Hello Clam Lake!
Was it only week before last that we were bundling up with frost in the air? As is often the case in the northwoods, that was quickly followed by 90 in the shade with full sun. Hard to adjust!
911 SERVICE UPDATE: I spoke with Makala Reukema who provided an update on 911 services in Clam Lake. Makala and Paige Hartl are in the process of becoming fully certified first responders for the townships of Gordon and Shanagolden in the Clam Lake area. Paige and Makala have completed the first responder course and are awaiting results from the national registry. Once fully registered, they will be able to respond on their own and will have supplies stored at a central location, most likely the firehall. They hope to be fully certified and ready to respond in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime, other Glidden area emergency services personnel will be ready to respond.
All of the Glidden first responders are signed on with the 4 townships (Jacobs, Peeksville, Gordon and Shanagolden) for first responder services, so if a page came through it would go out to all of the responders. While awaiting results from the registry, Paige and Makala are able to ride along with the Glidden responders if a call comes through.
Once a first responder is on scene an ambulance will be called, if necessary. Remember, until we have a permanent ambulance service in place, ambulances from other areas will only respond if available. We need to express a big thank you to these women for taking on this service to our community. If you call 911, there will be someone to respond. Thank you Makala and Paige!!!
REMINDER: There will be a meeting on Thursday, June 10th at 3:00 pm at the Clam Lake Community Club to discuss plans for our 4th of July celebration. Anyone wishing to listen or help with the celebration is welcome to attend. Thanks!
WFWA MEETING: The West Fork Waterway Association will be holding their annual membership meeting on Saturday, June 19th at 10:00 am at the Clam Lake Community Club. All members are encouraged to attend. The public is also welcome. Good time to take the opportunity to learn about this worthwhile organization.
ST. GEORGE’S CHAPEL: Once again, St. George’s Chapel is open for the summer season with Masses held every Saturday at 6:00 pm in our historic “Chapel in the Woods”. Come pray with us and take a trip back in time in our chapel made from the forest that surrounds it.
FAWNS are making their appearance on the roadways here and there. Time to take extra care when traveling about so as not to endanger these young ones as they try to keep up with their moms.
HITCHING AROUND: Before the days of trains and automobiles, horses and oxen were the only means of transportation in the northwoods. The big lumber companies of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s relied on these animals to move the logs from the woods as did the local people of Clam Lake to get from point A to point B. People coming up to stay at our first resort on Camp Fire Island were ferried from one fishing spot to the next via horse and wagon. Without a doubt, horses were a vital part of our community as are cars, ATVs and the like in this day and age. And, just like cars today, horses needed to be “parked”. Enter the hitching post. A strong device to tie one’s horse to, preventing it from wandering off. Fast forward a bit into the future with Tom Glafcke buying his place on Lower Clam Lake back in 1978 and upon digging down several feet to build this or that, he hit metal. Upon inspection he noticed it was a long pole of some sort and not wishing to disturb it, left it for another day. That day came in the spring of 2020, when once again, Tom began building. Again, as he dug down he hit metal and saw the same long piece of cast iron left and forgotten back in 1978. This time he brought it up and took it over to his friend Bob Bailey. Knowing Bob was a history buff, he left it with him. Bob began to research the unusual object and found it was what was known as a “Tree Trunk Hitching Post” dating from 1850 to 1900. It measured 63 inches long and weighed in at 70 lbs. Heavy! The lower section would have had wooden planks in it to give it stability underground. Usually, about 42 inches would have been above ground. The top features two loops through which two horses, possibly a team, could have been hitched. What an interesting and wonderful piece of our long ago history to have resurfaced after spending a century or more underground. We thank them for sharing it and it’s story with us.
Until next week….
Pictured is Bob Bailey, Tom Glafcke and the Tree Trunk Hitching Post found by Lower Clam Lake.
