Archive Record
Metadata
Object ID |
1991.42 |
Title |
Rita Rusco speaking at the Leelanau Historical Museum July 18 1991. |
Scope & Content |
Tape, Audio Cassette. Rita Rusco's oral history of life on North Manitou Island. Recording of a talk she gave for the Leelanau Historical Museum in the Munnecke Room on July 18 1991. Recording of a talk by Rita Rusco, author of "North Manitou Island" . The island is twelve and a half miles from Leland that's our the home port and has been for all these many years. The Grosvenor Family has been responsible that and brought us everything, for all the fuel that we use and hauled off the deer, hauled off the fruit, brought new born babies home, and even those that passed away. The island is seven miles long and four and a half miles wide, has about every kind of terrain from open fields, meadows, swamps. We have two lakes centered in the island. Lake Manitou which is a mile and a quarter long and three quarters of a mile wide. There has never been a cottage built on that particular lake. It was always decreed that it would remain open and free of occupancy. The terrain as I have mentioned goes from the pot holes up on the northwest corner and seems to interest the more ambitious hikers at first for the first time, down to the low, rolling beaches. There is about 25 miles of shoreline, some easy to reach, some have the high bluffs we see around Lake Michigan. The first people that were on the island as far as we found from history so far, were there in 2000 B.C. and the most recent finding would have been 1000 A.D. Dr. Charles Cleland from Michigan State University came around 1966 and did a study and found some interesting artifacts and most of these findings were on the East side or leeward side of the island and there were some findings on the dunes on the South end. There were also indications that their could have been some type of Summer time occupation around the West side and also around Lake Manitou. The most interesting artifact they found was a copper awl. They found thousands of flint chips, they found hide scrapers and things. They did find at Lake Manitou what was considered to be a dug out canoe, probably a much later date than those early dates we mentioned. Lake Michigan was opened up after the Erie Canal opened in 1835 and that's when the shipping started and when people really started coming to North Manitou. And they came because it was a perfect spot for fueling of the steam ships. The first big operation for fueling these steam ships was Nicolas Piccard. We know from the records in existence that he was in business in 1847 with a 150 foot dock. He had a blacksmith shop, a trading post, several other buildings and it was written in the 1847 survey that is was a good establishment. We know how long it takes to build a dock on North Manitou of 150 feet, so we have to assume that he had to be there before 1847. The ships at that time, there were 50 or more plying the lake, coming up from Buffalo to Chicago, Milwaukee and other ports along the way. Nicolas Piccard provided work for a lot of people and there was a spot known as The Spring with a boarding house for 40 men who were wood choppers. It was seasonal work. They would come and work through the season and as soon as the cold weather started and shipping started to dwindle they would head for other ports. Wood sold for $2.50 a cord and it was indicated that it wasn't cut very fine and I can imagine it wouldn't have been because that was pretty hard work. The men got $1.00 on average for cutting a cord of wood. I guess if they worked all season they would go away with more money than they would have had at other occupations for that day. By 1860 there were 269 people living on North Manitou and it was a real community. It had started as a community in 1840s but it was slow to grow. By 1860 there were 269 people. They were engaged in fishing, farming, logging and wood chopping business and everyone was pretty much self-sufficient. It is interesting to note from the census tract that these people came from Germany, Poland, Scandinavian countries and most of them were drawn there by the fishing shoals and the promise of free land. A one interesting note I found on the opening up of this part of the country and that land was available. Some of those land grants were military war bounty grants from the War of 1812. When the government didn't have funds to pay, they gave grants of land that the soldiers never saw but would sell to a land speculator for a small amount of money, and many of those speculators never saw the land either they simply bought it up and held tracts and one day sold for logging and timber interests. By 1855, I am sure that most of you have heard of King Strang who was on Beaver Island. He had influence on North Manitou Island because in 1855 because he had almost 2000 people on Beaver Island, he was able to persuade the Michigan Legislature to form a separate county and he himself named it Manitou County. Manitou County was in existance from 1855. Strang died in 1856 so he only had it under his domain for one year and never had much influence over it. It stayed as Manitou County until 1895 when it became part of Leelanau County. Manitou County is one of the very few counties in the whole United States that was just abolished and taken