Commodore Frank H. Foster, III – January 1986
Thanks to Mac Wood who loaned us his scrapbook, Bud and Zenna Sayre who loaned us some of their photographs and Bud’s recollections, and to Chris Lambrecht who loaned us some of his photographs, I have had access to several very historical photographs and postcards. Thanks to Vice Commodore Greg Alspach for copying them with his camera and giving me prints. I hope from time to time to share them with you. Let’s take a look at the area between the yacht club and Sayre’s Marina back in the first decade of the 20th century.
Picture 1 show apartments built over the water like those now occupied by Commodores Dye and Hein. According to Bud, this picture was taken in 1905 and was before the Dye/Hein cottage was built. THe building on the right is the same one still at Sayre’s Gas Dock, which now has the upper story removed and a dock and gas pumps added. West of it, to the left, are other apartments which have since been replaced by covered docks. The building on the right was the original Sayre Marina. I am aso told that for 30 years Gus Schell had a flat in one of those apartments. Gus, is that true and which one? Standing on the front upper porch are Bud’d Granfather, Grandmother, and Aunt. The first picture appears to have been taken from the lake about where the Area 8 dock is.
Picture 2 is marked 7-28-09 and looks as if it was taken from the towpath immediately indand from the photographer for the first picture. You see the same marina and further in the background the original yacht club.
Picture 3 is again taken from out in the lake a little further away than picture 1 and in a westerly direction. The old, two-level, stairstep bridge, which I showed in an earlier picture, connects the island to the towpath. I would guess that the third picture was taken after the first and about the same time as the second since I see the same type of sailboat moored in essentially the same position as in the second picture. The Dye/Hein cottage is visible with its distinctive two porches.
Picture 4 appears to be a few years earlier than picture 2, although you can see the same bent-to-the-left tree. However, the island where the yacht club is now located looks more like a haven for trees, bruh and animals. Some of the same structures which appear in picture 2 do not appear on the east end of Sayre’s Marina in picture 4. On the other hand, what looks like the same gas can appears to be sitting on the tow path just west of the bent tree.
Picture 5 is taken from approximately behind the Dye/Hein cottage looking east. Bud says that picture 5 was taken about 1905-1910.
Picture 6 shows the northeast corner behind Sayre’s Marina. That is the corner visible on the far right in picture 1.
So there you have it. The area immediately to our East in the first decade of the 20th century.