History of Lake Shore Park
 

Hello folks,

I'm a brand new member. These forums are wonderful. I have been reading the posts from McDude and Rattlesnake Girl, and I'm in awe of the knowledge they, and many others, have of the Lakes Region.

I'm one of the orginal members at Lake Shore Park (LSP), and have been collecting old postcards, photos, and maps for several years. I've begun to compile a "history" of LSP.

Several of you have posted pictures and postcards.. some of which I do not have. If it's OK with you guys, I'd like to send an email to several folks that have posted pictures and postcards to get permission to use them in my project. I will, of course, give full credit.

I'm also looking for any information anyone may have about the Lakeshore Inn that once was at LSP. I believe it burned down in the early 1900's. Any LSP information would be wonderful also.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Steve, my MIL spent every summer at LSP as a child. Her parents started out with a tent platform, and eventually built a small cabin there. She's 87 now, with a memory like a steel trap. Her very fondest memories are of her childhood and teen years at LSP, and she's got lots of great stories and information.

I'll pick her brain and get some info off to you as soon as I'm able. I may even be able to find some old photographs in the albums! :D

GravyBoat - fear not ... I won't pull out any photos of the shenanigans that went on up the road a piece! :laugh: That is, unless our cousin from Texas doesn't get busy and start posting here! :devil:

Wow!

Thank You.... all help appreciated! I started in LSP in 1973... It's a wonderful place.. and my plan is to try to preserve some of it's history for my kids and future generations..

I'd love to include anything you can send...

Steve

Steve:
The best source (of course!) is this website. Here's some info on Lakeshore Park from the Lakeshore RR thread.
(See the thread for "super-sized versions of the text)
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...karticle_6.jpg
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...karticle_7.jpg
Not to sound like a broken record, but, the best source for any Gilford historical information is Adair Mulligan's book, "The Gunstock Parish: A History of Gilford, NH. Pages 205-207 are devoted to Lakeshore Park with references found on five other pages. Photos are found of the Lakeshore Inn and the Pavilion.

Her opening words about the park goes something like this...

"The Lakeshore Inn and the Park on Belknap Pt. Road were perhaps the most extensive summer development on Gilford's Winnipesaukee shore at the turn of the nineteenth century. the property was originally known as Carr's Point after Richard Carr's early farmstead, which itself was frequented by travellers from Meredith Bridge bound for Alton or the seacoast. The Lakeshore RR under the urging of its' president, purchased the property, intending to create the most popular resort on the southern shore of the lake. The company envisioned a resort for primarily railroad employees, with an inn, pavilion, picnic area, tent platforms and a railroad station.........The Maid of the Isles stopped there twice a day and the Lady of the Lake four times a day.................."
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...horespring.jpg

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...eshorepark.jpg

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...inthepines.jpg

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...epavillion.jpg

The "Wee Hoose"
 

About ten years ago it was still there and still named the "Wee Hoose". That was my first trip up to Lake Winnipesaukee back in 1946 or 1947. The Wee Hoose belonged to Jim and Millie Foster, Scottish immigrants from Andover MA, who also started with a tent platform I believe in the 1920's and then grew into a "cottage". Uncle Jim and Aunt Millie were my mom's aunt and uncle, therefore my great-aunt and great-uncle, and of course "Wee Hoose" is the Scottish dialect for wee house, small house, and small it was.

I have little recollection of the stays there, except that Uncle Jim would sleep on an "L" shaped porch in the warm weather, and my Dad & I would join him when we came up. There was a "cooler" that was built into the floor right next to Uncle Jim's cot, and there was always some ice and an eyeopener in the cooler. And an eyeopener it was...Uncle Jim would reach down into that cooler and get an eyeopener for himself and wake up my dad and get him one too. Me....I had to go inside and get milk out of the icebox (truly an ice box, not a refrigerator.).

I can barely remember the beach, and swimming, but do remember walking around the park and it seemed like everyone knew everyone else.

I know there were dances at the Pavillion on Saturday nights, with kid's dances early, and then the kids would get put to bed, and the adults would take over. Teams of parents would go around and check on the kids to make sure they were alright. (used to do the same thing in our old neighborhood in Reading MA...adults at neighborhood cookouts in the summer and sledding on the hill on our street in the winter time). Of course, if parents did that sort of thing now, it would be called neglect and the kids would be taken away:eek: !