off the map. There was controversy and opposition to it becoming part of Leelanau County. Some people thought it should be part of Leelanau County and others thought "we don't need them, Let them stay over there. They're outlaws. They simply didn't know about the people over there. There were other articles that would say "they are the finest hardworking group of people in the land", so I think it was probably a mixture just like any other place. Anyway, we became part of Leelanau County. Also interesting to know, over the years Leelanau County [Manitou?] became the largest tax payer in Leelanau County and stayed in that position until The National Park Service ... the land and they no longer are taxed. The private cottages held in private hands would be. And by the way there is only my cottage one a lease back or in hold situation which I have to give up in '98 and the Krause and Holister cottage which they can hold forever because it was built prior to the 1964 cut off date. By the 1880's farming and fruit growing, cattle raising and the life-saving station were all growing and becoming part of island life and the life-saving station was built in 1881 and I want to make a particular point about that building. I do have a picture I will show you. It's presently being used by the National Park Service to house staff and they have remodeled it to accommodate personnel. It's the most historic building on the island and it would be a perfect place for a public use building either as a museum or a place to have a gathering of artifacts, photos and to put on interpretative programs. I think this is important to all of you who are natives of this area those of you have family roots that go back to the earliest days of Manitou Island because North Manitou Island was the first settlement North and South Manitou long before Leland and nearby communities and the reason for that was our need for deep water close to shore. The Grand Traverse Bay was an uncharted sea. Sailing ships were afraid to go into it for fear they would be grounded or they were looking for a spot that had the deep water and easy access, so that's why and South Manitou had a lovely harbor so that gave them an advantage being a mecca for people coming to settle in this area. During the 1880's that was the beginning of the life-saving station and that's what we are interested in as one of the building we would like to save and I would say to you who have an interest in that and I have spoken to Superintendent Miller and told him that I would be talking about that tonight and those of you who have an interest in that building seeing it preserved and made available for you to see, to go in and to take part, writing to them and let them know of your interest in preserving this historic building. The island is interesting because it was occupied, it was not a wilderness after these people arrived and started settling. And the pioneers came and It has been cut over two or three times for logging recently ended in 1978. It has had a varied background, people living and farming and fishing all over the place. I also should say at this point that I had no objection to the island becoming a National Park. I would rather see it a national park and everyone getting a chance to see its unique beauty than perhaps held as a resort or something for a handful and also to have it its natural resources exploited. My feelings about the condemnation proceedings for those of us who held property are entirely different but we won't go into that. By the 1890's there was a development of a resort era on the island and some of the people here had grandmothers or sisters or someone who had a part in those early days. Everybody seemed to have worked at the hotels, everyone seemed to have help in building some of these buildings and it was an exciting period, in fact I mentioned in the book that the Nels Carlson Family was there at the time the life-saving buildings were built there in 1896 when the light house was built on the south end of the island and that gave two points separated by three or four miles of activity and economic energy for the community and social life. From what I have read there was a great deal of material about the dances. Everyone played instruments, gatherings on Saturday nights and romances between summer visitors, young coastguardsmen who came there and married island girls. It was a typical community but it was encapsulated in this one island area. A lot of families are connected from those early days. In the 1890's the first cottages were built and some of those cottages still remain standing. Katie Sheppard's place was build in 1895. That was an eight bedroom cottage, still standing. It's badly in need of some roofing to preserve it. It's typical of some of the large summer homes built at that time, has very interesting architecture and I spoke with Superintendent Miller, first I spoke with him about the boathouse which is the number one priority then I spoke to him about Miss Katie Sheppard's house which is second priority and then I casually mentioned Montecarlo which I think should be preserved. By preserving, I mean this can be remodeled and used for personnel or the park. It would enhance the historic beauty of the island itself. These are all right in the settlement within site of the dock