History of Treasure Island - or is it 'Red Head Island'?

[TreasureHunter]

Does anybody know any of the history of Treasure Island? I understand it was once called 'Red Head Island' but I don't know why and why and when was it changed to Treasure Island. We have seen some old literature talking of a small resort there back I believe in the 50's that they called a 'Boatel', and also at one time a boy's camp, but I would be interested in any other info, details, pictures, etc. about the history!

Thanks

[Just Sold]

Can't give you any history of Treasure but the Boatel you spoke about was on Sleeper Island in the 60's I believe. Here is a photo. There is a building to the right of the castle (behind docked boats) that was the actual Boatel.
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...cat=all&page=1

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Off the subject of Red Head Island, which I'm sure there is something in one of my books. Just have too many projects going on all at once.
When I have a minute I'll look.
Here is Sleepers Island History. I had trouble trying to figure out where to put the link. Association or History? Ended up in History.
Still need to read this myself. So much history, so little time!
I think there was a map with all the summer camps at the library too.

[TreasureHunter]

Thanks Rattlesnake Gal,

Tucked in with the history from Sleepers was this mention of Treasure Island:

A camp had been established on Treasure Is. called "Camp Mishe Mokwa" (the name for "great white bear" in Hiawatha) and it operated as a boys camp between 1913 and 1950. In 1950, the island was sold to the Girl Scouts of America and it operated as a Girl Scout camp for about ten years. During this time, Ivar Swenson (owner of Sleepers at this time) engineered a power cable for Treasure Is. After the cable was installed, Ivar was made an honorary Girl Scout!

I would definitely be interested in any more mentions of Treasure, Red Head, Red Hand, etc. that you might come across!

TreasureHunter

[whiskeyrunner]

I understand that the girl scouts had a camp on treasure / red head island and that they were trasported by boat but does anyone know where the boad was docked in the 1950's????

[anne154]

Treasure island was owned by the Boston Council of the GSA during the 50s. The camp was accessed from a dock near the end of the small bay on the east side of Sleeper's Point. The camp had a Navy double ended whale boat and a large 30 or so passenger boat for transporting people. One small outboard was used for daily food runs and taking counselors back and forth to mainland for time off.

The units where the campers stayed did not have electricity or septic systems. Campers cooked breakfast and lunch over wood fires and washed cooking pots and dishes in water boiled over the same word fire. All wood was cut by the campers from deadwood on the island. The loos were outhouses, lit at night by kerosene lanterns.

Dinner was served in the dining hall, a building that did have electricity and commercial cooking facilities.

The small island (Cub) between Treasure and Sleeper Island also housed campers (a counselor-in- training group, later the sailing unit). All transportation back and forth between Cub and Treasure was via a 12 person canoe.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Great Description Anne154! Any chance you have access to any historic pictures?

[anne154]

I do have pictures. I will search for them after I return from my travels I also have a letter addressed to me at TI that I'll post (front of envelope) on the thread about mailboats. TI's address: Alton Bay and Merrymount Boat Trip #1.

[Diver1111]

Re: the "Navy double-ended whaleboat" can you tell me more about it? I ask because about 4 years ago I found an odd, steel vessel about 30-35 feet long off the Weirs in about 45 feet of water on side-scan. I dove it and still can't figure out what it was in a prior life; I have a side-scan image and video clip of it on the Forum. Video is tough but I plan to film it again; Side scan image not all that revealing either but it has a huge log across the gunwhales-not tied down-just sitting there so it wasn't used to scuttle the vessel. More cool strange finds in Winni.

Vessel is pointed on both ends. Some think it may be a former Liberty ship lifeboat.

[Joan]

Delighted to find this blog. Anne 154 has it exactly right. I was a camper there during the summers of 1951, (Crow's nest), '52 and '53. During '52 and '53 I was a CIT, and we did commute to Cub via the large canoe. Every year (?) we climbed Mt. Major. We cooked in large outdoor fireplaces, and brought supplies from the central kitchen/pantry in wicker backpacks. Would love to hear from any former TI'ers.

[onceMeg]

Like Joan, I'm very glad to have found this Forum. I was at Treasure Island from 1960-1963. And - like everyone else - I just Loved it there. Being on an island made it very special. I remember the climbs up Mt. Major too, and sailing to Ship Island and past Minge Cove. But in 1964 I started at a private camp near Wolfeboro - Camp Kehonka - and I learned that summer that Treasure Island had been sold; it ceased operations as a camp that year. Of course, I was sorry to see such a treasure turned into home sites (and felt the same way many years later when the same fate happened to Kehonka).

[onceMeg]

Here are a couple of items I found in my Memories box - TI letterhead, and a couple of pictures. I also found a map I drew of Treasure Island - but my 13-year-old's mapping skills weren't too good - shows the locations of camp areas - Spyglass, Lookout, Village Green, Topmast, Golden Gate - - - - if Joan Anne or other alumni really want to see it, let me know. I think I Might remember all of the TI poem, if anyone's interested.

[onceMeg]

I was able to recall the Treasure Island poem, finally. I've posted it on the General Discussion forum, under Winnipesaukee Camps Remembered. If you were at TI, I think you'll remember it too. And if you weren't, I hope you enjoy it also. (I did Not write it.)

