THE WAUPACA POST

February 27, 1992

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

            There is still standing today the sad remains of the once dream resort of two Chicago men.

            The badly neglected former Charmaine Hotel stands partially hidden behind a row of cedar trees on State Highway 54, approximately 4-1/2 miles west of Waupaca.

            A Warranty Deed dated December 4, 1929, shows that Louis Anderson, a widower, sold to Louis Austmann, about 99 acres in the Town of Farmington.  The lake mentioned in the land description is called Silver Lake on plat maps, but was known as Anderson’s Lake by the people of the area.

            On March 7, 1930 Louis Austmann, who was a single man, sold the property to Charles A. Kramer and Joseph Rausch, except for a recorded mortgage of $5,5000, due on or before five years from December 4, 1929.

            The two new owners formed a corporation called “Charmaine Country Estates.”  It was filed with the state on March 18, 1930.  The purpose of the corporation was to “buy, sell, deal in, lease, hold or improve real estate and personal property … and generally hold, manage, deal with and improve the property of the company… to construct, erect, equip and improve houses and buildings; to purchase real estate and plat and sub-divide the same, to erect, provide, maintain, operate, lease, purchase and acquire hotels, restaurants, inns, or places of entertainment and refreshments, to conduct and operate amusement enterprises and all the branches pertaining hereto and thereof consisting of summer gardens, parks, hotels, dance halls, and bathing beaches; to operate and maintain a golf course…”

            Their plans called for building a two-story clubhouse, 44 feet by 56 feet, that would be lighted by electricity and contain showers and baths, all team-heated.  The work was completed on the building and included a bath house on the lake.

            The Waupaca County Post on May of 1931, had an article which explained a little bit about the new Hotel Charmaine.  The hotel promised to be the most exclusive resort in Waupaca County.  It was scheduled to open to the public on Memorial Day, 1931.

            The resort was opened under the management of R. C. Wheeler.

            The building, according to the article, was completely remodeled and redecorated as a summer hotel and clubhouse, was expensively furnished, and the interior was a place of beauty.

            Mr. Wheeler featured chicken and steak dinners, and chicken and steak sandwiches.  Private parties were especially catered to and dancing was permitted in the main dining hall.

            The beautiful Silver Lake was located on the property, and a tennis court and a golf course were in the process of construction in 1931.  But the bathing beach and the golf course were never completed, as the organization went broke – it was, after all, early in the Great Depression.

            At a sale held at the Waupaca County Courthouse on October 8, 1932, descendents of the late Louis C. Anderson brought back their former property, with Chris G. Peterson as administrator.  The Waupaca County Post for October 13, 1932, stated that the Anderson family was again in possession of the property, and that they planned on holding it until such time that it would sell for a larger portion on the money invested in it.

            A large number of merchants, plumbers, lumber dealers and others who had liens against the property all forfeited their claims.  The property stood empty until March of 1936, when the property was leased by Alvin Carlson of Minneapolis.  Workmen began to renovate the spacious building, installing new equipment and furniture and a new sign went up proclaiming it the “Ranch Hotel.”

The Ranch Hotel sign came down that same year, however, and a new sign was in its place. It was now the Charmaine Hotel, and had its opening on Saturday, Nov. 2, 1936.  The Chairmaine Hotel featured a splendid line of foods. Mr. and Mrs. A. Joly, the new operators, served barbecued ribs, spaghetti, steaks, chops, chicken, homemade pies and a pastry department.

            On October 21, 1947, Andrew R. Newhoff sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. Benson Burns, who again remodeled the Charmaine Hotel.  An article found in the Waupaca County Post, dated March 25, 1948, reported that interior redecorations of the Charmaine Hotel were nearing completion and the exterior landscaping was about to begin.