so would not intrude on the wilderness or change the wilderness concept. I truly believe that the twenty seven acres that have been set aside apart from the wilderness can be enhanced with historic interest and not disturb the enjoyment of the backpacker who wants the wilderness experience, because out of 15,000 acres, 27 acres is not too much to ask. Or so I believe. During that resort era, ships made regular stops at the island. We do have some photographs. They were making regular stops between Chicago and Mackinaw so they would stop frequently at our docks. There are picture of ladies in the large hats and parasols and all the nice things that when along with the life style of those days. They rented cottages on the island. There were people who could come and stay for the summer and they could rent a carriage and take a buggy ride up to the bluffs or go fishing on Lake Manitou. Later on when Crescent was developed on the west side about five miles from the village on the east side, I found it so strange when people from Crescent I talked to said they rarely go over to the east side. The men and husbands and fathers were putting in Ten hour days working either cutting logs in the woods or working in the saw mill and they worked six days a week and I imagine on Sundays, to rent a horse and buggy and take a five mile trip across the island maybe didn't have that much appeal and then have to go back to the same thing the next week. We have talked about some of the places that were built. One of the most interesting houses on the island was the Bournique property. I know there are people here who are familiar with that house. It's located near the present boat landing on the southeast side of the island. It is within walking distance of the landing. It was a six bedroom vertical log house. It is still standing. We would have loved to have seen that one preserved but I don't think we have much chance on that one. It is interesting to see it still standing. It was built of vertical logs some of the Anderson Olean Family I know Pete Olean may have been involved in some of the work on that as well as people who had family there. Colonel Bournique was from Chicago and he was a horse fancier and he was a dance master in Chicago and spent his summers there. We are in the Munnecke Room tonight. Munnecke was a son-in-law of Colonel Alva Bournique. Round and round we go here. We are grateful to both who have left some nice things behind. The barn of the Bournique property had a dance floor on the second floor and they could entertain their guests they could have dances there and it was a nice addition to the island's social life. When people think about an isolated island off in the distance but there was the coastguard station and life-saving station and they have a whole group of people living there. There were easily nine people on crew and their families and the lighthouse which had three people a keeper, keeper's assistant and a third person and then the people who were there who had farms scattered all over the place. There was a community and there was a lot of fun at those parties. By 1922 the Manitou Island Association or Syndicate as it was known came into being. The late W. R. Angell and a group of other men had formed a syndicate and started buying up the private property. Some of the farmers had grown tired of trying to ship their cartage to the mainland, it was getting more and more difficult, shipping was becoming more expensive and it was just more expensive to get the cartage to market and to get the things that they needed from the mainland. Some of them were willing sellers because they were ready to give up. Others hung on and refused to sell. One notable exception is the Maleski family and (I see Paul here tonight) they held out and did not sell until I believe 1958. There were often offers made to the Maleski family, but their roots ran back to the island to about 1868 when the first Maleski came to the island. And they actually settled and began a family in 1875. The Maleski's didn't give up easily. We do have some photographs here tonight that we can show. We don't have a projector, but we can pass them around. Anyway, the syndicate started in 1922 and it was through that group that they introduced deer to the island. There were nine deer in the first group. Prior to that there were cattle herded by dogs. The dogs took after the deer and the deer reacted differently from cattle. Two of the bucks were killed on the first day. The surviving bucks and does made up the herd that at one time was about 2,000. The deer weren't hunted. It was not started as a hunting lodge until 1937, that was the first year, so the deer came in about 1925 and it was not until 1937, but they had miscalculated how fast the herd would grow. And, there were also miscalculations after that about how many we should take each year. So the island became over-browsed years ago. It was almost park like. You could look through the woods. It was open just like a city park, because there were too many deer. They were feed in the winter time. It was a big business operation. In time Mr. Angell bought out the other men in the syndicate until just he and his partner Roger Sherman were the two owners of the island at the time I first became familiar with it in 1942. In time Mr. Sherman