North Woods

Got to thinking about the North Woods boy scout camp in Michigan. The camp was actually owned by the Rockford Illinois boy scouts. I am not sure all the legal and ownerships, so I will say little about them. To get there you had to drive north to Watersmeet Michigan, hang a left and drive into the forest preserve. This land is part of the 1.2 million acres that burned in 1871 the same night as the Chicago fire. 2500 lives were lost in the Peshtigo fire which was the largest fire of its type in the United States.

All the trees in the area are considered secondary growth and the ground has enough combustibles in it to be a problem. Campfires are not allowed as the fire can burn down in the ground. Thhey used a stove on four legs to cook on.

There was a large lodge built near the entrance. It was donated and built by Walt Williamson a Rockford oil man. The materials were from a pier he bought in Pittsburg PA. The campsites were remote, and there was always a problem with bears. Campers were warned about having candy or sweets in their tents. Those disobeying this order would find their campsite torn apart when they came back in the evening.

Several years I volunteered to take boys to North Woods for the provisional troop. This was boys who wanted to go to North Woods and their troop was not going. My job was to drive three or four boys from Rockford to North Wood, camp all week with them and drive them home at the end of the week. During the day the boys would be in camp activities, and so I was only obligated to fish, read books, relax, or do nothing. Outside of gas to drive them north, I was obligated to pay my fair share of the week. This amounted to $9.

It was the cheapest weeks’ vacation I have ever had.