Fireside Inn
Fireside Inn ... several summers of memories
For several summers in the late '60s and early '70s, Dick and Nancy's family and the families of several of their friends spent a week together at
Fireside Inn near Alpena, Michigan. What great times!
(Click on any image to view larger and to scroll through album)
Our Fireside Memories
We always stayed in Cabin 6...how cool that it still is numbered and looks the same after all these years.
One of the favorite things we kids loved to do was to visit the candy store as we were packing up to leave. The owners would always let us pick out candy for our ride home. We always thought they gave it to us free (and maybe they did), but I now wonder if our parents didn't fund the handout. Then again, did they really want to sugar-up five young kids packed with all their belongings into one car? Guess so.
Another favorite was the pink peppermint ice cream that the staff would bring following dinner in little metal ice cream bowls like those used in Sanders stores when they were open. To this day, I cannot eat peppermint ice cream without remembering Fireside.
I also remember the girls who worked the dining room holding their towels out of the water as they made their way out to the raft where they would sun in the afternoon during their free time.
And then there were many boating trips to view beaver dams my dad found around the lake.
And, the old bird man who always stayed in the cottage 17 behind the tennis courts. Every summer he would be found with his binoculars watching the birds.
I remember getting a leech on my leg and looking for crayfish in the shallow shore waters.
You'll notice in our photos a couple of a ford truck packed to the gills with kids. Back before our world was as it is today, our parents allowed us all to pile in (even toddlers!), unsecured, and they would wave as we all were driven off by Mal, who was in charge of dumping the trash. Trips to the dump where we often saw bears pawing through the garbage were a grand event. Can you imagine? By today's standards, this would be unheard of and our parents would be arrested!
Jan Mellen remembers Tom and Dick teaming up to capture a bat in the cabin. Now, there may or may not have been a bat, but one thing is for sure, they captured and protected their wives and children from a black sock, and Nancy and Jan nearly wet their pants just watching it all.
Jan also remembers the kids excited to get a turn to ring the bell used to call guests to the dining room for dinner.
If any of you 'Firesiders' have memories or pictures you'd like to add, send them through the guestbook form at this site and we'll post them.
One of the favorite things we kids loved to do was to visit the candy store as we were packing up to leave. The owners would always let us pick out candy for our ride home. We always thought they gave it to us free (and maybe they did), but I now wonder if our parents didn't fund the handout. Then again, did they really want to sugar-up five young kids packed with all their belongings into one car? Guess so.
Another favorite was the pink peppermint ice cream that the staff would bring following dinner in little metal ice cream bowls like those used in Sanders stores when they were open. To this day, I cannot eat peppermint ice cream without remembering Fireside.
I also remember the girls who worked the dining room holding their towels out of the water as they made their way out to the raft where they would sun in the afternoon during their free time.
And then there were many boating trips to view beaver dams my dad found around the lake.
And, the old bird man who always stayed in the cottage 17 behind the tennis courts. Every summer he would be found with his binoculars watching the birds.
I remember getting a leech on my leg and looking for crayfish in the shallow shore waters.
You'll notice in our photos a couple of a ford truck packed to the gills with kids. Back before our world was as it is today, our parents allowed us all to pile in (even toddlers!), unsecured, and they would wave as we all were driven off by Mal, who was in charge of dumping the trash. Trips to the dump where we often saw bears pawing through the garbage were a grand event. Can you imagine? By today's standards, this would be unheard of and our parents would be arrested!
Jan Mellen remembers Tom and Dick teaming up to capture a bat in the cabin. Now, there may or may not have been a bat, but one thing is for sure, they captured and protected their wives and children from a black sock, and Nancy and Jan nearly wet their pants just watching it all.
Jan also remembers the kids excited to get a turn to ring the bell used to call guests to the dining room for dinner.
If any of you 'Firesiders' have memories or pictures you'd like to add, send them through the guestbook form at this site and we'll post them.
Thank you for stopping by and reminiscing with us.
However large or small, you've been a part of Dick's & Nancy's lives and you are appreciated.