Presbytery Point. Dalquist History.

Camp History
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Presbytery Point

By Janet Anuta Dalquist, C2004

The Land

The purchase of the land which is Presbytery Point is described by Presbyterian Elder and Menominee attorney Michael J. Anuta in a letter (undated, but written in 1996) to moderator Florence Morrison of the Presbytery of Mackinac:

The Rev. Nathaniel U. McConaughy of the Iron Mountain parish, the Rev. Elmer P. Gieser of the Ishpeming parish, and I were representatives of the Presbytery of Lake Superior in 1937 when we negotiated with Edwin M. Stensrud and Katherine M. Stensrud of Michigamme, Michigan, then owners of the land on which the point is located. It had been used as a camp for boy scouts and some other churches.

“The then Trustees of the Presbytery were E.S. Brice, W.H. Moulton and N.U. McConaughy, and title to the Point property was taken in their names as the actual Trustees of Lake Superior Presbytery….The consideration for the land was $9,000. There was an additional amount of something like $500 or $1500 for the few buildings on the land as “personal property” as they were former portable military units. We needed them and actually used them for some years.

“…The purchase price was paid…. $2,000 down and the remaining $7,000 with interest at 3% was paid July 1, 1941. The deed was dated July 1, 1937.”

The property was sited on a peninsula pointing from east to west in the middle of Lake Michigamme. The U.S. Geological Survey map of the Michigamme quadrangle shows the peninsula extending about eight-tenths of a mile across the upper portion of section 28 and bulging north into a portion of section 21. The land purchased by the Presbytery was at the very tip, about there-tenths of a mile in length and making a total of 29 acres.

The highest point of land was a field gently sloping to the west. The field was divided by a north-south row of trees. The land sloped also to the north shoreline and a bit more sharply to the south. On the north were woods and a rocky shore leading west to a bay, then a swampy area, and a shallow sandy, pebble beach. Rising from the water off the beach was a small rocky outcrop which was later named “Alcatraz.” From there, at the far west end of the north shoreline, glacial rocks rounded the tip of the peninsula and lined the southern shore.

Pine, spruce, fir, cedar, aspen, and birch lined the slopes to the lake shore and covered the flat western tip. Birch predominated the westernmost point of the peninsula.

The Buildings

A large lodge stood on the flat of the land west of the field. The frame building had a screened porch along the west and south sides. A huge rock fireplace dominated the north wall. There was a small room along the east end. Early photos show a sign “Fellowship Hall” over the east door of the lodge.

Contrary to Michael Anuta’s memory, the initial 6 cabins are believed to have been brought in from an old camp and cut in half. Various churches in the Presbytery held work days there, armed with hammers, saws, and nails the men would spend the weekend building and the women cooking to prepare the camp for their children.

The initial 6 cabins lined the southern edge of the lower field. A few years later a 7^th cabin was added along that row. In the late 1940’s cabins 8 and 9 were placed along the middle of the field west of the row of trees. The one-room white frame buildings had two six pane windows on each side of the cabin and on the front door. Two large screened windows stretched the full width of the back of the cabin. These could be covered by wooden shutters which were propped up during the camp season. Inside were metal bunk beds with link-springs and ticking mattresses stuffed with straw. The cabins were unfinished on the inside which allowed campers to use the 2 by 4 framing for shelves and protruding nails for hangers. The cabins were given names of trees: The Oaks, The Birches, The Pines, The Aspens, The Firs, The Spruce, and The Cedars.

A two-rut road ran from the eastern entrance of the camp along the north edge of the field, then the south side of the lodge, and, further, along the north side of the peninsula to the tip. There, at the “point” stood a 1930’s style summer home complete with living, dining, kitchen and bedrooms. A screened porch extended across the front which faced directly west. The cottage was named “Calvin Cottage.”

Preparations for a Presbytery Camp

Kitchen equipment was installed in the small room on the east end of the lodge. Two small cabins were in place in the woods along the south shore and west of the lodge to house cooking and maintenance crews. A pump house was built to bring water up to the kitchen area. In the early 40’s a “headquarters” was built near the south shore between the first cabin and the deep water swim area. This served as a bunkroom for the camp director, and, more importantly to the campers, as the camp store.

Halfway from the lodge to the “point” a path led to the south shore where a fire circle had been cleared for evening campfires.