Uncle Jim and Aunt Millie are long gone, as are all the rest of the family, so that's about it for info from this end. This is where my user name comes from, because as a toddler, I couldn't say "Winnipesaukee", so I would simply say "Up the Saukee", and that phrase stuck.

Thanks for the history from your experiences at LSP and how your user name came to be. Good thing your pronunciation has improved.:eek:

Who say's it has? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Gee thanks Pepper
 

Go ahead, ya live by the sword and ya die by the sword:laugh: .

My pronunciation ain't never been no better and it ain't gettin' no worser, so if I ain't misunderstood none, then it ain't never gonna matter none! Right????:eek: (Yikes, I think I contracted a Yogi Berra virus:rolleye2: )

McDude, Upthesaukke,

Thanks for the response's

If either of you ever want to get into LSP for "memories" or pictures... let me know.. I'd love to show you folks around..

the old railroad station is now a 4 unit "motel" that we let out to members families... and I would love to go see if Upthesaukke's old place is sill there.

The pavillion still looks exacly like the old postcard mcdude posted.. and we still have dances every saturday night...

SteveA

Miss Lake Shore Park
 

While doing research for our pageant last year, I ran across a story about a bathing beauty pageant that used to be held there. The winner was called Miss Lake Shore Park. I'm sorry but I cannot recall where I ran across this article.

Miss LSP
 

MWSP,

I've been a member at LSP for thirty years... they started the contest back in the mid 60's...

It's not a "real" pagent type event... no talent or bathing suit. It's alot of fun for the young ladies... there are 2 divisions.. Miss and Jr. Miss. They get a chance to walk the runway.. and the hall is always full.

Really just a fun thing.

Thanks for the post!

That is interesting. I believe the story I saw was much older since the history I was working on at that time was the 1930's through the mid 1950's.

Well that may be correct.... I've been there since 73.... I'll ask some of the "old timers" at LSP
Thx SteveA

Short Beach
 

Hi All,

I am the newest of the newbies in this forum. I have been visiting this web site for many years, and I finally decided to join the forum so I can share my memories of the Lakes region and Lake Shore Park.

My dad purchased a tent platform for $50 at Lake Shore Park (LSP) the year I was born, 1943. Through the years the camp was improved until my family sold it in the early 1960's. The camp was located on the main road between the Pavilion and shoreline just west of "short Beach" in the "big pier area". McDude just posted today a post card of a man standing by a tree with Short Beach in the background. Our camp was situated about 50 feet to the right from where the man is standing. Somewhere in the family archives there is a photo of me at 5 months sitting on a blanket on short beach. In the background you can see the raft with diving tower sitting on the beach. It appears that the raft was not launched that Summer, probably needing repairs. I think the raft with tower was moored just off "short beach" in the Big Pier area.

There is another picture of me sitting in our Amesbury Dory boat with a 7-1/2 HP Scott Atwater outboard motor at Short Beach. My younger brother looks to be about two years old in the photo, so the year must have been 1947.

I have so many memories of me spending my Summers when I was growing up at Lake Shore Park. There were so many kids to hang out with. We had the "Big Pier Crowd' and the "Long Beach Crowd" of kids. We spent a lot of time together on the waterfront making rafts, playing water baseball, playing hide and seek on and under the Big Pier, fishing, tubing, and later when we were teenagers, we spent a lot of time waterskiing.

In an earlier post in this thread SteveA made reference to the Miss Lake Shore Park beauty contest starting in the early 1960's. It actually started earlier than that, in the 1950's. Two winners that I can remember, Donna DeGroot and Peggy Weeks went on to win the Miss Winnipesaukee pageant held at Irwin's Winnipesaukee Gardens at the Weirs. I think Jerry Donahue's sister won the Miss Winnipesaukee Pageant prior to Donna and Peggy winning it.

We all had a lot of fun at the LSP Pavilion in the evenings. During the week we danced to the music coming from an old Seeburg Juke Box that played 78 RPM vinyl records. Later we went big time when a newer Seeburg holding 100 45 RPM records replaced the old Seeburg 78 RPM machine.

I learned to dance on the Pavilion floor. Saturday Night there was usually a live band for the adults and Johnny Coyle mc'ed the festivities for many years. He eventually became one of the first presidents of the Lake Shore Park Association.

