A Short Semi Working Vacation

[Teegate]

All,

I took a short vacation to northern Vermont to help my relative out somewhat on fixing and cleaning up his property, and thought maybe you would find the history of his property somewhat interesting, along with a few other things. And if any of the newest older members are good at knowing the dates of old cars, I would like to know exactly the year and model of the one in a below photo. I believe I have asked this before but have not narrowed the date of the car to the exact year and model. I will post a zoomed image of it if anyone wants to try.

In the 1930's or 40's and early 50's, my relatives property was a lodge on a lake that rented out rooms and cabins and gave everyone who rented "four square meals a day" hence the name Four Square Lodge. Here is a postcard of the place sometime after the year the car is in the photo. You can see the car just below the flagpole on the left.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/4square.jpg

In about 1956 my relatives grandparents bought the place and because of Vermont's new anti billboard law, all of the signs promoting the place were brought back. As I briefly mentioned above, we went up the past few days to help him try to fix the place up, with our job to clean out his work area in the garage. In the process of doing this we took this photo of the old signs.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5848.jpg

After cleaning his work area, mowing, and painting a window in the cabin his grandfather built, we had time to do other things. Here is a 9 week old St Bernard that was visiting for 3 weeks. I have never been around one before, and can tell you this is a nice and quiet dog.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5822.jpg

Friday was the full moon, and here is the moon rising at the south end of the lake.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5838.jpg

And this proves I can fish, even though I only do it once or twice a year. Notice my relatives house in the distance, and over my ear is the cabin we stay in.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5862.jpg

BTW, the license is $20 for three days, or $30 for 7.

And as usual I did some searching at 897.285 feet above sea level.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5842.jpg

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

Nice report Guy. Did that fish put up much of a fight?

Steve

 

[Teegate]

Nice report Guy. Did that fish put up much of a fight?

Steve

No not really.

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

It looks really beautiful up there.

 

[Roostriz]

Looks like a beautiful place! BTW Guy, I recently had to put my one Saint down at 7 1/2. They are great dogs and are pretty docile for the most part. But the downside is the droll, and their short life span. Here is a picture of the two of them. (Sorry can't seem to shrink it down)

Chris

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Sorry to hear that, Chris.

 

[Teegate]

Looks like a beautiful place! BTW Guy, I recently had to put my one Saint down at 7 1/2. They are great dogs and are pretty docile for the most part. But the downside is the droll, and their short life span. Here is a picture of the two of them. (Sorry can't seem to shrink it down)

Chris

I am also sorry to hear that. It is interesting you mentioned the short life span, since the reason the dog in my photo was purchased is they had to put their previous St Bernard down also after a very short life. They bought this dog at six weeks and had been on vacation there for 3 weeks, and the dog was only nine weeks old. So it had spent all of it's life with them on vacation.

My daughter had to laugh when the owner of the dogs daughter who was about 7 told Jessica that they had to put the dog down because it had female problems since they did not get it neutered. I can guess she heard that from the parents, or she is going to be a vet

Guy

 

[Roostriz]

Thanks Gabe and Guy. It was a bummer but the poor guy hadn't been right for a couple of weeks and his last week he could barely move but he would still bark to go out when he had to go to the bathroom even though he couldn't get himself up. Turned out his kidney had failed. So it really was the best for him.

In any case, Saints among other Giant Breeds only have a maximum lifespan of about 10 maybe 11 years but most of the time they are between 8 and 10. I have had golden retrievers, which were great dogs, previous to this but I have to say drooling aside, I really liked the personalities of my St. Bernards best, although they didn't like to swim.

That's funny about that little girls explanation, I wonder what the story is behind that.

But back to your topic. Where in Vermont was this place located, the scenery is just beautiful?

Chris

 

[woodjin]

Beautiful Place. How old is the lodge itself? You mentioned the 1930's but does the lodge pre-date that? Hey, you ought to have that fish you caught mounted and placed over the fireplace in the lodge, one look at that monster in the brochere and you'll have fishermen coming from all over LOL.

Jeff

 

[Teegate]

When my relative was living there full time in the mid 80's, a car pulled up and a very elderly woman and her daughter introduced themselves. The elderly woman said that she had been there around 1910 or so and it was called "The Square House". There was no porch then and the house was basically square. She said there was a hill where the driveway and the old car are in the first photo, so sometime after that the hill was removed. The porch was most likely put on when the "Whitehead" family started the inn sometime in the 30's. They needed the extra space to rent or for people to congregate. So being called "The Square House" it was changed to the "Four Square Lodge" when the lodge was started and we still call it that today.

Speaking of congregating, back then there was very little to do in the evenings for children if it was raining, so someone built a very interesting "bowling alley" for them to play with. My relative had asked us to look for it while we all were cleaning out the porch in July, and we found it after many years of it being "lost". He was thrilled, but since he is blind he sees it only in his childhood memories.

Can you imagine a kid from today spending 5 minutes playing with this?

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5666.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/islandtee/08202005/IMG_5667.jpg

Jeff, it is located about 15 miles from Canada in the center of the very top of Vermont.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

Bigger view of the car.

 

[uuglypher]

Bigger view of the car.

Izzat a '38 Pontiac with a rumble seat?

 

[woodjin]

Sweet!! If they were my relatives I'd be visting them all the time. It looks like the bowling ally was very well made. Looks like someone took some care in making it. Thanks for sharing those photos Guy.

Jeff

 

[woodjin]

Around '96 I almost bought 5 acres in Chatsworth. In the back of the property, half buried and overgrown with cat brier, were the rusted remains of a car of similar vintage to the car you have pictured. I always wondered what brought it to rest there. The imagination goes wild, but it was probably just neglect from a former property owner.

 

[Teegate]

Izzat a '38 Pontiac with a rumble seat?

Another person I know told me it was a late 30's Pontiac so it appears you either are correct or very close.

Thanks.

Guy