sold his share to Mr. Angell and Mr. Angell became the sole owner. Deer hunting was done on a very selective basis. We sold contracts to corporations, notably Continental Motors Corp. which at one time W. Angell had been president. But we dealt with other companies too. We would contract for so many people at a set price for a doe or a buck. And it was a good business operation. This continued up until 1978. The last year they hunted they took over five hundred deer. On average before that they were taking off 300 to 350. But it was not sufficient to control the herd. I wanted to say something else about that period of time and the operation of the deer hunt. It was not like a typical hunting experience. There were linen cloths on the table for dinner, everything was under control. The men were taken out to their hunting stations in station wagons and other vehicles that were available. They came in for lunch. They were limited. If they chose to have a drink, they were limited to two drinks. If they took more that two drinks they were restricted. They could not go back into the woods for the afternoon. They would go back for the afternoon hunt and could have a couple drinks and then after dinner they could do as they chose because they were not going back to hunt til morning. They were gentlemen hunters for the most part and it was a very nice operation and it was a profitable operation during that time. By 1932, we talked earlier about the lighthouse and the coastguard station being the economic development of the island. I don't see many people of my age who remember what was happening in 1932-33. It was the aftermath of the Depression. The government was cutting back on many things. They ordered the closing of the lighthouse first in '32 and in 1933, the coastguard station and this was a real blow to the island. The school went down from having 15 to 20 students to the Maleski children who were still there and 1 or 2 others and that was it. That took the social life, it took the economic base and it left the Manitou Island Association pretty much in charge and it became like a company town because they owned about 95 to 96% of the island. There were just 4 or 5 private cottages and a handful of people who worked there and came in the summertime. It was changing. In 1942 that I came to the island and many people ask when meeting me for the first time how did you get there and where did you come from? Well, I'm originally from Texas. From Fort Worth and my husband Jack Abby? was from Dallas. I came in 1942 when I was 21 and my husband was 20 years older than I. We had been traveling with an auditing company. We had been married a year and had been traveling all thoughout the Southwest. We were in Detroit, on our way to New York. In 1942 it was very hard to keep an auditing crew together. Everyone was going into the Service. So, we were on our way to the home office in New York City and I could hardly wait to get there. Because, at that time I was not interested in the great outdoors. I like department stores and clothes and all the things, the bright lights and I was on my way to the Big Apple then. It was a great and wonderful place to be. But while we were in Detroit Jack met Mr. Angell thru a business connection and Mr. Angell was looking for a business manager for the Manitou Island Association. And he came home and telling me about this. He'd met with him several times. I was totally not interested. I didn't was to hear about it, I knew nothing about Northern Michigan. Mr. Angell invited me and Jack to have lunch and we discussed it more. I was uneasy all during this luncheon, because I thought were taking up this man's time. We have no interest in going to that island. Why don't we say thank you and leave? And to this day I don't know why. Two weeks. I will say W. R. Angell, when he talked about North Manitou Island, he was a would class spell binder. He loved the place. He was a terrific salesman. He had a dominating personality. Two weeks after that luncheon we had decided to go the island, sight unseen with a two year commitment. And then I found out that it was necessary for me to go ahead of Jack because the postal inspector was going to be there to swear me in as postmaster, because the postmaster was leaving and her husband had already gone downstate and I would have to be there to be sworn in. So Jack brought me to Leland and I spent the night at what was then called The Nicholas Hotel and he returned immediately to Detroit because he was still working for the auditing company and had to finalize plans. The next morning I was up bright and early and went down to find Tracy Grosvenor and found out that the boat wasn't going to the island until very late that day. I fooled around in Leland all that day. There wasn't much in Leland then, no shops. You could get a soda at Leland Merc, and of course there was the Blue Bird tea room at that time. So, that night before dark we set out. I was the only passenger on board the old Manitou and on the way over I was full of questions, but I was very shy when I was 21 which is hard for you to believe, but I was. On the way over I kept asking Tracy questions and I'm sure he thought, "where is she from and how could she not know if she's going there", but he was tolerant. We got there is was almost dark. There