The Jones Family owned the Park when I was young. Frank and Doris Jones ran the main part of the Park with the store and Pavilion. Frank's brother, George helped Frank run his end of the Park. Frank Jones' other brother, Harry and his wife, (I think her name was Blanche) ran the eastren end of the Park. Thet had a little restaurant in the old LSP railroad depot which was later turned into a motel in the late 1950's. my parents and older brotherused to take my brother and I to the restaurant for a coke and a hot dog.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will post many more of my memories of growing up at LSP in the Summer.I have a couple of large reels of color 8mm home movies that my dad took in the late 1940's and early 1950's at LSP.
I should look into getting these movies preserved on to a DVD. The Gilford Historical Society would love to have these, I bet.

Shot Beach Photo
 

My familie's camp was located about 50' to the right of where the man is standing by the tree. My dad bought it from Harold Holmes in 1943 for $50. It was a tent platform with walls at that time. I was a couple of months old when he bought the camp.

WOW!

I'm a newbie to... welcome

Carguy.... boy do I want to talk to you... I'd love to see any old pics you have of LSP...

mcdude is incredible... he has more local info to the "west side" of the big lake...

Be sure you look up his other posts on the Lake Shore railroad...

upthesaukie is another great reference for LSP... ask him about the Wee House!

Thanks for posting...

Contact me if you ever want to come into LSP to revisit old memories..


Thx SteveA

present Day LSP
 

carguy,,

Some of the family names you mention... Donohue, DeGroot are still in LSP.

I sent you an e-mail with even more names of the oldtimers...

SteveA

Lake Shore Inn
 

SteveA:

I can remember in the early 1950's some of the remains of the foundation of the Lake Shore Inn were hidden in the tall grass and brush just to the left of the entrance road to LSP, the leg of the road which would be closest to the present day marina.

The Spring House was still standing in the early 1950's and that would have been located about 100 yards into the woods behind where the foundation was for the Lake Shore Inn. In the 1950's everyone in the Park got their fresh drinking water from the artesian well hand pump on the side of the pavilion.

Across the street from the LSP entrance road (Rte 11, now Scenic Dr.) there was a yellow farm house and property that was part of the Lake Shore Park land owned by the Jones Family. A tenant farmer named, Burt Wadleigh, operated the farm. I can remember getting earthworms from his pig pen for fishing bait. Burt was an old character, and I remember that my dad used to walk out and shoot the bull with Burt.

The dump (landfill) for Lake Shore Park was located a few hundred yards behind this farm house. They had a dump fire there in the late 1950's which started a small forest fire. To the right of the farmhouse heading west down present day Scenic Dr. there was an old barn with a tin roof. This barn was used as storage for furniture that campers moved out of their tent platforms for the Winter months. I can't recall if the barn is still there for I have not been up to the Lakes Region in about five years. I need another nostalgia trip to Lake Shore Park to get the memory lobes in my brain regenerated. It is funny how I can remember this stuff when I cannot remember what I had for dinner last night.

In speaking of the Lake Shore Inn and the Lake Shore Park entrance there used to be a big sign at the entrance to the park. By the style of the artwork depicting a bather diving into the lake on the sign, it must have been erected in the 1920's. The sign had incandescent lights attached to it, but I cannot ever recall seeing it lit at night. The bulbs were usually broken and the lights were in a state of electrical disrepair.

On the northeast corner of the LSP entrance road and then Rte 11 was located the Butternut Lodge and Cabins. This property was eventually bought by George Spanos and Wally Rugg when they purchased the Park. I think they bought the Park in 1959, but I could be corrected on this date.

I delivered ice and picked up trash in the Park for the Ruggs during their first year of ownership. I drove a beatup old 1947 International Pickup truck with the driver's door removed for easier access. In August of 1960 Gerna Magnuson let me start working in the LSP Store, so I was done with the ice and trash removal routine. Now I was able to serve Amand's delicious coffee rolls and other baked goods, drink lots of cold "tonic" from the old spin wheel soda bottle dispenser, and make a $1.00 per hour. Armand LePage was the baker there for many years. During the off season he was the baker at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH.

Great info... from carguy
 

copied and pasted with permission from carguy...

Steve:

Our camp was located across the street from Frank Cook's camp on the shoreline side of the road. It was colored white with blue trim for many years. Yes, I know Frank passed away. We all knew him as "Buster" Cook. I hear that Jean Cook passed away before Frank.

