| Mr. John Maescher with an assist from Mr.
Robert Heuck designed our present insignia and burgee of black,
red and gold, with two horizontal stripes of black and red, and
a gold diagonal field at the mast end with letters L.C.Y.C. inclined
vertically across the gold field. This was officially accepted
and authorized in August 1938.
Mr. John Maescher as chairman of the Constitution
Committee also devised the original Constitution and By Laws io
1938, which served our Club as guidelines until a more formal
and complete set of Rules, Regulations, and By Laws was adopted
in 1940.
In the fall of 1939, the Executive Committee
felt that to perpetuate the organization and broaden the scope
of activities, it would be desirable to have a clubhouse as a
permanent home. With this in mind, Dr. E. A. Wagner and Mr. O.C.
Altmaier had investigated the property known as Flemings' Point
on Marquette Island overlooking Muskellunge Bay. This property
was owned at the time by Mr. Thaddeus Gardulski, but since his
taxes on the same had been delinquent, the property was to be
expropriated for sale by the state of Michigan on November 1,
1939. Since quick action was necessitated, it was decided that
Dr. E.A. Wagner, O.C. Altmaier, H.J. Kauffman and Gustav Haffner
would purchase the property, each contributing quarter shares.
Mr. O.C. Altmaier was appointed to make the purchase as trustee,
and this was accomplished for the bargain price of $10,000 in
October 1939.
This property consisted of about 23 acres of
land on which stood a large handsome boathouse, a beautiful spacious
lodge, a caretaker's cottage and several smaller buildings to
house an electric generating plant and water pump. The buildings
were all finely constructed of Florida Cypress and elaborately
designed. The property also included a functional clay tennis
court. The buildings had been constructed in the years 1913 and
1914 for Mr. Arthur Fleming who had originally purchased the
property in 1908. Mr. Fleming, a railroad magnate, had also been
an official of the Statler Hotel chain. He became internationally
known when he financed the railroad car in which the Peace Accord
was signed following World War I.
Following Mr. Fleming's death, the property
had been deeded to his daughter in 1921 and ultimately was sold
in 1926 to Mr. Thaddeus Gardulski of Detroit. How long Mr. Gardulski
enjoyed the property is undetermined, but we are all grateful
for his failure to pay his taxes, which happily led to our acquisition
of this lovely site in 1939.
In 1940 our Yacht Club was formally organized
and incorporated as a body independent of the Les Cheneaux Islands
Association, and an official Constitution and By Laws was adopted
as a legal governance of club functions. In these early years
the membership consisted of approximately twenty families from
the various reaches of our island chain, of which about half were
represented by the families of "Cincinnati Row". As the years
have evolved, membership has been enhanced six fold. In the 1960's,
our roster embraced some 65 families, in 1976 this had become
90 families, and at the present time we enjoy a membership of
125 families, which attests to sound management with good future
direction, and the provision of excellent recreational and social
activities.
During the war years 1942-1946, club function
consisted mainly in fostering an annual sailing regatta in which
the girls and ladies served as chief crews and skippers. The Sunday
night picnic suppers were the only social activities during those
lean years, but the club was nevertheless held together.
In 1946, the main lodge on our property was
sold to the Paul Gerwin family of Columbus, Ohio, formerly of
Cincinnati, for $8,000. The proceeds of this sale were used to
make needed repairs and improvements in our remaining building
and docks. The electricity and water supply were generated by
our own electric generators and water pump which was shared with
the Gerwins, as the pumping and generating plants were now on
their property. This accommodation continued until 1949 when the
electric generators and water pump were moved to the woodshed
adjoining our caretaker's cottage. This intricate maneuver was
accomplished chiefly through the expertise and efforts of Mr.
Albert Luhrman and Mr. John Maescher. This remained our source
of electricity until 1958 when power from the mainland became
available from the Edison Sault Electric Co.
Throughout the late forties, fifties and sixties,
the club functions and activities consisted mainly in conducting
the annual sailing Regatta, and enjoying the weekly Sunday night
picnic suppers. In addition the clubhouse served as a social gathering
place for various teenaged parties on the weekends. One of our
few land-based activities was shumeboard, which was very popular
at the Sunday night socials. Our present shumeboard courts were
constructed in 1952 in response to popular demand. This was completed
after a donation of $375 was received from Dr. Martin Dumler for
that purpose. Although there was a small cost overrun, the exuberant
membership gladly approved the additional expense; such was the
appeal of shumeboard at that time. This was later improved to
provide a basketball net and backboard at the court's eastern
end.