were no lights on the dock, a little tiny dock and up in the distance I could see a few dim lights. They took me up to the lodge. I found out I was the only guest in the lodge and the postal inspector was not there. He had been called to do something else and he wouldn't be there for several days. I had dinner and went upstairs to a bedroom and Mrs McClary was the lodge operator and I could tell she had been packing and preparing to leave and she was very tired and worn out so I thought well I'll go to bed and read. I had hardly begun to read when the lights flickered and turned off totally. I kept waiting for them to come back but they didn't. The next morning I came down and Mrs McClary took one look at me and I could tell from her expression that she was amused at my appearance because we had made our decision to go to the island so quickly we had not given one thought about what to wear on an island. Jack was in business suits and I was in suits and high heels, silk stocking and things of that sort. So when I came down for breakfast that next morning she looked at me and smiled and then I didn't realize that I was totally inappropriate. We just hadn't thought about clothes, but our first order to Sears and Montgomery Ward was to get some low heeled shoes and some washable things that we could wear on the island. The postal inspector didn't come for several days. My 49th anniversary was July the 3rd. That was my arrival on the island in 1942. So that started our beginnings on North Manitou. That's how I came there, a girl from Texas. Some of the people that were here, they were some of those who were taking bets on how longs we were going to stay there. And, I wouldn't have bet that I would stay either. I couldn't get over the silence. It was totally silent. If you live in cities and hotels and travel and every meal in restaurants and you're bopping about all the time; I just could not believe how quiet it could be, how silent it was. The day that Jack arrived and I met him at the boat and everybody was down to meet the boat like they still do today if the boat comes in close enough, huh George? but, he was eager to find out how I was fairing on the island by myself, and I had so much to tell him about the light system and why the lights didn't come on. When they flickered the lights that was a signal they were going to go off and you were supposed to light a kerosene lamp, but nobody had told me that. So, I asked, "what is the routine for this electric system and Mrs. McClary said, well the man who runs the system -- when ever he is ready to go to bed. So, you had to pay attention to that flicker. I finally learned before we got the big diesel plant to provide electricity, to light a lamp early. I guess it's true that you keep your lamps ready to light. Keep your lamps ready. And that was the beginning. Another thing that I found interesting living there was that our telephone system was one of the wooden ones hanging on the wall with the crank. We didn't have a number. We had three rings. We were also connected with the Crib, South Manitou and then it ran over to Maple City. Sometimes it was shifted through Cedar but Maple City most often. Because the guys on the Crib were lonely and people on the coast guard station on South Manitou were lonely and those of us on North Manitou were interested in whatever was going on, you never had a private conversation. So, many times when I would have to call the Leland Merc to add to my grocery order and I would tell them what I needed, and sometimes they couldn't hear me because there were so many phones off the hook , but often one of the coast guardsmen or one of the fellows on the Crib would say, "she said two heads of letuce". So, we made do. And now we're back to that, some gentleman here said he hears me on the radio. My call nunbers on marine radio now are the GenaO. You hear some interesting things at times. We are trying to make things work. As I've mentioned to you some of the things, some of the different eras of the island. Each on of them we could talk all evening about any one segment. The island has had a varied history. It has gone from being a wilderness to a thriving community, to having all these different centers of activity to a well-knit place where everyone was acquainted and in may cases related to their neighbors, and then after 1932-33 it became a company town and then it was only the number of people that we could keep employed that were willing to live and work on an island. Men worked together and the comaraderie that they enjoyed, some of the jobs that they were doing was hard work but it was exciting and it was out doors and they had a lot of fun. While the women were isolated in their home trying to keep wood stoves burning and get all of those enormous piles of clothes dryed behind the stove because it was too cold to hang them outdoors, and they became weary of it. They didn't have the social activities they were accoustomed to, they were often separated from their families. Sometimes they came from different backgrounds and did not have interests with their neighbors. So often women would become dissatisfied and it went into this time when people would come and stay a couple of years and then they would go onto the mainland. This was something that continued until the last