~ THE MELROSE TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY PARK ~
and
~ MEMORIALS AND SIGNS AROUND WALLOON LAKE ~
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Please do not copy the photos on this site, many of which have been submitted by private individuals...
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
The design and compilation of the text and photos on this site are copyrighted 2014.
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
The design and compilation of the text and photos on this site are copyrighted 2014.
Melrose Township Community Park
(Across from the Public Beach)
2014
(Across from the Public Beach)
2014
Photo Credit: Odalaigh
In The Beginnings of the Melrose Township Community Park...
Photo Above: This was the scene of the Melrose Township Park location even before it was a park, in 1936, the date stamped on the photo for photo processing. The Spaldings were building the large storage garage beside, and slightly to the side, of their home (not in camera's view), the previous Sunset Lodge, at The Foot. The building was in the back of the Walloon Lake Post Office seen in the photo above. The road in the distance just went over the dam, heading toward Boyne City. The wood log fence always separated the Spalding/Renwick property from the Township Park area. Several of the many trees in the area to become the park looked to be birch trees. The property was not yet a park, as the Quit Claim Deed from various parties in 1938 as noted below had not yet happened.
The Walloon Lake Post Office was located in the little building in the background on the above photo at least in the 1950's until 1958, maybe longer. Does anyone know the dates that the post office existed in this particular building? |
The property itself did not exist as a Melrose Township Park until the Summer of 1938 when various property owners each Quit Claim Deeded the property to the Township of Melrose to be used as a township park. Some of the property owners' names were: The Family of Charles Mayer, Sr., The Family of Josephine Walden, Grace Jordan Cawthra, and Alfred E. and Rose Hass. The parties all agreed that the use of the above said described property would be restricted as follows:
1. That it shall never be used for a camping ground.
2. That no house trailers of any nature or description shall be permitted in the park at any time EXCEPT that trailers may be permitted in the park for use in building up and taking care of it.
3. That no sale of hard liquors, wine, or beer, shall ever be permitted on the premises.
4. That the present course of Bear River shall never be changed.
1. That it shall never be used for a camping ground.
2. That no house trailers of any nature or description shall be permitted in the park at any time EXCEPT that trailers may be permitted in the park for use in building up and taking care of it.
3. That no sale of hard liquors, wine, or beer, shall ever be permitted on the premises.
4. That the present course of Bear River shall never be changed.
Photo Below Left: In the background of the Veteran's Memorial Roll of Honor for WWII at the Walloon Lake Community Park is the Public Bathing Beach bathhouse (built by the WPA). Mary Erb knows that those workers also changed the course of North Shore Drive as it leads over the Seven Hills heading north. In about 1939, Mr. Scully paid the workers to have the road moved and made straight in an area near his property.
Another group of workers during the same timeframe was the Civilian Conservation Corps, such as Camp Wolverine in nearby Chandler Township. According to Muhqua Nebis A Compilation of Legends of Walloon by Dorothy Munson Krenrich published by Walloon Trust on page 45: "The Civilian Conservation Corps mapped the lake during the winters of 1928-1929. The map shows the area of the lake to be 4,320 acres and maximum depth 100 feet. Approximately 25% of the total surface area has water over 50 feet deep, while about 40% of the lake is shoal which is less than 15 feet deep. Sand, gravel, rubble and marl form the bottom in the shoal areas. Marl and clay underlie the deeper water. The main inlets are Schoof's and South Arm Creeks."
Another group of workers during the same timeframe was the Civilian Conservation Corps, such as Camp Wolverine in nearby Chandler Township. According to Muhqua Nebis A Compilation of Legends of Walloon by Dorothy Munson Krenrich published by Walloon Trust on page 45: "The Civilian Conservation Corps mapped the lake during the winters of 1928-1929. The map shows the area of the lake to be 4,320 acres and maximum depth 100 feet. Approximately 25% of the total surface area has water over 50 feet deep, while about 40% of the lake is shoal which is less than 15 feet deep. Sand, gravel, rubble and marl form the bottom in the shoal areas. Marl and clay underlie the deeper water. The main inlets are Schoof's and South Arm Creeks."
Melrose Township WWII Veterans Memorial
Located in the Melrose Township Public Park across the roadway from the Walloon Lake Public Beach
The bronze plaque on the Veteran's Memorial, honoring Melose Township WWII veterans,
was made by Walloon Lake resident Burt Burns. The stone work was completed by Clare Bates.
was made by Walloon Lake resident Burt Burns. The stone work was completed by Clare Bates.
