Margaret
and Clint Adams, from
Ames
,
Iowa
, started coming to TML in 1933 for summer vacations at
Camp
Iowa
, on the north shore. Clint was originally not interested in fishing but his
interest in the area increased when he was told of a nice nine hole golf course
9 miles away. It had sand greens and a small shack on it and a slot machine.
Hans
and Edith Jensen ran
Camp
Iowa
, coming in the summers from
Audubon
,
Iowa
to do so. Eventually Hans sold real estate out of
Hackensack
. Their son Bob would start school in
Walker
in the fall, to he around to help close up the camp. There were only
necessities in the cabins — kerosene lamps for light, an outhouse, and a town
pump framed in birch logs where all got their water.
Keith
Textor, from
Coon Rapids
,
Iowa
, sang "The Lord's Prayer" at Sunday morning church services. He had a
beautiful voice and sang with Fred Waring on television and also with a small
group called the "Keith Textor Singers."
Hans
Jensen is remembered as being a good magician. He would keep everyone
spellbound with his coin tricks. He would make things disappear into his elbow
and pull things out of the back of his shirt.
Camp
Iowa
had wooden boats with the ribs that had to be repaired every year. If you
rented a motor, usually it was one and a half horse, or a BIG one, which was
five horse.
Clint's
interest in fishing came along with the help of fishing guide Ralph
Plantz who lived at the other end of Ten Mile. He eventually moved to
Alaska
. The rule of thumb of size of fish to keep in those days was 5-10 pounds. There
were 2 or 3 places that Ralph knew to catch walleyes, and they also fished for
northerns. Ralph caught one that weighed 24 pounds and took 3rd prize in the
whole area. Most of the fish were in Lundstrom's Bay. Trolling was done by
rowing. For bait, Ralph would sometimes use frogs, but mostly minnows that he
would catch by seining. Clint recalled catching an 11-pound walleye by casting
into the weeds toward the shore.
"Grandpa"
Bush lived east of the
Adams
cabin. He had been a railroad man, retired and lived at Ten Mile. He was the
father of "Bullet Joe" Bush who
was one of the top pitchers for the New York Yankees. Bullet Joe roomed with
Babe Ruth. The Bush cabin became a part of
Camp
Iowa
, and the Nels Christensen family stayed there and eventually bought it. It
had been built around 1910 by the same person who built the DeLury cabin and the
Chase
Hotel
in
Walker
.
In
1941, the
Adams
purchased their cabin, and in 1982, they purchased the DeLury cabin.
"Clint's Clan" have a very special gathering place for their families.