At the “point” directly in front of Calvin Cottage a space was readied for a worship area. Larger trees were debarked, leveled off, and placed on flat rocks. These became the “pews.” During boys’ camp in 1940 Barney Roepcke worked with a group to build a rock pulpit. Their names were enclosed in a bottle in the center of the structure which was firmed with concrete. The pulpit bears the date, July 20, 1940. A birch bark cross was placed on the edge of the bank behind and to the side of the pulpit. The bank originally had a railroad tie and telephone pole retaining wall.

The Plumbing

The kitchen was the only area to have piped-in water. Off the kitchen on the north side was a porch which housed laundry sinks, and a wringer washing machine. Dished were washed by hand. At the back of the cabins were hung wash-basins. Campers used these and followed paths to the lake to wash faces and brush teeth. A path behind the cabins on the south shore led to a six-hole privy, fondly called “Egypt,” for the woman. A similar structure was built in the woods along the north shore for the men.

In the early 40’s a waist-high metal trough was constructed between the pump house and the east end of the lodge. A pipe extended full length over it with faucets on each side. This allowed many campers to wash at the same time. Those at the upper end got the hottest water! It is most likely that the run-off drained directly into the swampy area below.

In the 1940’s a shower was installed in the pump house. Only counselors were allowed to take hot showers there. Later, once a week, each cabin was permitted a one-day use. When the restroom-wash-shower facility was built in 1946 it was pure luxury for those who had attended earlier camps!

Of the water system and new toilet-shower facility Michael Anuta’s letter of 1996 states, “The Rev. Elmer P. Gieser contributed a great deal of time to this project. He had such a fine acquaintanceship and relationship with then actively operating mining executives that he obtained literally truckloads of materials, equipment and supplies during the time we were constructing the toilet-shower facilities and water system.”

The Waterfront

Just south of the lodge was a wooden and rock dock. Early photographs show a wooden rowboat. Around 1940 five or six Thompson round-bottomed wooden rowboats were purchased for campers and use. A raft with a diving board was anchored off the dock. This area was called the “deep side.” In the mid 1940’s a cement pier replaced the wooden dock. Younger swimmers used the sand and pebble beach area, “the shallow-side,” along the south shore. In the 1940’s a wooden dock extended into the lake on the east side of that beach and a raft was anchored between “Alcatraz” and the swimming area.

Early photos show a birch tree fence lining the bank of the deep-waterfront and small rocks delineating oaths from the south entry to the lodge and the parking area, which was just west of the lodge.

The Staff

Photographs show the first staff in 1937 included the Rev. Mr. Koning, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Berger (Escanaba), Rev. Mr. and Mrs. McConaughy (Iron Mountain), Mrs. Quimby (Menominee), Dr. Wolfe, and Miss Proctor. Others, whose surnames are not known, were “Art” and “Bettie.”

Very early, probably the second or third year after the property was purchased, Nat and Beulah McConaughy from Iron Mountain began serving as junior camp (4^th-6^th grades) directors. They continued in this capacity for over fifteen years. Various ministers from the Presbytery took over as junior high and senior high directors. Identified from photographs during the early period 1937-1943 are counselors Nancy Anuta (later Beauchamp), Sisters Carolyn and Isabel Biddle, Ann Decker and her daughter Frances (all of Menominee), Earle Harris (Escanaba), Jeanette Hunter (Iron River), Esther ? (Iron River), Jay Logan (Florence, WI), Hazel Losh (calumet), Alice and David McConaughy (eldest children of Nat and Beulah), Charlotte (?) McDowell (Menominee), Bob Maston, Dorothy O’Neill (Sault Ste. Marie), Dorothy Perine (Beulah McConaughy's sister), Barney Roepcke, Fred Steen (Munising), Janet Trestrail, Ursula Utley (Iron Mountain), and Gervaise “Gus” Zanotti.

Separate camps were held for the junior boys and girls, junior highs and senior highs. In the mid-1940’s high school juniors and seniors, serving as “junior counselors,” assisted the senior counselors. Staff during this period included those named above plus Marianne Anuta and daughter, Janet, Jane Decker, Carol Hostvedt, and Rev. David Buzza, all of Menominee and Rev. Paul Sobel (Iron Mountain).

The kitchen staff included head cook, Mrs. Smith from Iron Mountain and various assistants. A number of high-school and college-age kitchen helpers were hired to assist the main cooks.

