Dearest Shirley,
Yes I did receive a nice letter from you – thanks very much – best wishes to all of yours and to you!!
I am now 80 years old – still in fair condition – mowed the lawn this A.M.
I am cursed the the Haag Brothers Malady – sciatica and heart problems! But getting by.
Yes of course I know lots of B.J. History. I was taught in High Lake School for 8 years so you know I am smart.
I remember many “boyhood” and “youthhood” experiences around B.J. but I only have 6 sheets of paper so will not tell you too much.. I remember in 1935 caddying at Dairyman’s CC when Charley Ashton told me of my Dad’s death in an auto wreck. My name is still carved in an old pomp house at Dairyman’s!!
I remember several years in my early teens working at “Resort of the Woods.”
I remember pumping 40 buckets of water a day to have “running water” in your mom’s kitchen and also one of my jobs was keeping an eye on you: which was no easy task.
I remember skiing and snowshoeing to High Lake School and one morning finding that it was 50 below on the school house thermometer.
I remember shooting snowshoe hares after school and what good eating that was.
Sure; I remember Arnie Berg and Dale Waller and Ed Walters and Mel Major and many, many more – forgive me for not getting them all.
I remember lighting the fires in the cabins, cleaning boats, packing fish for shipment; running errands to BJ in Sid’s “Model T” Ford!
I remember eating in the mess halls at CCC Camps and at Camp 3 with my dad.
I remember Mom Haag sewing pillow and mattress ticks and delivering them to Camp 3 by horse and sleigh or buggy.
I remember brother Fred Haag driving the “Steam Hauler” and the first cletrac “cat” hauling logs at Camp 3.
I remember our team of horses who loved to run and how the snow balls flew from their feet and bombarded us as we drove them frantically home after picking up supplies at the depot or the store in BJ.
I remember that Mom and Dad ordered our bulk groceries by mail from Merrill – 100 lbs of flour – 100 lbs of sugar etc. etc. These we picked up by horse drawn sleigh at the depot.
I remember delivering by horseback a gallon or 2 of milk to Williams Store and receiving in exchange 10 cents or a ear of corn.
I remember when we bought food at Bill Pacquette’s store we were “on the book” and paid up once a month. On that day Bill or Clara would give us some “pilon” a sack of candy or mints.
I remember riding the snow plow all night with brother Fred as we tried to open the road “B” to Land O Lakes; at 2am in L.O.L. we stopped for a cup of coffee and a hamburger but had only money for one cup of coffee!!
I remember getting kicked in the face by our wild indian pony and riding with my head wrapped in a towel so as not to bloody Roland Cary’s brand new 1928 Chevrolet 4 door with roll up windows.
I remember helping “put up ice” and of falling into the hole in the lake and being pulled out by Norm Drewson and Ed Alt using an ice tongs and a cant hook!!
It was 10 below zero but I stayed on the job and worked myself dry so I could finish the day and get my fifty cents.
I remember “Dad” Best snowshoeing into BJ once a week to get his mail always stopped at our house for a cup of tea.
I remember the logging train getting stuck across our road and the train crew came to our house and ate and drank coffee and told stories – oh yes I wanted to be an engineer.
I remember Ed Alt coming by to plow out our road and eating breakfast – 12 eggs and a whole “spider” full of potatoes, bread, and coffee.
I remember skiing behind a car all the way to Woodruff and only meeting one or two cars.
I remember when brother Walt (4 years old)dumped a 10 quart pot of hot coffee on himself and the months of patient care rendered by Doc Newcomb as she worked to save his life.
I remember forest fires and my dad Fred Haag being gone for weeks with a crew fighting them including the one that burned all the way to our west fence. We kept our house “wet down” with wet gunny sacks.
I could go on and on but you are very bored and my finger is numb – so – God bless – best wishes to all and may the Good Lord bless you and yours –
Fond Memories,
Hank Haag
The book “Boulder Junction” is really great.
P.S. I remember youth and adults dancing at High Lake School – we’d stack the student’s seats and desks on one side of the school room and dance to the music of hand cranked victrola record player which I frequently operated.
I remember square dancing at the town hall. Ralph Hammond played the violin, called the dances, stoked the big pot bellied stove and spat his “chawin’ tobacco” all without missing a beat.
I remember box socials and cake socials (fund raising events) where beautifully boxed, wrapped, and ribboned boxes full of food were auctioned off to the highest bidder. I was heart broken on night because Fran Hammond outbid me for Dona Boudreaux’s box.
I remember Will Alt starting up his saw mill on what had been our south forty.
I remember Sunday School and church at High Lake School and the town hall with Mom Haag playing the old pump organ or leading the singing.
I remember her inviting a visiting pastor home for Sunday dinner and “making do” with the old red rooster with dumplings etc. etc. etc.
Nuff said!!