Here is one for you. I work at Putnam Ford Mercury in Putnam, CT, www.putnamfordmercury.com, My owner’s name is Richard Place and his sister, Judy, is married to Randy Cook. Small world isn’t it.

Here is a photo of a boat that was in the forum:



I believe that this boat in later days was owned by Frank Cook. It’s name was Old Smoothie. It was a beautiful Lake Boat with a long forward deck. This has to be the boat, for there were not too many of this particular style boat on the Lake. Frank ended up selling the boat to Harrah’s Antique Car Museum in Reno, Nevada. I was able to see the boat on display at Harrah’s in September 1969 when I visited the Museum. There was a small sign on the boat which made reference to the previous owner being Frank Cook from Gilford, NH.

Frank was big into old boats. He had a Miss Winnipesaukee stored for years in his barn on Scenic Dr. I understand that his sons restored it a few years ago. This must be it here:



The only other Miss Winni that I am aware of in existence is one that Jackie Irwin owns. I have a lot to add to the forum about old classic boats. I was a member of the Antique and Classic Boat Society New England Chapter. Here is a photo of my last classic boat that I had on the Lake in the mid 1990’s. I kept it at Fay’s Boat Yard.



The above photo was taken at Wolfeboro in 1995. The boat was in the process of being restored. She was a 1952 42’ Chris-Craft Double Cabin Flying Bridge Cruiser named Grumpy Ol’ Men. I eventually sold the boat in 1999 and the new owner had it moved to Nashville, TN on the Cumberland River.


Lots of good stuff to come later.

Regards,

Bill Clarke

Picture from the previous post
 

here are the pictures

Lsp
 

Sounds like we LSP alumni have much in common!

My mother (who would be 75 this year) spent her childhood summers there and remembers pitching s tent way back when. Her grandparents went there and I believe they were the ones who started the journey north for many of us.

One of my brothers (10 years my senior) told me a story about how he and some of his summer buddies went up to the Pavillion to the old water pump and had a contest -- who could drink the most Dixie Cups of water. He downed 72 -- I believe he won. ;-)

LSP has many memories for me -- we left in the late 60s
/early 70s and I still miss it, even though we are now down the road a piece. (I'm told I said my first word while in a playpen on the beach.) We were a few cabins down from Ellacoya, right on the beach.

What great childhood summers!

Gravy

Lake Shore Park Memories
 

Gravy Boat:

I remember they had a dixie cup dispenser mounted on the wall of the pavilion front porch near the store entrance. It cost 1 cent for a dixie cup. That artesian well water from the pump was terrific tasting water, long before the days of Poland Springs bottled water.

Just this past week I sent two 6" 8mm movie reels off to get made into DVD's. One of the reels was labled Lake Shore Park 1948, and the other one was LSP 1952. I have not seen them in years. My father was the cinemaphotographer. When I get the DVD's back, I plan on editing them and getting together with SteveA for a showing, possibly at the Park.

Speaking of the pavilion front porch, that is where the phone booth was located. Back in the 1950's, that was the only phone that I can remember being in the Park besides the business phone in Doris Jone's office. Can you imagine getting along all Summer without a phone? especially these days when everyone in the family over 12 years old has a cell phone. Oh, yes those were the simple days.

In 1959 my parents bought the Hamel cabin which was located down near the waterfront in the area of the flagpole. It was one of the first cabins with a built-in toilet. Back in those days everyone "went over the hill" to the "john".

As I am writing this it is a beautiful clear cool Summer morning here in Connecticut. It reminds me of a late Summer Saturday morning at LSP. I can smell Armand LePage's coffee rolls right now. Those were the best tasting coffee rolls.

Lake Shore Park Inn
 

Hi Steve

This is the only picture of the Lake Shore Park Inn I have ever seen.
Built around 1890. Burnt in 1910

Mike C. from Long Beach LSP

Mike

Thank You.... I hadn't been able to find any pictures.... that is fantastic!

Steve

Lake Shore Park Inn
 

Mike:

Thanks for posting the picture of the Lake Shore Park Inn. My memory has been rejuvinated for I recall seeing this picture in the past. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, I recollect as a kid seeing the remains of the foundation of that inn just to the left of the Lake Shore Park entrance.

LSP Pavilion
 

Hi

Attached is a picture of the Pavilion pre 1900

Mike

Train Station LSP
 

Hi again

I think most people have seen this one. If not enjoy.