During those early years Fred Isaccson served as camp maintenance person. He was fondly called “Uncle Ike” and endeared himself to staff and campers alike with his stories.

The McConaughy family served the camp in many ways. Programming was directed by Rev. Nat and Beulah served as camp nurse. Many campers will remember, not so fondly, having sore throats “painted” by her! The sons, David and John, worked in the kitchen and helped with grounds and building maintenance. They and Alice were excellent swimmers and served as life guards and swimming teachers. Mary Esther, the youngest “after-thought” of the family, became a sort of camp mascot. One early photo shows her at a salute during flag-raising.

Not actually on the staff, but surely important to the maintenance of the camp grounds, was Elmer Gieser of Ishpeming. He and his parishioners, being the closest congregation to the campgrounds, watched year-round over the general condition of the entire facility.

The Bell

In the early 1940’s an old school bell was given to the camp and installed near the director’s cabin/store. It roused the campers in the mornings and signaled the beginning of various activities.

The Program

Campers were awakened by the bell, washed faces, dressed, and prepared for “Morning Watch.” All staff and campers participated in this fifteen minute devotional for this purpose, but Bibles and notebooks were frequently carried to favorite spots—rocks on the shore, corners of the lodge, the dicks, or under a favorite tree.

A flag-raising ceremony every morning was frequently followed by calisthenics led by one of the counselors and with the appropriate protests and groans from the campers.

Each cabin had a work schedule for its campers. All campers were expected to make their own bed and tidy up their own space, but the schedule included such duties as sweeping the floor, picking up papers around the cabin, setting tables, serving those at their table, and washing and wiping dishes. Meals were served in “Fellowship Hall” where there was a table for each cabin in the east half of the large room. After breakfast time was allowed for cleaning up and then “classes” began. These included lessons on Bible, church, and faith and were taught by ministers, visiting missionaries, seminary students, and qualified lay-persons on the staff.

The swim period was always looked forward to. Photos show the changes in swimming fashions, but also the rafts, docks and diving boards. In the late 30’s and during the 40’s campers were not required to pass swimming tests. Safety was provided through the “buddy” system and the life-guard counselors or staff who patrolled the area in the rowboats.

An arts and crafts period was offered during the day. All week long campers were braiding leather lanyards, ankle and wrist bracelets, and bookmarks. One year leather moccasin kits were available and another year balsa wood boxes and exacto knives were used for carving. When the staff included an artist painting and drawing lessons were given.

During the lunch hour the camp director reported on cabin inspections. For a time white-painted fence posts next to the cabin steps attested to the cleanliness and work ethic of that cabin’s occupants. Colored stripes blatantly declared, “We earned gold—100%” or “We really are a scruffy bunch.”

Rest hour after lunch was required. This meant on your bunk and quiet. Although strictly enforced the time was often used to quietly plan for special activities.

Afternoons were given to more classes, recreation and swimming. Recreation was often a baseball game on the diamond in the upper field, or volleyball on the cinder court just west of the lodge. A favorite was steal-the-flag with goals on each end of the lower field but with the entire campground as fair territory.

Campers cleaned up for the evening meal. Afterwards there was free time until vespers. Vesper services were held at “Vesper point” in the birch grove at the very tip of the peninsula. An old piano on the porch of Calvin Cottage provided music for the hymn-singing and the camp director, usually a minister, preached the sermon. As the sun set in the most memorable feature of Presbytery Point.

Evenings after vespers were fun times of stunt or talent nights, skits, plays, campfires, and always, singing!

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Girl's Camp Staff - for 1938 or 1940
Back left to right: N.U. McConaughy, Iron Mountian; Carolyn Biddle, Menominee; Beulah MacConaughy; ?; Dorothy O'Neil, Soo; ?
Front left to right: Anne Decker, Menominee; Hazel Losh, Calumeut; Nancy Anuta, Menominee; Frances Decker, Menominee; Alice McConaughy

The Music

Today, in 1997, theologians and church musicians speak of “the peoples song” as being formative in church members faith. Oldtime Presbytery Pointers will remember the blue conference edition of the Hymnal for Youth and the red, yellow, and blue Fun and Folk Songs. Published in 1941 and 1942 these two songbooks were the campers’ songs at the Point. Many campers of that age can now sing from memory “Day is dying in the West,” “God, who touchest earth with beauty,” “I would be true,” “Temper my spirit, O lord,” We would be building,” and “Christ of the upward way.” The blue book served as an introduction to the official hymnal of the church and planted the roots of Reformed theology in the hearts and minds of the youth.

