Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Wistful Wednesday : 1936 Lovelis Lake

1936 was the year that Far Guy’s Dad, Marvin was at The Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Lovelis Lake.  I wrote about our failed attempt earlier this week.
Lovelis Lake Camp from a display at Itasca State Park
I took a photo at a display at Itasca State Park.
We needed more info!
I contacted a Facebook friend, David a High School classmate.   He responded quickly to my plea for info.  He suggested getting in touch with his cousin Robert who hunts in that area.  Later that same day we found Robert and Far Guy got a better idea of where the camp was.  In the meantime fellow blogger and researcher extraordinaire Iggy located an Oral History of a fellow who was in the CCC’s at the same time and also emailed a fellow who had visited the camp at Lovelis Lake.
We deduced that the camp was between 1/2 and 3/4 mile from Highway 113 on Anchor Matson Road.   It ended up being 3/4 mile..and guess what we saw?
Lovelis Lake CCC Camp sign on road
Crap…we were dejected.   All this land belongs to the State but parts of it are leased.   Technically it is not private property...but…we are so close.
Far Guy pulled the car into the driveway to turn around and then I saw it.  Plain as day.
Lovelis Lake CCC Camp Chimney
The chimney that the Historical Marker mentioned.
Lovelis Lake CCC Camp
Back in there amongst those trees is where the camp used to be.  It is on the west side of the Anchor Matson road.
We headed over to Itasca State Park to get a season pass and to the visitors center.
Honor Roll
Itasca State Park is not open for the season yet, but they were having school tours so we were able to visit the CCC display.  We knew this list existed because cousins Bonnie and Wayne photographed it for us last year or the year before.  I also had a copy at the Hubbard County Historical Museum.  It lists all the name of the young men that worked in the park.
There was also a map.
IMG_8557
This time Lovelis is called Loveless.  This is the second known error in spelling.   This map also led to another adventure that I will relate someday soon.  That lake on the map just south of Lovelis Camp is really just a pothole, Lovelis Lake is North of the old CCC camp.
Finding Lovelis Lake CCC camp was not easy. We were lucky. You may say why was it important?  Only a few people know where these camps were, most of the CCC enrollees are dead.  It is a bit of history that we were able to figure out and leave behind for the next generation.
I am kind of enjoying retirement and being able to do whatever the day brings!
Blog Signature

17 comments:

linda m said...

I am so glad you were able to track the site down. Good detective work!

Nancy said...

Persistence pays off! I'm pleased that you and Far Guy saw the chimney and could see where the camp was located. It is vital to capture and to record family history. Nice job!

DJan said...

You are definitely persistent, and that's a very good thing for a historian like you to be. You will be leaving lots of information for the ones who call you Grandma, and more besides. Cool chimney, too! :-)

troutbirder said...

Great work! You and far guy get the History Detective of the Month award....:)

Leah said...

Yeah - a great find!

Primitive Stars said...

Wow!!!! So interesting, glad you found it. blessings Francine.

Ryker said...

This is interesting! I love a good adventure!

Cynthia said...

It's fun to solve a mystery and so glad you got to see the chimney. Is the list of workers available anywhere on line? I would like to check for a name.

Intense Guy said...

I'm very happy to see you found the chimney!! I am uncertain to what the "violators will be prosecuted" sign actually means - if it is even legitimate - but better safe (not trespassing) than sorry!

Did Far Guy feel any "vibes" of his forbears? :)

Red said...

You kept at this mystery until it was solved. Many others are interested in similar topics and they all pull together. I have an obsession about historical locations. A major trail from the 1800's crossed our farm. The trail holds many stories.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Cynthia, Not That I know of. Email me the name and I will look for it the next time we are up at the Park. That list is just for the CCC that worked in the Park on projects.

Jacqi Stevens said...

What? What?!?!?! Retirement? How did I miss that? No more museum, I take it. Well, I can see how May is a whole different world for you now :)

Yay for Iggy, who of course comes through again. Glad you found the camp. What a challenge. It's a good thing you finally saw that "plain as day" chimney. Funny how things can disappear in the woods...and then suddenly just pop right out.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Jacqi, I retired on March 31st!! I am not missing the museum at all it is only 40 degrees out...so that is about the temperature inside the museum:)

Cheryl @ TFD said...

This was an interesting read, I'm glad you found it! Retirement is great isn't it? I'll be glad when my hubby retires in a year or two. He's younger than I am, I wish I could swap ages with him. Enjoy your week!

Anonymous said...

What a trip and such memories! Glad you found the old camp.

Unknown said...

I have copies (on 35mm slides) of the Lovelis Camp in ca 1936 of photographs made by a medical corpsman assigned there. I plan to get them digitized before too long. Also if you do an online search for MN historical aerial photos, you should get overheads of the camp in 1939. Note: the aerial photos were intended to overlap for use on a stereoscope.

Anonymous said...

There is another chimney that tipped over just NW of the standing one, it’s hard to find.