Mike C

Pavilion Pre-1900
 

Mike:

I had not seen the two photos of the Pavilion pre-1900. When was the Pavilion built? in the 1890's?. I sure would like to pin it down to a specific year. I spent a lot of time in that building when I was young. I worked in the store, had fun dancing and attending events, and stayed in the building using it as a haven from hurricines and big storms.

LSP Pavillion
 

Acording to Adair Mulligan's book, "The Gunstock Parish: A History of Gilford, NH.
Mike is exactly correct. It burned down in 1910.

great pics...

Thanks SteveA

Pavillion is still there
 

Sorry to confuse...

Lake Park Inn burned.. Pavillion is still there and looks remarkably like the old photo's... most of the trees in the picture are gone.. but the building really looks pretty much the same

SteveA

Gas Dock
 

Hi Carguy

I think the Pavilion was built in 1891

You must remember this one!!

It's long gone. Maybe Steve remembers when it closed up.
I've been here 27 years. It was gone about that time.


Mike C

LSP Marina Store and Gas Dock
 

That picture is circa 1961-1962. It was taken at the marina store and gas dock at Lake Shore Park when the marina was first in operation. My younger brother, Conrad Clarke, and Don Smith were the attendants that ran the store and pumps. It looks like Wally and Phyllis Rugg's pontoon boat behind the Lyman. They had the first pontoon party boat at the Park.

Long Beach
 

Carguy

Here's one before your time. Long Beach LSP
By the look of the cars its from the 1930's.
No camps at that time. Only tenters.

Mike C

Long Beach Post Card
 

i remember when those old postcards of the Park were sold in the Lake Shore Park Store. They even had some panorama views. McDude would go nuts if he could get his hands on all the different cards they ofered. I must admit that I have seen many of them in this forum, mostly uploaded by McDude.

I should be receiving my DVD's this week that were made from the 8mm movies that my Dad took at the park from 1947 onward. I have the raising of the flagpolle at the Park on video. There is a brass placque on the flagpole which dates this event. Someone please check it out for me. I think the date is 1949 when they added the flag pole on the Long Beach side of the Hawes cabin.

Post Card and Brochure
 

LSP from Kimballs castle, I don't know what the buliding is in the foreground.

Barn Maybe?

Attachment 876

These are front and back of an old brochure... 60's I think..

Attachment 877

Attachment 878

SteveA

Lake Shore Park from Kimball's Castle
 

Steve:

The barn and buidling in the foreground are the old Chanticleer Inn. I don't remember the barn being there in my time, but my first job was as a dishwasher at the Inn in 1958.

The brochure is from the early 1960's. The Ruggs and Spanos' came up with the logo of the "L" with the long tail. I can't recall what year exactly the the Spanos/Ruggs team took over management of the Park. it was either 1959 or 1960. Gerna Magnuson would remember that for she managed the store at that time.

Great stuff you guys! Thanks for taking the time to scan and post. The old R.R. station card was originally posted by lakegirl (frequent contributor to photopost) but then it must have been deleted because I can't find it anywhere. I'm very surprised we haven't heard lakegirl chime in on this post as she "hangs out" somewhere near Lakeshore Park. Lakegirl?

.....and boy was the place hopping yesterday with the big Triathalon...looked like there were thousands of participants and onlookers. Quite the event.

Hi

Another old post card from Long Beach. ( MY favorite spot a LSP )

Mike C

LakeShore Park
 

That is a nice photo of Long Beach. I am a new member(today) and I have loads of old memories of LSP. I spent the first 21 Summers of my life at LSP (1934-1955). Our cabin was at the end of Long Beach near what is now Ellacoya SP. We were the 4th cabin from the fence. My parents first built a board floor, which I don't remember, and wooden walls with a canvas roof, which I do remember. Finally, my dad put a wooden roof on around 1940. I believe that all had to do with the Jones' keeping their property tax bill as low as possible. My sister won the "Miss Lake Shore Park"contest at the pavilion around 1948 and then 2nd place in the "Miss Winni" contest at Winnipesaukee Gardens. I've been living on the West Coast for 45 years, so I don't get back to NH to often. "No-Mo-Shun" was the name of my Class B stock utility racer which I kept on the beach in front of our cabin. I will be back to talk about baseball, boating and all sorts of fun times at the lake