During the seventies and eighties the club activities
were expanded to embrace a more diverse group of interests such
as our annual golf and tennis tourneys, a men's night cookout,
weekly catered dinners, a Labor Day party to close out the season,
and more recently, family nights where younger members could enjoy
a cookout and movies on our newly acquired VCR.
For many years there had been discussion concerning
the development of a tennis court on the site of the old clay
court on the point, east of the Club House. It was felt that the
club needed some extra facilities to enhance the activities afforded
our membership, but this had never materialized due to a lack
of funds. In 1982, however, this problem was resolved with the
sale of several original oil paintings, one by the noted artist
Edwin Potthast, which had been in our possession for some 30 years.
They had been a gift to the club from Dr. Martin Dumler of Cincinnati,
who was one of our early members. The proceeds from this sale
netted $12,000 of which $10,000 was allocated to the development
of an all weather tennis court. The rest of the cost, $20,000
was raised by the private solicitation of interested members.
The result was the construction of our present handsome all weather
court, replete with boundary fencing and a beautiful red and green
playing surface. This was accomplished in the spring of 1983 largely
through the efforts of John Ashworth and his tennis committee,
so that play was inaugurated in early July of that year. This
court has served our membership well ever since, and afforded
us many hours of extra diversion and fun off of the waters. The
natural surroundings and the beauty of its setting on the point
surrounded by woods and the waters of Muskellunge Bay makes it
one of the most handsome facilities of its kind anywhere. Its
completion ranks as one of the most significant contributions
to our Club since the organization of the Yacht Club itself.
Throughout our history, the main function of
our club has been the promotion of sailboat racing, in particular
our annual Regatta. These Regattas have been held each year without
exception including the war years. In the beginning and throughout
the 1950's, the competition consisted mainly of “L”
Boats and Clubs with a sprinkling of Lightnings and Stars. As
interest in sailboat racing increased, these classes were replaced
in the 1960's by new classes of Ensigns, Sunfish and Typhoons.
More recently, the competition has resolved into two classes,
the Ensigns and Sunfish with more than 30 boats in each class
boasting ownership throughout the Les Cheneaux area. Our most
spectacular and colorful events have been experienced with these
two classes where the competition has evoked the very best of
seamanship and tactics, resulting in a host of memorable and exciting
racing classics. The in"troduction in 1986 of colorful balloon
spinnakers to the Ensign Fleet has added a very significant Dare
to their spectator appeal. Presently, our Ensign Fleet is one
of the largest in this country and enjoys official membership
in the National Ensign Class Association. As an added inducement
to further competitive racing, several permanent trophies have
been awarded annually in various categories. The oldest trophy,
dating from 1949, is the O.C. Altmaier Cup awarded to the most
improved sailor each year. The Donald Neal Cup is awarded to the
best Sunfish boat. The Birkmeier Cup is awarded to the Ensign
Fleet champion, and the Horsburgh Trophy goes to the winner of
the Ensign Fleet race to Mackinac. The Haines Trophy is awarded
to the Ensign winner of our annual Regatta.
In 1972, the Portsmouth System of scoring was
adopted largely through the efforts of Rex EIy, in order to accommodate
the diversity of boats in our sailing Regattas. This has since
been abandoned as our competition has narrowed to two distinct
classes. Our function as a Yacht Club has most successfully promoted
and catalyzed an ever-increasing interest in the grand sport of
sailboat racing, and in turn we have received an ever-increasing
interest in membership from the many families that constitute
our summer establishment. The success of our sailing Regattas
has been the result of an enthusiastic and dedicated group of
people who served as chairmen of the racing committees. Without
their supreme dedication and selfless commitment, our ultimate
fine achievement could not have been realized. It is therefore
fitting to accord these grand individuals due recognition for
their special contributions to our organization. These hallowed
names then are to be enshrined in our own Sailing Hall of Fame
to wit: Dr. H. V. Steinmetz, Robert Heuck, Rex EIy, Harold Taylor,
J. Barr Haines, Donald Horsburgh, Donn Early, Ken Horsburgh, Paul
Birkmeier, and presently Bob Cox. A most appreciative salute to
each and all of them!
Throughout the years, numerous improvements
have been made in the interior of our clubhouse. In the early
1950's various walls were removed from the main structure to accommodate
a larger meeting and dining area. These walls had originally served
as partitions for several bedrooms on the second Door of the boathouse.
