The artwork above was completed by Norman Tolson. The wording was added for the Website.  The Cabin above was that of the Welty Family. Magdalena Welty married Norman Tolson.  This picture (thanks to Bailey) above right was taken in about 1977.  This Cabin provided many memories for many folks over many years from just taking a nice leisurely walk to skiing down the small hill to the south.   OK...who are those folks in the above left picture? Well  believe there might be a Brace and a Horrock along with a couple of Howard's. We'll see, eh! let us know  ShingleLake@Gmail.com   The Book, Michigan Place Names,  by Walter Romig, describes Lake George as follows:  "LAKE GEORGE, Clare county, a station on the Toledo, Ann Arbor, & Northern Michigan Railroad: the village began as a lumber settlement: it was founded by George Lake in 1880 and named for him; lumberman Edward J. Roys became its first postmaster on December 8, 1899 (Lulu Seats, PM)."   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luke and Doris Hamlin     and......did you know that Doris and Luke had a pair of Scotties in the 1940's?         Well, then what were their names!           ShingleLake@Gmail.com            Answer is also on the Luke and Doris Page. So just click on their name above. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was early fall of 1942 when my friend and I, we were just eager kids, would spend a few days in Pittsburgh with Doris and Luke Hamlin.  Luke played baseball for Pittsburgh that year. Our parents, who were friends with the Hamlins, had planned this trip for us.  This included riding the train with a neighbor lady from Detroit, Michigan to Pittsburgh.. Travel was quite restricted at the time.  The lady was heading to Philadelphia to meet her husband who was in the Army.  The three of us left Detroit and we got off in Pittsburgh where we were met by Doris and Luke.  The lady went on to Philadelphia.  The Hamlins were staying in their travel trailer in a nearby town called East McKeesport.  They lived in their travel trailer during the baseball season. They had prepared a small cabin for us near their  trailer.  We went to the games each day with Luke.  What a special thrill to see the kids gather around after a game to get Luke's autograph.  One thing that I would like to add:  Doris and Luke were the kind of people who even when you thought about them you got a nice warm feeling, just from knowing them. I am so grateful to see  the work being done on the webpage remembering Doris and Luke.   Regards Jack ============================ In 1946 I was 13 yrs old and selling programs on the 1st base ramp at the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball games.   On Sundays or any off days I would go to the stadium and shag outfield fly balls. On one of these days I asked Luke Hamlin if there was a ball in the dugout that I could have to play with at Christie Pits (Christie Pits Park, originally Willowvale Park, is a Toronto public recreational area) or the old Willowvale flats.   He went into the dugout and came up with an old glove that he said he didn't use anymore and a brand new ball. For many many nights that glove was under my pillow when I slept.  Regards Casey   For more information on Luke and Doris just click on their names above. ----------------------------------------------------- Some valuable links Lincoln Township Offices Lake George Property Owners Association Clare County  Gen Web Clare County Convention & Visitors Bureau Farwell Area Historical Museum Lake George Boosters Club Clarke Historical Library-Mt. Pleasant The Henry Ford Farm is now   Kitty Kurtis Farms ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   First there was Lumber.........then ?  Re-read this story which appeared in1962.     LEFT: The front page of an early advertising brochure by Chipman & Kempfert promoting lots on Lake George RIGHT: scene on Shingle Lake a few years later! And SNOW

The Coal Dock Lake George

This structure was located near the northwest end of the lake, Lake George,  on the south side of the tracks.  It was located further east of the Water Tower shown on the sketch below.  Names of some of the folks that worked for the railroad that lived in the Lake George Area: Sylvester Harris Harry Kress Kelly Morgan Grover Updyke

The Kress Family lived in part of the Train Station at the time of this picture. about 1915.

Later the Roy Howard family lived there.

The Harry Kress Home as drawn by Artist Blackmer

Photo above and related information provided by Tom McAllister is very much appreciated..  You will be able to local the Kress property on the map below

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Many thanks to Nancy Borst McKenzie for Pictures and Documents below relating to the Mill.

A Property transaction Dated 5 November 1898 between Fred J. Roys and J. R. Borst of Lake George, states the following "The following buildings at Lake George in Clare County Michigan to wit: 

• The Old Boarding and Sleeping Camps or houses formerly used in connection with Roys Mill together with all lean-tos and additions attached to such camps

• One Office Building

• One Barn

• One Black Smith Shop

• Two Log Houses between the Post Office and the A.A.R.R, and 

• being all the buildings now and being and standing between the A.A.R.R and Shingle Lake.

The Original Business Community of Lake George was North of Shingle Lake as you will see in sketch and maps below.

The above sketch comes from the work completed for the Lake George Centennial.  The Centennial was Celebrated as 1877-1977.  The sketch shows some newer roads as you will see from Plat Map of 1906 below left.

Number 1, the Welty Cabin was purchased by Mrs. Welty in 1914.  The estimated construction date has been placed about 1880.  Immediately south of the cabin was a small hill used in the 1930's and 1940's for skiing and tobogganing.  You may notice that Magdalena Welty Tolson is a Welty.

 

1906 Map of Lake George Note location of road in relation to Shingle Lake as well as location of buildings on what is now known as Bringold Avenue.  The property immediately north of Shingle Lake was owned by the Ann Arbor Railroad. You may also note that the original school in Lake George was near what is now the Lincoln Township Community Building.	1916 Map of Lake George In this short period of time the new School was built that later became the Community Church depicted in the Art Work by Magdalena Welty Tolson above left.  You may also note that Lake George was referred to as & Summer Resort.  Family names like Borst, Kress, Luce, Nixon, Wellman, and Welty are on these plat maps.

