Part 11: America Loves to Travel
The Grove Society is planning a special event on Sunday, August 28th at
Leonard-Lake Leota Park, which will feature the park, the Evansville Tourist
Camp, and the cars that traveled on U.S. Highway 14 (designated U.S.
National Park Highway) from Chicago to Evansville and on to the Black
Hills, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.
A special invitation is extended to owners of vintage vehicles that would
have been on the roads at the time of Evansvilles Tourist Camp, 1920s
through the 1940s. Please contact Lee Stock,
[email protected] or
Jennifer Ehle 608-302-1722, if you are interested in participating. Owners of
vintage vehicles--and the public--are invited to come to the park on August
28th for this event.
There will be articles in the Evansville Review for the next several months
explaining the reason for the August 28th event and providing historical
information about the Paid Tourist Camp, the tourist cabins and LeonardLake Leota Park.
The Tourist Camp and tourist cottages
The City of Evansville began providing space in 1921 for tourists to camp,
prior to the addition of the cottages in 1936. Several articles from the
Evansville Review summarized the rich history of the Paid Tourist Camp and
the cottages.
In 1921, members of the Evansville Commercial Club started discussing
designation of a camping place for tourists, so they would have a positive
experience while traveling around Evansville. A lease was secured on the
Pullen lots just east of the City Park to accomplish this goal. The grass was
cut for cars to park and running water, tables, seats and accommodations was
installed for men and women. A security man was provided to be in charge
of the park both day and night.
Frank Wilder, custodian, reported in an August 27, 1925 article that the
tourists were well pleased with the camp and its conditions. Over 200
foreign cars had stopped at the park for lunch and over 100 cars had camped
all night, some for two nights. Five cars of gypsies, one car of drunks, and
two cars of undesirables had been asked to leave the premises.
By October 8, 1925, Wilder reported that the Evansville Tourist Camp had
one of its best years in its history between April 2nd and October 3rd. 110 cars
had visited the camp from Chicago, Illinois with the remainder of the
tourists from 29 states and London, England, Vancouver, British Columbia,
and the Canal Zone. On September 5th, there were 32 cars in the Camp,
including seven Buicks, which was the largest number of cars at any one
time.
In early May 1926, the park commission made several improvements in the
city park and tourist camp that spring. The roads around the circle drive
were widened and cindered, so that two-way traffic was possible. The low
places in the tourist camp were filled in and the roads were raised up several
feet. New toilets and lavatories were built at the tourist camp, which would
make them superior to those already in the city park. The kitchen was filled
with steel siding, which added to its appearance and comfort.
Plans were underway by several organizations to plant about 200 trees in the
park around the Tourist Camp. The organizations were the Lions Club, The
Izzak Walton League (an early national conservation league), Commercial
Club, and the Community Club. Arbor day, the 7th of May, was the
designated date to plant the trees. The above-mentioned organizations
planned to finance the project with the aid of the city council, who had
consented to donate any sum up to $50, providing a like sum was raised by
popular subscription. The organizations planned to plant elms, Norway
maples, pines, and fruit trees.
In September 1929, the Second Battalion of the Third Field Artillery of the
regular United States army, with 350 men, 320 horses, and 45 mules,
returned and set up camp while traveling from Sparta at Camp McCoy to
Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Major Tyndall was quoted as saying that his men
thought the Evansville tourist park was one of the best campsites his men
had ever occupied.
The military unit camped on the park baseball diamond. Within an hour of
its arrival, a small city was built. There were streets lined with canvas tents,
a parade ground, stables, camp kitchens, and a row of three officers tents set
up facing the lake. Later that afternoon and evening, the soldiers frequented
local businesses in town, including barber shops and the theater.
In May 1936, four cottages were purchased from L.C. Laughery and moved
to Lake Leota Park. There were two double and two single cottages, all
nicely furnished. The double cottages were described as suitable for a
family with children, while the other two cottages were single units. Tourists
could rent a cabin from the City for $20 a week in 1936. [Previously,
Laugherys cottages had been located at North Madison Street.] In the park,
the cabins were placed north of the kitten ballpark under the shade of several
trees.
Several tennis courts were ready for usage in the park by May 1936. The
work had been completed by W.P.A. workers and supervised by Mr. R.J.
