The Council Room

[Harry Sloan]

Does anyone have any idea where the pictures could have been taken from? Mike and I both agree it would have been a great spot for a gin & tonic on a hot summer evening.



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68 S-6 ( Jon Crane ) 69 S-6 ( Kent Newby ) 70 JA-2 ( Dan Mannis )

[Bob Kennington]

Since I live on Winter Harbor, I should know—but don't.

The titles (having seen those accreditations at www.winnipesaukee.com/forum) may have been a wrong guess by the photographer.

None of the woodwork (and none of those trees) exist today east of Wyanoke and Midget Beach. There is a large cluster of rocks somewhat nearer to Carry Beach that may have provided the foundation for the walkway and gaze-bo. (Gaze-bo = funny old movie line)

I'll look this summer and take some photos. (If the two big dogs that guard that stretch of shoreline will permit me!)
_________________
Gordon B. (Father) Wyanoke ~1929-1937
Midget C-1 (1952, 53) (Belden, Edwards)
Junior J-7 (1954, 55) (Scheirer)
1967-1971 Military-Naval Security Group
Sister: Winnemont 1955-56

Blue: there's another color?

[DavidAyars]

I've seen many of these gazebo postcards labeled as Wyanoke/Winter Harbor on the web, so they were relatively popular at one time. It appears to be a black-and-white photo that was retouched with water colors before being lithographed. I have another copy of the taller of these two postcards, and mine was postmarked August 8, 1940, from The Weirs. The handwritten message on mine, composed by an adult, does not refer to camp but refers more generically to a summer visit to the lakes region. The card might have been bought at the camp store by a weekend visitor, I suppose, but more likely, I think, was originally bought and sold at a store in Wolfeboro or The Weirs by people with no connection to camp.

It does seem quite possible to me that there was, in the 1930s, a gazebo in Winter Harbor that is gone now, and was no longer there by our era at camp. It may have been knocked down in a storm such as the 1939 hurricane, or it may not have survived a winter freeze. And if it was at camp, my guess is that by far the most likely spot this gazebo would have been found is just off the Red Roof area of the shore. The walkway would have linked back to Red Roof. That's where I assumed the postcard image was set until Bob raised the possibility that it's mislabeled. Or I suppose it could have been near Midget Beach, or between RR and MB. Even if there's no islet there that looks like that now, it may have been there in the 1930s.
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Camper: J-8 1965 (Kevin Ryan), J-8 1966 (Mike Freeland), S-6 1967 (Russ Hatch), S-3 1968 (Jeremy Cripps), and JA-2 1969 (Dan Mannis).
JC: J-2 1970 (Bill Bettison) and J-3 1971 (Gene Comella). Councilor 1972, J-5 1973, and JA-1 1974 & 1975

[David Bentley]

The two pictures are in deed the same, just different orientations.

This gazebo was on the small point protruding into Winter Harbor defining the eastern curve of the Midget Beach. The post cards pre-date the beach, and, when the beach was created, the wooden structures were in serious disrepair and were cleaned away.

The rocks in the foreground were bulldozed toward the southwestern corner of the beach area, and the rest of the rocks were pushed toward the 'island'. This was done in the Fall of 1949. When the beach was first created, and before some of the rocks were positioned a second time, it was actually possible to travel by canoe between the island and the mainland.

It seems to be that I mentioned this before, but the reason behind the creation of the beach is simple: My grandmother (Harriet, BMB's mother) did not want her grandson (me) to have to walk on the public road (Forest Rd) to go swimming. The midgets had, historically, used the near end of Carry Beach for their swiming. Camp had a 24 x 24 raft anchored off-shore, and an area of woodlands had been cleared and turned into a 'dressing room' for towels, etc.

