dc.description |
Postcard showing a photo of swimmers in Goguac Lake, c. 1911
Caption on front: Goguac Lake - Battle Creek, Mich. #2
Written on back: Battle Creek Aug. 21, 1911. Here is where you went with uncle Ralph
Sent to: Clement G. Wright Adrian Mich
Sent on: August 21, 1911
From : "First Beach was on Gregory Point," The Evening News, August 16, 1908.
FIRST BEACH WAS ON GREGORY POINT - David McCamly Tells of Time When Bathing Suits Were a Superfluity at Goguac Lake. - ALWAYS A PLEASURE RESORT - But without the Artificial Funmaking Devices - Next Few Years Will See Cottages Built Near the Original "Old Swimming Hole." - The first bathing beach at Goguac lake - and now a mighty question has been raised whether there is a bathing beach at Goguac lake at all - was not along Park Beidler, on the part of the lake nearest town.
Ever since the first log cabin was built on the site of Battle Creek, Goguac lake has been a pleasure
resort, even though the early settler did not have the advantages of an automatic playing merry-go-round, a roller coaster and a roller rink.
AT GREGORY'S POINT.
According to David McCamly the first swimming hole was at Gregory point, which was formerly known as "Devil's point." This is a half mile further from town than the beach at Park Beidler, where the
Y.M.C.A. canoe club hangs out now.
In those days, a half century or more ago, a mile or so more of walking made very little difference.
Having walked two miles to the lake, the boys did not mind going a few steps farther.
BATHING SUITS TABOOED.
Youn [sic] Indian bucks and white boys went swimming there together in the pioneer days, according to Mr. McCamlyl, and the formality of
bathing suits was dispensed with. Even before the coming of the white men, Gregory point was a
favorite place on the lake for the Indians, who camped there to hunt and fish.
In addition to having a good beach, free from marsh, Gregory point juts out into the lake farther than any other, and affords a view the full length of Goguac.
And the shores back of it were high and dry, and covered with a heavy growth of oak trees which have since been cut down.
SOON TO BE BUILT UP.
Since the time, the fields were cleared for farming, Gregory point has remained undeveloped, although
parts of the lake with fewer advantages have become thickly settled with cottages. For years it has been owned by people who have lived away from Battle Creek and of late years it has been a part of the McAlpine estate.
During the last few weeks, David McCamly has had charge of grading the 42 acres of land on the point,
and the adjoining Gregory woods, and this is to be cut up into lots and placed on the market. There will be a total of 60 lots, and it is expected that next summer there will be a number of new cottages on
this plat. The next beach nearest the city, Fern Beach, has only one vacant lot left on it and Gregory
point is the next logical place at the lake for building.
A RUSTIC BRIDGE PLANNED.
Eighteen acres of the land are covered with a heavy gowth of oak and other hardwood trees. A long gully runs through this woodland from the lake, but plans for a rustic bridge are now being prepared that will shorten the distance from the point to the car line by a quarter of a mile. A broad road is to be graded
following the shore line, and a large number of the lots will run from this roadway straight back to the lake. At present, the only building on the point is a
bungalow which has been erected by Alderman S. A. Howes.
A number of out of town people have become interested in the plan, and may build summer homes there. |
en_US |