Frank Burns' daughter Barb has kept memorabilia from when her father created the plaque of the military memorial. She has submitted the photo below of the leftover letters that were used in the title of the plaque as seen just below left of Barb's photo. Barb remembers having spent many hours playing with the letters when she was little. The letters resurfaced recently when cleaning out her mom's house after Mildred Burns died in the last few years. Barb wishes that her boys, and grandkids could have played with the letters too for tradition's sake.
~ Walloon Lake's Melrose Township Park
Memorializes and Salutes Their Military ~
Memorializes and Salutes Their Military ~
"Military Veterans Buried in Melrose Township Cemetery"
Sponsored by G.T. Lasater - Retired Sheriff Assisted by: Cub Scout Pack 53
Sponsored by G.T. Lasater - Retired Sheriff Assisted by: Cub Scout Pack 53
Although Alva Franklin Starr, father of Ken Starr, is listed on this new memorial, Ken who served in WWII and was on Pearl Harbor the day it was bombed, is not listed on this memorial. Ken is buried in the Melrose Township Cemetery (aka Maple Hill Cemetery or Clarion Cemetery) right beside his father Alva. Ken's name was perhaps omitted, because he did not pass away until 2014 (as shown on his obituary), and the plaque may have been prepared before then.
Melrose Township. — Chas. A. Pease, Lewis Margerum, Malcolm Rice, Samuel P. Lord, John Vansaw (see obituary below), Qrson V. Holly, Frank W. Jones, Rufus H. Carley, Freling H. Potter, James R. Hass, William Jones, Wm. C. Niles, John F. Sheatsley, Benj. Bucher, Joseph B. Jordan, Stephen D. Stone, John E. Pritchard, Harmon A. Bixby, Thomas J. Baughman, John Jones, Charles Duell, John E. Darrah.
The 9 January 1954 Petoskey Evening News Walloon Lake Correspondent Elver Carroll reported about the Walloon Lake bath house (shown in the 2014 photo below):
"A face lifting job is being done on the bath house in the Melrose Township Park. F.E. Burns and Co. are the beauticians charged with the repair of sagging logs."
"A face lifting job is being done on the bath house in the Melrose Township Park. F.E. Burns and Co. are the beauticians charged with the repair of sagging logs."
Michigan Historic Site Sign ~ Hemingway at Walloon Lake
10 January 1949 Life magazine article titled "A Portrait of Mister Papa" mentions Ernest Hemingway's love of Walloon Lake on page 94.
In November of 1968, the "Windemere" cottage of Ernest Hemingway near Horton Bay on Walloon Lake
was officially named as a national historic landmark.
was officially named as a national historic landmark.
National Landmark
“'Windemere'
Ernest Hemingway Cottage
has been designated a
Registered National
Historic Landmark
under the provisions of the
Historic Sites Act of August 21, 1935.
This site possess exceptional value
in commemorating or illustrating
the history of The United States
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
1968”
“'Windemere'
Ernest Hemingway Cottage
has been designated a
Registered National
Historic Landmark
under the provisions of the
Historic Sites Act of August 21, 1935.
This site possess exceptional value
in commemorating or illustrating
the history of The United States
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
1968”
Hemingway Now Resting at Circle Park at the Foot of Walloon Lake
The 10 September 2021 Charlevoix Courier reported: "New Hemingway sculpture idea was born decades ago in Cuba." A bronze sculpture of Hemingway by sculptor George Lundeen, a resident of Loveland Colorado, created "The Old Man and the Cat" sculpture of Hemingway with one of his many 6-toed cats from Hemingway's Cuba-Days. The sculpture first sat outside of Knox Gallery in Harbor Springs for many years [photo above right]. In 2021 the sculpture has a new home in Walloon Lake's Circle Park right along M-75 [photo above left]. This spot is in the near area of the railroad spur from Petoskey in 1899 which was a part of the transportation stream which brought Hemingway (three months old) from their Chicago home to a steam launch to take them to their Windemere Cottage location.
The 14 April 2023 Petoskey News Review reported that 12 park projects in Charlevoix County had been approved by the Charlevoix County Commission. Melrose Township Park will receive $9,804.
Proposal for Artificial Lake
Between Walloon Lake and Petoskey on Bear River
(To Be Almost as Large as Walloon Lake)
1965
Between Walloon Lake and Petoskey on Bear River
(To Be Almost as Large as Walloon Lake)
1965