looking on different trails.

Road signs

We finally saw three people working on a campsite, two knew nothing of the area and the other guy said it might be down at the T in the road.  We searched with no luck and finally headed toward home.Friendly woodspeople

On our way out we saw smoke, someone was having a campfire…but this was his sign.  We didn’t venture any further.  We decided that he was probably serious about being left alone..who knows who lives back there in the woods.   I will ask around.

My inclination now is to search for a better map of the location of Lovelis Lake Camp..or find some Hunters that know the area well.  No doubt someone with hunting experience in this area knows right where it is.

In the meantime we have done all we can do. 

Blog Signature

21 comments:

Red said...

This makes for a very interesting quest. I hope you find it.

Intense Guy said...

Going by the "mile north and little east" it would seem to be just off Anchor Mason Road near a roundish lake to the north.

http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/web5/media.php?pdf=1&irn=10219200 might interest you and Far Guy.

linda m said...

Very interesting. Hope you find the place.

DJan said...

My dad was in the CCC also. I guess many of a certain age were. It seemed like such a good idea to get young men working again. Deer ticks... ewww! :-)

Beth said...

A very interesting post!

Intense Guy said...

http://zemja-sojourn.blogspot.com/2012/10/when-tamaracks-turn.html father served in Lovelis too..

Cynthia said...

I have a relative who was in the CCC in northern Minnesota, too. Not sure which camp and he recently died so I can't ask him. Interesting to read the marker and I hope you are successful in finding the site of the camp.

Terry and Linda said...

What a fun thing to do! We have some really nice things here built by the CCC guys! I Thank them heartily for their hard work!!

♥ღLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

RURAL said...

You live in such a area of history...that's something that those in the city rarely have. Good idea to stay away from Mr. Signage...he sounds mean.

Jen

Ryker said...

Interesting adventure, I will stay tuned for part two!

Anonymous said...

Looks like a lovely place.

Pauline Persing said...

Tom and I found a logging camp at Hartwick Pines, a state park in Michigan. It was built by the CCC. There were some informative signs there, too. The signs explained about the CCC and also about the logging industry in Michigan. The work was done in 1934 and 1935. Sometimes the park has interpreters stationed there with additional information. Hope you find a hunter who knows where to find the site you are looking for.

Henny Penny said...

Very interesting. I had never heard of the CCC.

L. D. said...

The CCC was located over by the Grand Rapids area at the Forest History Center. I have not been there in 20 years or more. It is nice that they still remember them. One of our guides back then was still one of the youngster at the camp when it was running.

troutbirder said...

By small coincidence we attended a program on the CCC last week given by a retired Minnesota Historical Society guy. He focused on local camps after an overall history and pointing out the majority we in the North Woods doing conservation work. There were, however, sever here in our area mostly doing erosion control...

Jacqi Stevens said...

Ew, ticks! How did Chance escape when they got Far Guy?!?!

Interesting that you tried to locate that exact camp. I have a distant relative who worked on a CCC project in east Tennessee. Never thought about trying to find where, exactly, it was. Hope you can find it...and take lots of pictures :)

Far Side of Fifty said...

Chance watched out the window:)

Rita said...

The CCC was a wonderful thing! I hope FarGuy got rid of those ticks right fast! You guys have the most interesting quests. :)

Far Side of Fifty said...

That was really interesting Iggy! Many of the people he mentioned I knew...and the places he mentioned. Today we got another clue..so we might find it yet! :)

Linda Reeder said...

It's always interesting and special to walk in the footsteps of those in our families whocame before us. Good luck in your quest.
I guess the ticks know it's spring.

Leah said...

This is very interesting ~ I hope you can find it with the additional information you have been able to round up ~ small towns are great!