Lakeside 2008 Nostalgia

That’s one of the big selling points of a Lakeside vacation--nostalgia. A return to a simpler, easier, less stressful time--sort of time travel in reverse. We began renting in 1974 and bought our cottage in 1988, 20 years ago. Believe me when I say, the Lakeside of today is not that of 20 years ago, and especially not 35 years ago, despite the 19th century cottages you might see. That quiet piece of Americana is a figment of our imagination; Lakeside’s what city people think small towns are today, and what small town people seem to remember of the place where they grew up. I grew up in two small towns and I remember outhouses, hand pumps in kitchens, linoleum rugs, kerosene stoves, and basements with dirt floors. Trust me, you don’t want that!

There were a handful of cottages selling in the $40,000 range in the late 80s, but they did need work. When we started renting in the 1970s, if there were comparable houses in Lakeside and Columbus, the Columbus house would cost more; by the late 80s, a Lakeside house of comparable size and modernity would cost more because many people were investing in second homes creating a demand.

Our first rental was an upper unit in a four-plex and cost $45 a week in 1974. We had a porch and I could see the lake and the children playing the park. That unit has now been combined with the one next to it and rents for about $1200 a week, but the view of the Lake is still there.

What I remember about Lakeside of the early 1970s is that renewal and upgrades were beginning. There was a gasoline crisis (in 2007 dollars it was higher than today), long lines at gas stations, and people were turning to places closer to home for vacations. At Lakeside, property owners were starting to straighten the foundations, replace moldy wall board, paint the cottages, and install an additional half bath under the stairs or in a closet, and maybe a ceiling fan. A few people had telephones, televisions and AC, but not many. Bicycles were old clunkers. I remember stopping by the Fountain Inn to watch a few minutes of a Soap Opera---many others were doing the same. Our unit didn’t even have a radio, I don’t think the vacuum cleaner worked, and the kitchen made me ill--couldn’t cook in it until about Wednesday.

By the 1970s, the large cafeteria eating places and boarding houses had disappeared because most cottages had kitchens, and government regulations put most of them out of business. But today’s "old timers" remember that Lakeside. If they are nostalgic for standing in line in the sun or rain to eat, it must be for the prices. But in the 1970s and 1980s the Hotel Lakeside served 3 nice meals a day, and it was lovely to eat in the dining room and look at the water. We really miss that, but the Association doesn’t seem to be able to hire a company that can make that work.

A huge difference I see today over the 1970s are the activities for children and family groups. When my children were little, there was bike riding, swimming, fishing, sailing lessons, hanging out with friends, a game of tennis if you could get a court, a playground, miniature golf and shuffleboard with adults, and story hour on Saturday at the Women’s Club. There was no children's beach; no kiddie pool. Now there are so many programs for kids in arts, crafts, music, sports, and spiritual life, I couldn’t even begin to count them. I think it reflects our need to schedule our lives or face panic. No child at Lakeside could possibly whine, “There’s nothing to do.” Programming for adults has more variety too, from nature walks, historical tours, wellness programs, and exercise routes as well as the usual lectures and Bible studies.

A number of things have disappeared from the Lakeside we first knew in the 1970s: The lakefront got chewed up in the high water period of the 60s and 70s, huge boulders were brought in to protect the property, then the water receded so the view is very different; old clunky bikes are all but gone--mine is 40 years old and has 28 year old tires, but it’s a rarity; boom boxes of the 1990s--all the kids have I-pods now; dress-up clothing--women are wearing shorts and baseball caps to Sunday services in the auditorium, and I’ve seen more butt-cracks on men in baggy cargo pants than anyone should be subjected to; the payphone-- everyone talks on cell phones; cigarettes--I rarely see a smoker in Lakeside, not even the litter; fixer-up cottages--you probably won’t find one if you’re hoping for a bargain--you’ll need to fix one up that was remodeled in the 80s; healthy weight--maybe it’s the baggy clothes but I’m guessing the average Lakesider is 30-40 lbs heavier than 35 years ago, although some still jog and the Raccoon Run is still popular; antique shops--I think there were four in the early 1970s--fun for browsing; automobiles are slowly moving to remote parking--there are more and more streets with yellow lines; fewer big name programs--in the past we’ve seen Pat Boone, Shirley Jones, Emmylou Harris, and others--now programming is more family oriented and few are extra charge--Eleanor Roosevelt actually visited right here where I’m sitting in 1940.

What’s here now that we didn‘t have then: modern kitchens; beautiful bathrooms; many new homes; more open porches; lavish flower gardens and decorating; The Rhein Center is now 10 years old--it’s been a wonderful addition for arts and crafts; lakefront church services--I think those started in the 90s; ATM machine; credit cards; Wi-Fi; cable TV; the current lovely lakefront Pavilion was built in 1988--we never saw the original one, only the horrid 1950s “modern” version; golf carts are everywhere; over 30 cottages have been redesigned or designed new by my husband--something we would have never anticipated in the 1970s when we first came through the gates.

What hasn't changed: the sunsets and sunrises; summer love; lines for ice cream; getting together with friends and neighbors you haven't seen for a year; beautiful Lake Erie; picnics in the park.

Other nostalgia since the gate fee was ten cents, with a few highlights of the season:

1873: Lake Shore Christian Home becomes Lakeside Company
1874: Lakeside dedicated, 5,000 people attend the program
1890: Francis E. Willard, of WCTU is speaker
1895: Susan B. Anthony lectures; Governor William McKinley is speaker
1901: Lorado Taft lectures on art; Gen. Booth, founder of Salvation Army is speaker
1921: Fisk Jubilee Singers; Lutheran Chautauqua begins
1922: William Jennings Bryan
1924: Dr. E. Stanley Jones
1929: Billy Sunday preaches to 5,000
1934: Amelia Earhart speaker; Lowell Thomas--reserved seats $.25
1936: Mary McCleod Bethune speaker
1939: Last run of the Northern Ohio Electric Railway between Toledo and Marblehead
1940: Eleanor Roosevelt visits Lakeside
1940s: Gov. John W. Bricker led a Bible class
1950: Robert Taft teaches Bible Class
1951: Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra
1956: Marian Anderson sings; first Lakeside Art Show
1954: Island View platted; J.C. Penney teaches a Bible class
1965: Al Hirt, Jazz trumpeter; William Warfield; Mike Douglas; season pass $25
1970: Norman Vincent Peale
1972: Doc Severinson in concert
1973: Roger Williams plays; Lionel Hampton orchestra
1974: The Bruce family rents on Plum for their first visit to Lakeside
1975: Barby Bright and Jane Aigler open an art store
1981: Fred Waring
1982: Victor Borge
1983: Douglas Edwards, CBS News; Norman Vincent Peale
1984: Four Freshmen perform
1985: The Osmonds; Ray Charles; Duke Ellington Orchestra; Dale Evans
1989: Emmylou Harris; season pass: $175
1991: Shirley Jones (there was a storm and the power failed--the show went on with a generator)
1993: Four Lads; Four Freshmen
1996: Four Aces, Four Lads;
2002: The Turtles; Gaelic Storm
2003: Crew Cuts; Gary Puckett; season pass: $335
2005: Russ Taff; Phil Keaggy
2006: CeCe Winans; season pass $395
2008: John Davidson; Capitol Steps; Sandi Patti; season pass $435


19th century restored Lakeside cottage with landscaping