            The Charmaine Hotel had been under the ownership of Benson Burns, formerly of Chicago, since September 1947.  Burns, the newspaper said, had made many changes in this spacious tourist hotel.  All of the hotel’s 24 bedrooms had been redecorated and equipped with closet space which they did not have before.  The lobby gave a pleasant lodge atmosphere, and lodging and meals were available at all times by reservations.  Private parties were available by reservation only.  Only home cooking was served, prepared by Mrs. Burns, who was Hungarian and specialized in dishes of her native land.

            Mr. and Mrs. Burns had hoped to begin with the landscaping soon the County Post reported.  The tennis court would be in order for the summer season.  A woman experienced as a recreation director had been engaged to supervise the sports program.  A stable of riding horses was added, along with outdoor table tennis.

            On December 6, 1952, Benson Burns and his wife, Vilma, sold the property to Richard G. Selke and his wife, Elliene, and once again remodeling and redecorating was in order.

            After nearly two years, on August 14, 1954, the Charmaine opened again under the managership of Marie Classon and the new owners, Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Selke of Chicago.

            The dining room was open daily for all meals from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Special catering services were provided for parties in the remodeled dining room that extended approximately 40 feet on the east side of the building.  A small private dining room adjoined the large room on the north side.  Now there were only 14 bedrooms upstairs that had been redecorated and refurnished.  A modern kitchen had been installed, the dining atmosphere was highlighted by flowers, carpeting and candles.

            Bob Paulson was chef, assisted by Mrs. Elsa Lillie and Mrs. Elmer Williams. Waitresses were Beverly Dixon and Mrs. Bob Paulson.  Victor Berzin, a nephew of Mr. Selke, was a general handyman.

            The next change of ownership was on February 1, 1957, when Richard G. and Elliene Selke sold the property to the Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament of Hyde Park, NY.  Soon thereafter bids were taken for the construction of a Catholic seminary to be built to the north and east of the Charmaine Lodge.  The original plans called for a two-story building approximately 110 by 60 feet.  The second floor was to have a study hall, classrooms and a library which would serve as a temporary chapel.

            The ground floor was to house the dormitory and showers.  The basic structure was to be built, so other wings could be added as needed.  The Marks Construction Co. of Marshfield was awarded the general contract.  Construction was started in the summer of 1957, and was completed one year later, in time for the fall classes to start after Labor Day.  The construction cost was $215,000.  Classes started with about 35 first and second year high school students.  The new facility included a chapel, dormitory, recreation room, study hall and classrooms. Until future buildings were constructed, the students ate their meals in the Charmaine Lodge. A locker room for the students was built at the rear of the building.  The old barn that stood behind the lodge was razed and a new garage was built.

            The Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers was established in September 1958 for the purpose of fostering and encouraging vocations to the priesthood.  They announced on March 19, 1971, that the school would close in June, at the end of the school year, and on May 2, 1973, the Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament sold out to Tomorrows, Inc.

            Tomorrows, Inc. was incorporated May 3, 1973, for the purpose or purposes to establish facilities for education, to educate anew, especially to rehabilitate handicapped persons by special training, and to provide expert counseling service to organizations engaged in similar endeavors. It was during the time of the ownership of Tomorrows, Inc. that a fire was set and burned the garage that was behind the Charmaine Lodge. The garage was used as a training shop to teach the members in automobile repair. Sterling Petersen was the instructor at the time.

            July 31, 1976, Tomorrows, Inc. sold out to Louis H. Neuville, L.I. Forman and Carol M. Block. The Neuville group sold the seminary location to the joint school district No. 1, of Waupaca, and this is now the Chain o’ Lakes Elementary School.

            On Friday night, March 21, 1986, the Waupaca Fire Department was called to the property owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Steinpreis, located on silver Lake Drive.  The building was the former famous Charmaine Hotel and Lodge. It was not occupied at the time, but was used for storage.  The Waupaca Fire Department fought the fire for five hours.  State Marshall Don Kessler from Kaukauna and the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department were called in to investigate.  No cause of the fire was ever determined.

            The old Charmaine Hotel and Lodge stands like a ghost, a burned-out shell of a dream of the past.