So, my grandmother's son, being the dutiful child that he was, got a few of the local Wolfeboro 'boys' together and asked them to bring their 'toys' and meet him at what became the Midget Beach. A little bulldozing here, and a little bullozing there, along with some very stong men, a few large trucks filled with sand and all of a sudden you have a beach. Over the years the beach area was improved, the sectional dock was built, the float added, and the midgets had themselves a swimming hole second to none.

According to my grandmother, my grandfather (WHB) used to spend time in the gazebo thinking and resting.

The change of swimming venue must have been good for me - I never did pass my 50-yd Midget Whaft test my first year, but, in subsequent years went on to swim reasonably well. ( got a lot of 2nd place medals.)

Anyone interested in old post cards of the Lakes Region can log into the following site: www.winnipesaukee.com click on Forum, and then select post cards from the banner. Try 'mcdude' as a source. He has posted the gazebo picture in his album.
_________________
C-1 49 J-7 52 S-3 55 J-10 58
C-7 50 J-7 53 S-2 56 J-8 59
C-8 51 J-4 54 S-7 57 (JA) J-8 60 - 64
1965 - 1968 Military service
Pine Cone 68 - 75 (with wife,Sherry,
and daughter Tracey)
Wolfeboro - full-time since 1997

[DavidAyars]

Great post, Dave... lots of valuable historic "backfill".

[Harry Sloan]

Dave thanks for the history, Mike had also thought it may have been from the Midget or Pine Cone beach area but its real nice to have confirmation and the story behind it.
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68 S-6 ( Jon Crane ) 69 S-6 ( Kent Newby ) 70 JA-2 ( Dan Mannis )

[Robert Vaughan]

I'm glad Dave cleared that up. I recall seeing remnants of that structure as we climbed around on those rocks in the mid-50's. Am I wrong? I was born in 1948 so couldn't have remembered this from seeing it in person if it was gone in 1949.

[David Bentley]

Bob V is correct remembering remnants of the structure, emphasis on remnants, but the basic elements of the structure were gone.
_________________
C-1 49 J-7 52 S-3 55 J-10 58
C-7 50 J-7 53 S-2 56 J-8 59
C-8 51 J-4 54 S-7 57 (JA) J-8 60 - 64
1965 - 1968 Military service
Pine Cone 68 - 75 (with wife,Sherry,
and daughter Tracey)
Wolfeboro - full-time since 1997

[Bob Kennington]

[Bob Kennington]

I think this is the modern location of the former gazebo.



Not having the postcard in front of me, it was a little difficult to figure out how to photograph the present location into the postcard's perspective; however, the general layout seems to be the same, though none of the rocks appear to line up.

I think the boulder in the foreground of the postcard was behind my boat when I took the photo last week. (Or a landmass of something similar-looking).



I'm told that the gazebo was destroyed in the 1938 Hurricane, but wood remnants were still visible into the 50's.

In the distance, the house under construction is what we are calling a "McMansion". (Next door is a house of some repute that sold in 2006 or 2007. That new owner also bought one of my two catamaran sailboats this Spring, and is a enthusiastic sailor with other sailboats—bigger and smaller.)

It's one of three McMansions presently under construction in Winter Harbor. The largest is just a few houses away at the site of the old airport floatplane ramps/dock/fueling facility. It has three fireplaces, and each chimney-top is as large as a modern automobile. I've been calling it a "Mega-McMansion".

The house there previously was torn down after getting a major makeover ten years ago
_________________
Gordon B. (Father) Wyanoke ~1929-1937
Midget C-1 (1952, 53) (Belden, Edwards)
Junior J-7 (1954, 55) (Scheirer)
1967-1971 Military-Naval Security Group
Sister: Winnemont 1955-56

Blue: there's another color?

[Harry Sloan]

Great photo Bob it does look like the place. I am glad you were able to avoid the guard dogs.
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68 S-6 ( Jon Crane ) 69 S-6 ( Kent Newby ) 70 JA-2 ( Dan Mannis )

[Bob Kennington]

[Mike Freeland]

[DavidAyars]

[Bob Kennington]