August 2, 1941 (Saturday)

HENRY AND EDNA TAKE A SHORT VACATION WITH THE ALDERINKS

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Nice sunny day, hot

during day and cool

this evening.

Henry +I and Mr. and

Mrs. Ben Alderink went

north to Sable Lake for

the week-end for a little

vacation. Men went fishing

after supper. Henry caught

a 13 inch bass.

Staying in a log cabin

with twin beds and

every thing. Several log

cabin in a group and

all filled. Get meals here

on grounds. Had find

fish supper. Played euchre

when men came from

fishing. Real cool to-night.

Stopped at "Shrine of the Pines"

near Baldwin. All furniture

made from Pine roots + stumps.

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Henry and Edna headed north for a weekend get-away with their friends the Alderinks. Edna notes that they are staying on Sable Lake in what, from her description, seems like a small resort. The log cabins are grouped together and meals are served on the grounds.

Sable Lake, according to Edna's journal, is where they spent the weekend. I immediately did an internet search for Sable Lake and found nothing. I was able to find a list of lakes in Michigan but it was not a complete list. Michigan has over 11,000 inland lakes of 5 acres or more. This list only includes about 500 lakes. It does list two Sable lakes; Grand Sable Lake in Alger County and Au Sable Lake in Ogema County. Neither are close to Baldwin, Michigan.

I kept digging and finally came upon a group of inland lakes near the Big Sable River called the Sauble Lakes. Some maps refer to them by number.

Sauble Lake #1.

Sauble Lake #2.

Sauble Lake #3.

Sauble Lake #4.

Edna clearly wrote Sable Lake.

A 2009 article in the Ludington Daily News details the varying use of Sable vs. Sauble for rivers and lakes in the area dating back to the 1800's including a vintage kiosk in one park with "Big Sauble Lake" on its map. On that same kiosk and on a nearby sign the body of water is listed as "Sable Lake."

I feel pretty certain that one of these four Sauble Lakes must have been the Sable Lake on which Edna and Henry spent their weekend vacation in 1941.

I did a little digging around hoping I might find some information about a log cabin resort that existed in the 40's near the Sauble Lakes. I didn't find anything that I could definitively say may have been the place.

I did find images of two resorts near/on Sauble Lake: Isenberg's Jungle Haven and Oak Ridge Resort.

Jungle Haven is still shown on the map today (see the red marker at the bottom of the inset on the map above). I found a lot of simple listings for Jungle Haven on the internet but no current day photos or specific details to make me think it is still in operation aside from a 2012 review.

My fav place in the whole world! 5 stars. This place may not be ideal for some people but i grew up here i spend my whole summer vacation here(jun-aug) when i was young and still come up here every 4th of July with the family! this is our up north heaven! love this place holds so many great memories and love the people they are like family!

Oak Ridge Resort didn't seem to match Edna's description of where they stayed. They aren't log cabins.

I had hoped I might stumble upon an image of Sauble Lakes resort with log cabins. No such luck.

One place Edna and Henry and Alderinks visited on their trip does still exist; the Shrine of the Pines.

The website for Shrine of the Pines states that they are a "world famous attraction nestled in the woods on the bank of the Pere Marquette River. Located on M-37 in Baldwin, Michigan."

Their Facebook page provides a bit more history than their website.

Originally started by the late, great Raymond "Bud" Overholzer. He moved to the area from Ohio with his mother and wife, Hortense. Bud had a passion for the outdoors. An avid fishermen, hunter, and taxidermist, he took to the beauty of Northern Michigan's forest/woods, primarily white pines. Bud managed to turn remaining stumps and roots from the logged woods into beautiful furniture, which were originally made for his taxidermist shop. Bud was a magician with his hands, having constructed over 200 pieces of furniture with only hand tools and homemade glue. With the creation of many pieces, over a span of 30 years, Bud and some friends constructed a log cabin (museum) as a gallery to showcase his creations in 1939.

When the Johnsons and Alderinks visited Shrine of the Pines in 1941, it was a fairly new attraction having just opened in 1939.

It was fun taking a little trip with Henry and Edna. I am anxious to see what their day brings tomorrow.