Extensive remodeling of the kitchen area took place during the
seventies and eighties to accommodate the ever-increasing attendance
at our annual dinner meetings and other social events. -Up until
1976 we were dependent on a propane gas stove and refrigerator
for our food service, but in that year these were replaced by
larger electric generated units. The ultimate improvement in our
kitchen facility was completed in 1987 with the addition of a
double sink and splash board top, and new cantilevered serving
deck. In 1980, the dining area was again enlarged and refurbished
with the addition of new picnic tables and chairs. At the present
time, further improvements in the dining hall are under way, so
that the entire common meeting room will expand to all four walls
with the elimination of the game room to the rear, and carpeting
of the entire floor area is programmed to suppress the decibels
generated by the exuberance of our gatherings.
These improvements and continuing embellishments
to our physical plant were of course necessitated by the increased
use of our club as a social gathering place for an increasing
and enthusiastic membership. Our social functions and house maintenance
were promoted largely through the efforts of a tireless and innovative
group of ladies who orchestrated a delightful and varied mix of
events to entertain our members. These events were anchored by
our weekly Sunday night socials and enhanced by such notable occasions
as our annual bratwurst parties, weekly-catered dinners, Labor
Day bloody mary brunches, arts and craft shows, and young peoples'
night at the movies. Among those who so nobly and expertly gave
of their time to promulgate these happy activities are the following
lovely ladies: Florence Heuck, Doris Abnee, Ann Parsons, Ruth
Steinfeldt, Mary Louise Hawley, Helen Shoberg, Margaret Schleuter,
Doris Larson, Chris Tuckett and Sheila Murray. A hearty thanks
to all of them for their labors of love!
Although our Constitution and By Laws were originally
adopted in 1940, many amendments and revisions were made over
the years. The first formal revision was accomplished in 1947.
In 1969 the Constitution was repealed and a Code of Regulations
was adopted to conform with Michigan law. The By Laws were retained,
however, and the life of our organization was extended for another
thirty years, also to conform with Michigan law. In 1981, the
By Laws were again amended to make mandatory the ownership of
at least one share of stock as a requisite of membership. This
had been discussed and considered for many years, but had taken
some 40 years for ultimate resolution. At the present time we
are to submit another revision of the Code and By Laws concerning
the tenure of the officers and their rotation in the administration
of our club.
Up until 1973, our activities had been directed
by an Executive Board of seven officers elected annually. At that
time this was altered to accommodate a Board of nine directors
elected for three-year terms. In 1982, this was again modified
so that one third of the nine directors were elected annually
to three-year terms, and this is the prevailing arrangement today.
No history of this organization would be complete
without an acknowledgement of the many fine contributions made
to the maintenance of our facilities by a highly motivated and
industrious group of individuals who chaired the Docks, Buildings,
and Grounds Committees. Throughout the years, our docks, clubhouse,
and grounds have been kept in excellent repair in low water and
high. Many improvements have been made both inside an out, and
the docks have been repaired and rebuilt as occasion demanded.
Roofs have been repaired or replaced and the buildings painted
as needed, so that today we experience good function in all our
structures. This has been achieved in spite of fifty years of
use and wear, and the ever-changing extremes in our weather conditions.
These notable individuals who have contributed so selflessly and
enthusiastically merit the plaudits of the entire membership and
are hereby recognized: H.J. Kauffman, Grant Hesser, Walter Cordes,
Conrad Shoberg, Sam Benedict, Donald Neal, Aldren Taylor, Joe
Langner, Richard Taylor, and John Walker.
Although we have had many caretakers throughout
our history, and endured many years without such valuable help,
two names stand out for their major contributions to our well
being. Stuart Bohn who served from 1967 to 1975, and Jim Martin
who served from 1975 to 1982, gave invaluable assistance and managerial
skill to the operation of our Club. They and their fine families
were wonderful assets and were highly regarded by all of us.
Our Yacht Club boasts an ever-increasing membership
and constantly aspiring applicants. This happy state is the result
not only of sound organization and direction, but also of active
participation on the part of all of our members. Our many fine
volunteers have been a dedicated and industrious group who have
given unstintingly of their time, energies, and talents, and from
this we have all profited. As a focal point, our club has provided
us with a grand opportunity for creating new friendships and renewing
old ones throughout the Les Cheneaux area. The comradery and good
fellowship generated by our activities has been a special factor
in promoting the enjoyment of our summer experience. As a vital
and successful organization, we have traveled far, and with continued
interest and enthusiasm can look forward to a future of enhanced
achievement and high adventure.
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