Granville Then & Now – June 8, 2023

Lake St. Catherine abuzz with activity in 1923

By Erik Pekar

Looking back in the Granville Sentinel of June 8, 1923, we find there was much activity going on over at Lake Saint Catherine.

In last week's column we mentioned a news item about the work on the footbridge connecting the cottage of attorney W. B. Morton on the island to the peninsula connected to the mainland. His lands make the paper again this week: "One of the most picturesque places on the lake is W. B. Morton's cottage, on the island, and it is being made accessible from the peninsula by the erection of a rustic arched foot bridge, which is 120 feet long and four feet wide, being built so that boats can pass under it. About the place cobble-stone walks are being laid and cobble-stone flower boxes are being erected. This work, including the building of the footbridge, is under the supervision of Eugene Warner of Wells. The cottage has been entirely redecorated on the interior by painters from Poultney and presents a most handsome appearance. Mr. Morton and family are at their place for the season and when the wind blows right will be seen manipulating his handsome new sail boat."

Mr. Morton was the only one building a footbridge, but he was far from the only one building around Lake Saint Catherine. This is another news item: "Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Allen's bungalow is nearing completion and will soon be ready for occupancy. George W. Lee of Granville, is the master carpenter, which is a guarantee that all work has been done well. IT is said that Mr. Lee has an 'eagle eye' an all canoes which pass through the channel and during the time suspends all labors. There's a reason."

More new cottages being built: "C. L. Potter is building a very attractive up-to-date bungalow on his lot. He has a fine force of men who are rushing the work."

Another new cottage built: "Capt. Walter B. Brown erected a beautiful bungalow near the spot where the old Idylwild cottage stood for many years. The old building was a land mark at Lake St. Catherine, the cottage having been the first one erected on the west side of the lake. Capt. Brown will rent the new cottage."

Capt. Brown was far from the only one renting his cottage, as evidenced in this news item: "Everything points to a record season and there are more applications for the rental of cottages than can be supplied. Owners are busy getting their places ready for occupancy."

Others were fixing up their already-constructed cottages. One of them was the owner of Lasher's Pharmacy in Granville: "Druggist Warden H. Lasher's cottages are being improved in appearance by a coat of paint. L. L. Hopson and Myron Popper of Wells, are the manipulators of the paint brushes and it is needless to state that a first class job will be the result. Dr. Lasher has three of the most convenient and up-to-date cottages on the lake."

Another item of improvement: "Miss Jennie Jones is making many improvements on the Echo Lodge property. Miss Jones is cultivating some beautiful flower beds, and an extra added attraction on the porch of Echo Lodge was none other than R. O. Jones, president of the Granville Masonic club. It was R. O.'s smile that brought the sunshine out to Lake St. Catherine Sunday morning."

People were fishing at Lake Saint Catherine. The following is an item about two cottage owners who were successful: "Robert Potter and H. G. Johnson, who are two companionable owners of cottages here, came over Saturday afternoon in the former's car. They worked around their grounds until supper time when Mr. Potter was host to a fine supper. After supper they fished for an hour and brought home forty fish."

This fishing item will raise more questions than it can answer: "The fishermen are reaping a harvest of perch off the sunken island. Many big catches are reported and Michael O'Brien and Bill Quinn, the two old timers of rod and reel, captured one hundred and thirty-two Sunday evening." A couple people have asked us in as many years about the sunken island, and where this island would have been. It is sparsely mentioned, and the Lake Saint Catherine Scrapbook barely mentions it. This quote is only the second time that such a "land" mark as a sunken island has been brought up in print in this area; this paragraph makes three.

The fishing conditions seem to have been well all over the lake, as indicated an item stating that "perch are biting as they have never before and one party caught over 100 within a short time one day this week."

There were more items on visitors: "Mr. and Mrs. Bell and daughter Helen of Poultney, spent Sunday at the Rendezvous with Edward Bushee. ... Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hannum were over Sunday visitors at the Birches. They will soon open for the summer. ... Several Boy Scouts pitched their tents on the Forest House property and Cone's Point for over Sunday."

Others were opening up their places: "Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Braymer of Granville have been at their cottage getting it ready for occupancy. ... Lloyd Cheney and family of Albany, have arrived at their cottage for the season. ... Roberts and Price will open Lakeside Inn some time this month. ... Morris Rote-Rosen has opened 'Sunset Trail' for the season." The Morris Rote-Rosen mentioned above with "Sunset Trail" is the same one who was Granville village clerk-treasurer for 50 years, member of the Granville Post of the American Legion, and the Granville Masonic Lodge, and wrote a historical column in the Granville Sentinel for over 40 years.

There were more visiting the area: "Prof. George H. Snyder and H. Alan Thomas of Granville are spending week-ends at their camp, 'Bunk Fatigue'. ... The Granville school teachers will hold their annual picnic at the lake Saturday afternoon." Snyder was principal of the Granville High School at the time.

With the changing of the seasons, the Lake Saint Catherine of today will soon see a similar re-awakening for the summer season of 2023. The Forest House, Idylwild, and Lakeside Inn are long gone, but there are still cottages and bungalows around the lake, owned or rented by those who enjoy going to Lake Saint Catherine for the summer.