years of operation, long after we were gone. They were down to the man who was caretaker and one other couple, and it seemed like a different couple every year. We had one family who had lived there in the 1940's and had moved away to Illinois, and they decided to come back during that period of time. We think they had the shortest stay. The family we are talking about arrived. They talked to the man about the conditions on the island. They said, "don't unload my household goods, we're not staying". So that set a record. We had others who would stay less than a year. I've taken more time than I thought. There are two things that I would like to talk about. I would like to ask if you have an interest in these two points. One of the things is the Leland School District owns an acre of land where the first school was established. The first school on the island was established when Nels Carlson was there in 1895. They built a log school house that would accomodate thrity-six students and it cost $150 to build the school and they had a $150 school debt and Nels Carlson was named the director. I couldn't pin down exactly what that position would mean today but I assume it would be like president of the school board. That land for the school was donated the Patshaw Family. There are people here tonight who are related to the Patshaws. The Leland School District still owns that acre of land. It would be a wonderful learning center for students to study ecology, general environment, natural history or just the history of the island itself, and many of the students in Leland and surrounding areas have pioneer roots, family roots that go back to the earliest days on North Manitou. If you have an interest in seeing your Leland School District do something about that, talk to them, they could do it. It is easily located, only about three quarters of a mile from the park service dock. It's a beautiful piece of land. It would be easily accessible and it's amazing to me how many people who live in Leland know absolutely nothing about North Manitou Island and there is a good reason for that. The Manitou Association, after they took over in the '30s, as I said, it became more or less a "company town". You didn't come to the island unless you were an invited guest or you came there to pick cherries or you came there as an employee or the guest of someone who already lived there. It was inaccessible for the general public for the most part for about fifty years. When the park took over in 1979 there was another period from 1979 to 1984 when the park did not open it to the general public. So you have a full fifty years when it was totally off-limits unless you had an island connection. So that's why not many people in Leland and surrounding areas are not at all familiar with the island. This would be a way, if the school used it, would make them all aware. The other point is the building once known as the boathouse. The life-saving station boathouse, built in 1881. I do have some photographs here. If we could just pass them around. That building is presently used for staff and they do have to have a location for staff. This is one building that we really want to see preserved and restored to its original constrution and used for access by the public. The buildings that the park has worked on so far have just been for park use because they had to be remodeled and used for that purpose. But, this building would be ideal, as the most historic building on the island. That's the future I would hope for the island. I guess that is all. I can bring this to a close, I am over by about ten minutes than I expected but if you have questions I would try to answer them. I can't believe I have you so fully informed. Who should we write to? Write to Superintedent Ivan Miller at the Empire Office. He is aware I am making this pitch here tonight. I've told him of the two building I was making the pitch for. I added the third, but it would really enhance. The history of the island should not be ignored and so far it has been ignored. Nothing has been done to preserve the history of those buildings or the people. If you are interested please write to him and ask for his cooperation. Let him know of your interest. I think that he would be receptive. I can't guarantee that it will be done. I did find him a receptive person and I think he would be open to any suggestions. It would be a beginning. It is you people who have deep roots that go way way beyond mine who should make your voice heard. What was the greatest number of people who lived on the island and in what year? I haven't touched on Crescent City. I skipped over it because I guess I was running out of time. During 1907 to 1915 Crecent City had about 200 people there and there were about 100 plus on the East side of the island. So about 300 people in that period of 1907 to 1915 |
Object Name |
Audiocassette |
File Link |
Click here to listen to part one of the oral history recording. Click here to listen to part two of the oral history recording. |
Narrator's name |
Rusco, Rita |
Date |
07/18/1991 |
Year Range from |
1991 |
Dates of Creation |
1991 |
People |
Rusco, Rita Piccard, Nicholas |
Subjects |
Islands |
Search Terms |
Oral History North Manitou Island |
Collection |
Leelanau Voices Oral History Collection |
Accession Number |
1991.42 |