[Lakeflier]

Originally Posted by anne154

Treasure island was owned by the Boston Council of the GSA during the 50s. The camp was accessed from a dock near the end of the small bay on the east side of Sleeper's Point. The camp had a Navy double ended whale boat and a large 30 or so passenger boat for transporting people. One small outboard was used for daily food runs and taking counselors back and forth to mainland for time off.



The units where the campers stayed did not have electricity or septic systems. Campers cooked breakfast and lunch over wood fires and washed cooking pots and dishes in water boiled over the same word fire. All wood was cut by the campers from deadwood on the island. The loos were outhouses, lit at night by kerosene lanterns.



Dinner was served in the dining hall, a building that did have electricity and commercial cooking facilities.



The small island (Cub) between Treasure and Sleeper Island also housed campers (a counselor-in- training group, later the sailing unit). All transportation back and forth between Cub and Treasure was via a 12 person canoe.

Just as I remember! I started as a camper in 1956 in the Spyglass unit, and went to TI every summer, later as a CIT and in my last year as a counselor in 1963 in Crow's Nest.

The double-ended whaling boat, which I recall as lapstrake wood construction, was named "Cookie," and the cabin cruiser (steel hull?) was "Bunny." Especially if it was raining when they arrived, most of the girls were transported in Bunny and their bedrolls and duffels in Cookie. We called the Cub Island canoe the "War Canoe." When I was in the sailing unit that was our transportation to the main island. At boating time the girls who were beginner swimmers used the wooden rowboats, and more advanced swimmers used the canoes. The sailing unit had two Cape Cod Knockabout sailboats. Nice and heavy and stable.

In my sailing year (1959) the director hired a counselor/sailing instructor from Japan named Nakane Hiroshi. It turned out upon arrival that he was a man! Sleeping arrangements had to be modified, but Hiroshi turned out to be a fun and competent instructor. Sometimes he and Rusty, the other instructor, had "philosophical differences" which were entertaining, as Hiroshi's English deteriorated as he got excited, and he wasn't ready to accept a young red-haired woman as his equal.

Sorry to be joining this conversation so late, but I am a new forum member. Would love to hear memories from other TI campers or counselors.




Sent from my iPad using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[Janey]

Originally Posted by Joan

Delighted to find this blog. Anne 154 has it exactly right. I was a camper there during the summers of 1951, (Crow's nest), '52 and '53. During '52 and '53 I was a CIT, and we did commute to Cub via the large canoe. Every year (?) we climbed Mt. Major. We cooked in large outdoor fireplaces, and brought supplies from the central kitchen/pantry in wicker backpacks. Woruld love to hear from any former TI'ers.

What fun to find another...and trying to place your name...I was a CIT '52. Being one of the 4 Florida girls (Marion, Anne, and Miki were others) because of distance, I was allowed to take both courses in one summer on Cub. Do you recall the "areodoodle rocket beanie" caper?

[Janey]

Originally Posted by anne154

Treasure island was owned by the Boston Council of the GSA during the 50s. The camp was accessed from a dock near the end of the small bay on the east side of Sleeper's Point. The camp had a Navy double ended whale boat and a large 30 or so passenger boat for transporting people. One small outboard was used for daily food runs and taking counselors back and forth to mainland for time off.

The units where the campers stayed did not have electricity or septic systems. Campers cooked breakfast and lunch over wood fires and washed cooking pots and dishes in water boiled over the same word fire. All wood was cut by the campers from deadwood on the island. The loos were outhouses, lit at night by kerosene lanterns.

Dinner was served in the dining hall, a building that did have electricity and commercial cooking facilities.

The small island (Cub) between Treasure and Sleeper Island also housed campers (a counselor-in- training group, later the sailing unit). All transportation back and forth between Cub and Treasure was via a 12 person canoe.

You may recall the "aerodoodle rocket beanie" caper, I think, Anne. Somehow, I think you were one of us Florida girls---Marion and Miki were the others besides us, and Jinx and Billy, of course. Fond memories!

[JEEPONLY]

This thread, and the links within, provide the kind of personal connections most of us have for the area- Beautiful.

One of the things I find most gratifying...
Posts from people of those days seem more intelligible than much of what I read these days.

No one is perfect- but the lack of proof reading, grammar, punctuation and overall care of the messages being submitted today are sometimes hard to read.

I'm not saying that the "intents" of messages are lost- but the reading of some is tedious.

OK, now correct me!

[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by JEEPONLY

This thread, and the links within, provide the kind of personal connections most of us have for the area- Beautiful.

One of the things I find most gratifying...
Posts from people of those days seem more intelligible than much of what I read these days.

No one is perfect- but the lack of proof reading, grammar, punctuation and overall care of the messages being submitted today are sometimes hard to read.

I'm not saying that the "intents" of messages are lost- but the reading of some is tedious.

OK, now correct me!

I discontinued my subscription to The Hartford Courant daily newspaper about eight years ago. I was dissatisfied with the service as they threw my paper in the brook one too many times. I've been getting my news online ever since.

One of the biggest things I've noticed, and this seems to be getting worse over time, are the grammatical errors that seem incessant with online content. I think this is a result of everyone trying to be the first out with the latest scoop. Accuracy is compromised for speed and I'm not sure that too many people care. I realize newspapers, magazines and the like are dinosaurs but I do miss the slower pace where it felt like journalistic pride came with a good story written well.