Fun and folk songs was a compilation of international songs edited by well-known musicians of the church, among them Margaret Crofoot and Lawrence Curry. In their foreword they quoted Schumann: “Listen carefully to all folk songs. They are a storehouse of beautiful melody, and unfold to the mind and innate character of the different peoples.” And so we sang “Vive la compagnie” and “Han Skal Leve” and “Came a riding.” We sang “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” and “I’ve been working on the railroad” and “Tell me why.” We learned foolish things like “The cannibal king” and “Do your ears hang low?” We learned the songs of the world’s people, and many of us still sing them.

Many small songbooks cam out of the international song movement and spearheaded by the Cooperative Song Service of the Cooperative Recreation Service in Delaware, Ohio. In a few years Westminister Fellowship Songs was published. The first song in that collection was the “Westminster Fellowship Hymn”(Youth at work are bringing gods own glory…”—so typical of the mood of the time). The book included the standard hymns (but did not include “Temper my spirit) and fun and folk songs such as “Green grow the rushes” and “The instrument song.”

Campers brought the songs home with them. They sang the familiar hymns during Sunday school and church and taught the fun songs to family and friends.

Special Activities

Stunt, skit, and talent nights were usually held at the west end of the lodge. Each cabin would present some carefully (and not so carefully) planned sketch. There was the repeated running up and down the circular stairway in “The lighthouse keeper’s daughter,” the black bow-tie: in the hair: “I cannot pay the rent,” as the moustache “but you must pay the rent,” and the necktie “I’ll pay the rent.” There was the shadow operation behind the back lighted sheet with boots, hammers, and fishing hooks retrieved from the patient’s innards. There were visitors who sang a duet of “Annie Laurie” and Alice McConaughy playing “twinkle, Twinkle little star” as Mozart, or Bach, or Beethoven would have done. There were serious piano solos and ballet by Ursula Utley. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” took many forms. All in all, campers learned to work together in a short time, to be innovative in selecting props, and to complete a project for enjoyment of the entire camp.

Campfires included marshmallow roasting and more singing. There were hikes from the camp out to the highway and up Mount Baldy. And once a week each camp group was shuttled by car to “Champion Beach.” This park, now Van Riper State Park, had a wonderful sand beach, a change house, a long cement pier with a diving board at the end, and a raft. There was a store with pop, and ice-cream, and popsicles—not available at the Point. A picnic lunch consisting of potato salad, beans, hot dogs, and “bug juice,” was served in the pavilion by the kitchen staff. The whole day was a special time for the campers.

Few will remember the excursions to the “ice-cave” behind Mt. Shasta, the roadhouse outside of Michigamme. This was an abandoned mine. A rickety ladder gave campers access to the mine entrance which was filled with ice and dripping water.

There were the usual fun and games involving subterfuge! These most often occurred at junior boys’ camp and involved snipe hunts, short-sheeting, or inter-cabin warfare. One summer the boys erupted in a pillow fight which moved outside of the cabin to the lower field. Nat McConaughy insisted that the boys collect each feather.

To the north of the Point was another camp, “Ketchawa” which owned canoes and sailboats. Frequently the boats, with colored sails, would sail silently by Vesper Point during evening services, and the boaters would respond to the campers songs by singing some of their own. Or, they would paddle quietly past, their canoes gleaming in the setting sun. A special recreation would be visiting that camp via the sailboats. And we would look with astonishment at their wooden tent platforms and canvas tents.

There were individual accomplishments which some campers treasure. Swimming across the lake from the deep side was one of these. Hiking the entire way back from Mt. Baldy was another. As one camper put it, “I was certain it was the tallest peak in the Midwest.” Girl friends or boy friends were another….a different one each summer. Being away from home for the first time was an accomplishment. Getting a letter or a package from home was a thrill. Karl Anuta, his first year at the Point, wrote a card to his folks: “Dear Folks, I am having a good time. Send me some candy so I can share it with my friends.” And being on the knowing side of the snipe hunt was always the better memory.

Special memories of the Point include the McConaughy’s rousing the campers early in the morning to view a great blue heron feeding in the swamp, the terrible taste of scrambled powdered eggs (during World War II years) for breakfast, the very special friends made, vespers—the sunsets and singing.