[carguy]

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.