WAUPACA COUNTY POST

                                                                        August 6,  1925

 

                                                        History of Waupaca Chain o’ Lakes

                                                                   As a Summer Resort

 

 

     The Chain o’ Lakes that the members of the Wisconsin Press association will see Friday on their boat trip offer a striking contrast to the lakes of forty years ago, when Waupaca people were just beginning to recognize this area as a  potential resort.

     In 1880 Mrs. H. Nordvi and Mrs. William West opened the first summer hotel on the lakes, the Greenwood, which was located where Marden hall of the Veterans’ Home now stands.  About this time Dr. George H. Calkins discovered the beneficial qualities of the spring water on the shore of Hicks lake, had the water analyzed at Madison and began to sell the famous Shealtiel water.

     Soon after this, probably in 1882, Major R. N. Roberts built a cottage on Hicks lake and from that time the summer colony grew steadily.  In 1892, the Silver Lake Cottage company built what is now known as Grand View hotel and in 1896 Loyola Villa was built as a summer haven of rest for professors of Jesuit colleges.  The beautiful point of land on which the villa is located was purchased from Miss Marle Chamberlain.

     Although the Greenwood hotel was short lived like many pioneer enterprises, Greenwood Park came into its own in 1889 when the council of the city of Waupaca made an appropriation of $10,000 to purchase the site for the Wisconsin Veterans’ Home, according to Fred W. Rosche.