Les Cheneaux
By Helen Shoberg 484-2626 mink1@cedarville.net

The holidays are over. Students have gone back to school, and we can all settle down to a normal existence again. Dieting is once more the plan of many, but that always takes a lot of willpower. Stopping smoking is the other big resolution, and that is not easy. We hope all who made these resolutions are strong and that next year will see us thinner and healthier.

Attention all Cedarville student boarders and skiers, the first Nubs Nob trip of the year will be this Saturday, January 12. See Mr. Mike Lofdahl at the school now for passes. The trip is limited to only 30 people.

The days are getting longer once more and the warm weather we are having makes us think of spring.

A welcome call came the other day from Mary Richards. Mary and her late husband, Charles, known to everyone as "Bud," were summer residents in Woodland Park for many years. Mary is doing well and now lives in a retirement home in Arizona. The Richards cottage is still occupied during the summer months by her family. It was nice to hear from her.

A serious accident was Jim Vanderhorst's experience last week when he went through the ice in Shepard's Bay with his four-wheeler. Jim said he always carries a couple of screwdrivers in his jacket pocket when he goes on the ice in case of an accident. He said as he kept driving the screwdrivers into the ice, the ice kept breaking and he couldn't get out. He called for help and luckily, someone heard him and he was rescued.

Jim asked that we warn people again how unsafe the ice is in many places.

Also, due to the warm weather and melting snow, sledding is no longer available at the Les Cheneaux Schools hill outside the elementary.

Bertha and Dick Carr won the Lions Club $100 lottery December 26 and Bill Kish had the lucky number for a $100 prize January 2, the first one for the year 2008.

A picture this week from Tom and Karen Moore of Cedarville shows the evening, horseback carolers who visited their home last month. Riding on horses decorated for the Christmas holidays, Sue Caroffino, Denise Conroy, and Erin Smith traveled through a wooded trail to the Moores' home, where they sang carols to the unsuspecting residents. The Moores were delighted with the unusual visit.

The Les Cheneaux Snowmobile Club is planning a trip to Baraga Sunday, January 13 through Wednesday, January 16. Anyone can come, and contact Stu Volkers at (906) 297-3060 for information on departure time and location. Participants will take snowmobiles by trailer to Baraga, and travel around the area. A February trip to the Keewenaw Peninsula is also planned, and anyone who wants to go should also call Stu Volkers.

Another story follows from Bruce Patrick, this one about ice fishing many years ago:

"A story about the shanties or cabins on the outside of Marquette Island, where fishermen used to stay for short stays while fishing for lake trout. This was hook-and-line fishing through the ice.

"First there was a cabin at Coates Point, built by Anthony Hamel. He used this in his early days of commercial fishing before he got established in Cedarville. Anthony Hamel finally built a home in Cedarville and had an ice house and store on the Cedarville waterfront.

"Next Dad [Bruce Patrick] and I built a small shanty about one mile southeast of Coates Point. We went by horse and sled mostly, but after a year or two, we built a shanty. We had a lean-to on the back to put the horse in when we were day fishing and going back and forth each day.

"Next was Art Keven from Swede Road. He had a small shanty to stay in for short periods. Next was Spud Rudd. He had Joe Crisp haul one of his oneroom summer rental cottages out for the winter, taking it back come spring. Next was Gagers. It was a well-built log cabin, built by the Strandholms years back.

"There were three Strandholms and they lived there year around. They were commercial fishermen and fished pond nets in the summer. They built a very good log cabin made from handhewn birch logs.

"Next was Alie Baker. He lived there year around. Next was John Andrews, who built a good lumber cabin. Next was Curt Patrick. He tore down one of Bob Hamel's lumber shacks. Dad and I hauled this used lumber out to the outside shore of Marquette Island by our horse. He built right next to John Andrews. Next was Bert Cody. He built a crude shack in the middle of Voights Point.

"Next was 'Disaster Shack.' It got the name for the men who used it each winter. They got arrested for deer poaching each winter. Across Voight's Bay was Bob Hudson. He and Bill Murphy lived there year around. Next was Al Pollard's and they stayed in one of the old log Hamel lumber cabins. Also, Charlie Tassier lived in one of the old lumber shacks.

"Next was Barefoot Dave Sugden. So, you see, there was lots of activity out there for lake trout fishing when the ice was in."

By the way, congratulations to Bruce Patrick, who will be 93 on January 11.

Readers appreciate all of his stories about Les Cheneaux history.