Antes. There was a small tennis court in the upper park, one large court in
Leota park and a second large court a short time later. The lights and water
were turned on in the park in mid-May. Mr. and Mrs. Scott planned to be on
ground to handle the concessions at Leota park.
During the 1950s, tourists wanted running water and toilet facilities, which
resulted in a decline in rentals of the cottages. The double cottage with the
cement steps became the Recreation Office for the Park. Later, the building
was used for storage, then became neglected.
The Girl Scouts were using some of the cottages in the 1960s for their
summer activities. In August 1983, concerns were voiced about the physical
condition of all the cottages, which were in a state of disrepair. Varco-Pruden
of Evansville offered to construct a 10x24 foot metal building in the park for
the purpose of storing equipment, which reduced the need for the Recreation
Office.
Members of the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission toured the
cabins in August 1983 and determined that only one of the cottages should
be retained: the building located farthest to the east with the concrete front
porch. The Commission suggested that the building to the west be used
either for a gazebo or band shell. The other shacks were offered to anyone
who desired them for the cost of their removal.
Please contact Jennifer Ehle (contact information listed below) if you have
more information about the Tourist Camp and the cottages. Some of her
questions are: Does anybody know how the cottages were furnished? To
where were the cottages moved? Who moved the cottages? Do any of the
cottages still exist?
Similar cottages still exist along Highway 14. DanStephansrecentlyspent
timeinPierre,SouthDakotaattheSouthDakotaHistoricalSocietyandin
Springfield,orSleepyEye,MinnesotaonU.S.Highway14,whichiswhere
thisphotographwastaken.Thebrightlypaintedcottagesareverysimilarin
designtothecottagenamedAntesCabinatLeonardLakeLeotaPark,
Evansville.
The Antes Cabin was moved from its previous site by the swimming pool
due to concerns about vandalism. It was moved to land leased from the city
to The Evansville Grove Society, 15 Antes Drive. The cabin is owned by the
city. It is now located beside the Grove Society Museum at the entrance to
the Leonard-Lake Leota Park.
The Evansville Grove Society is the local historical society museum for
Evansville. The Society was responsible for the slab and block foundation
on which the cabin sits, as well as the brick patio in front of the Museum.
Much of the restoration work was paid for by a grant from the Antes Fund
received by the city. The labor was completed by a group of dedicated
volunteers associated with The Grove Society. The wood sign Antes Cabin
has been retained and hangs inside the cabin.
In spring 2016, an Evansville resident expressed interest in completing the
restoration and furnishing of the Antes Cabin. Several community members
agreed to serve on a committee to determine the future course of action.
Three people were personally involved in the original restoration of the
building, when it was initially moved to the Societys grounds: Kolleen
Onsrud, Cheryl Fuchs, and Steve Culbertson (President of the Evansville
Historic Preservation Commission). The fourth person, Dan Stephans, is an
architect and a member of the Wisconsin Historic Preservation Commission
and the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, who has previous
work experience at the Capitol and Frank Lloyd Wrights residence Taliesen
in Spring Green, Wisconsin.
Berny Simon, Scout Master of the Evansville Boy Scout Troop 514, has
attended some of the Grove Society meetings for restoration and furnishing
of the Antes Cabin. The troop is interested in helping the Grove Society
restore and furnish the cabin. The troop will also be responsible for planning
and serving food from the Park Store during the August 28th event.
Please contact the Evansville Grove Society (attention Jennifer Ehle) if you
are interested in volunteering to assist with the August 28th event at
Leonard-Lake Leota Park or restoring an/or furnishing the Antes Cabin.
The Grove Society Museum is open on Saturdays, 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.
Several new exhibits are on display for this summer. In honor of Memorial
Day, there is an exhibit on Evansvilles Men and Women who responded to
their Countrys Call to Arms, which will continue through mid-June. The
Museum has an extensive collection of photographs pertaining to Summer
time in Evansvilles Parks, 1900s to the present, which will compliment the
August 28th event on America Loves to Travel. The Prudhon family and
the Museum are preparing a special exhibit in July regarding Pruden
Products and its role in the Worlds Fair.
Contact Val Eaton (phone 608-490-1211, [email protected]) or Jennifer Ehle,
if you desire an alternate date or time to visit the Museum or you have items
that you would like to loan or donate to the Museum for the abovementioned exhibits.
Written and compiled by Jennifer Ehle, cell phone 608-302-1722,
[email protected]
28May2016