In the picture above you will see the then John and Lulu Seats Grocery Store and Post Office (left side of picture across tracks).  Lulu was postmistress for many years. This store started as a gas station in approximately 1936. The Railroad Depot is next to the tracks. The Gas Station and Grocery on the right was operated by R. B. Howard. Picture date appx.1941.

In the above picture is part of the west side of the main street in downtown Lake George. The left side show in the distance is the Jim Luce Shop and in front on the right is the Swiss Inn.

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Windover Lake and Freeman Township Area

Golf Course, Hotel, and Big Oil-all in Freeman ?

Aerial view of Windover Lake in Freeman Township, Clare County, Michigan. Estimated date 1970?  The above picture is courtesy of Ed and Judy Novak. This school (photo courtesy of Barb Petro who attended this school)  is just a little north of Windover Lake in Section 11.  There was another school, Cherry Hill School, located in  Freeman Township in Section 18

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Above is a Post Card created by B. Blackmer depicting the Homestead which was built about 1898.  It was built by Wm. Packard who was also the first Lincoln Township Supervisor in 1903 according to the information on this card.

The painting at the left is a rendition of a Boathouse that was located at the West End of Lake George or at what is now the DNR Boat Launch location.  The artist is Jean Knopke.  The Knopke Family were among the early resort families. Richard Frost provided use of this painting.

What is now Lincoln Township was a part of Surrey Township.  What is now Freeman Township was once a part of Surrey and then Lincoln Township (SEE MAPS BELOW). The building above served as the ONE ROOM school in Lake George. Many years later it became the home of the Community Church.  Although built nearly 100 years ago in 1913 the structure was retired and torn down in 2005.  photo  provided by Barb Wellman

The Ole  One Room School

As you explore this site you will view historical records, pictures,  'living histories', provided by those that were a part of the history. This is a work in progress. It involves all of us. Please help.

Ann Arbor Railroad

The Ann Arbor started operations in 1878 providing rail service between Frankfort, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio   The Wabash Railroad controlled the Ann Arbor (through stock ownership) from 1925 to 1963.  In 1963 the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton railroad Company acquired control of the Ann Arbor Railroad, including car ferries, from the Wabash Railroad.

The  Depot was a busy place for many years. If you have pictures, stories, or relatives that worked on the railroad please let us know.

Ann Arbor Train Schedule 1949

The schedule  includes Summit?  Well who knows of this place? How about Phelps Crossing?  Or Clarence?  Let us know.  Got pictures of trains, post office, depot, etc. Make our day and share, please. 

Logging Railroad

The world’s first narrow gauge railway was built in 1874 by Winfield Scott Gerrish: the Lake George and Muskegon River Railroad.

Census Records

The 1930 Census for Lincoln Township listed 28  families with a total of 111 citizens. 

The 1920 Census included (this is only a partial list) the following families (some of these names may have been spelled incorrectly)  names:  Abbott, Bast (probably Borst),  Cowles,   Donkle(sp),  Durham,  Graver,  Hansen,  Harris,  Kress,  Kube,  Lambert,  Luce,  McQuestion,  Sprague,  Selover (sp),  Upkyke,  Welch,  Wolf,  Willman (sp).

The 1900 Census records include (this is only a partial list) the following family names: Borst,  Cowles,  Kress,  Kube,  Wellman.

Maps

Note that the Townships were listed as Winterfield, Summerfield, Surrey, Grant, and Sheridan at that time, 1873.

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1906 Map of Clare County-Note Lincoln Township encompassed what is now Freeman Township

Standard Atlas of Clare County Michigan  Compiled and Published by Geo. A. Ogle & Co.  134 Van Buren St.  Chicago.  This Atlas was Owned by Hattie Belle and Elmer Miller Family from 1906-1930

See this entire Atlas on line from our State Library

Click right here

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Another Atlas of Clare County  on line from our State Library for year 1916

Click Right Here

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'register of women voters'........Lake George and Lincoln Township

'Luke' Hamlin  Professional Baseball	Railroad Employees  Lake George	Magdalena (Welty) and Norman Tolson, Artists	Barbara Blackmer , Artist
	Sylvester Harris Harry Kress Kelly Morgan Grover Updyke  and many more
click on picture to learn more	coming soon just click on name	click on picture to learn more

Lake George 'TOWN TEAM' Baseball

 Lake George Town Team of the early 1950's.  Coaches-Luke Hamlin....       

Luke began is Organized  Baseball Career with the Hanover Raiders in Pennsylvania in 1928.

Umpires Al Abbott, Lou Hoover, Roy Howard.....

The following is a partial list of the Players:    Wesley Abbott,   Wally Bringold,  Bob Amble, Willard Bringold,  Dan Dysinger,  Bud Heilman, Donald Heintz, Ray Heintz,  Lowell Howard,  Terry Howard,  Al Luce (Al  played baseball for Michigan State University and the Minor League Teams affiliated with the Tigers- Idaho Fall 1957, Durham and Decatur 1958,  Dick Lyons, Rumsey Swallow.  

The entire team, coaches, umpires etc.   will try to be identified.    If you have pictures records, names, etc.  Please let us know.