A few weeks ago now, I found some of my old Coboconk postcards, including this Lakewood Lodge, Coboconk Real Photo Postcard (RPPC).
We’ve covered RPPCs here before, and they’re a very common category—but they’re also among the most interesting because anybody could make these postcards and send them to friends. I’ve stumbled on RPPCs of all sorts, even some by amateur photographers!
When the main house was built in 1878, it was as the home of Mr. Adam Carl, who owned the surrounding farmland (including the ‘point’ that makes up the end of Albert Street) until 1919. He sold the house to some Americans, who gave the home its “Lakewood Lodge” moniker, and they owned it until 1927.
The Lodge first became a tourist destination when Mrs. Bertha Caton purchased it around 1927. She made it into a summer lodge and hosted visitors, who kept coming back because of her hospitality, her delicious food, and the beauty of the location—you could canoe right into Balsam Lake from Lakewood!
It must have been awfully quiet for Mrs. Caton in the winter months, when she had the property to herself and wasn’t renting to tourists at all. Winters in Coboconk back then were far more harsh than they are now.
The postcard shows the Lodge during the 1950s. In the present day, Lakewood Lodge is The Saucy Willow Inn, and its most recent owners have completed extensive restorations on this beautiful property.
Considering a visit to Coboconk? Book your stay with The Saucy Willow Inn and experience its historic charm for yourself.
Ta-ta for now!
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