The Night The Rio Burned
New Buffalo, January 9, 1959 - For years,
the Rio restaurant and lodge stood as a landmark along the shores of Lake
Michigan in New Buffalo. Folks would take a drive out from Chicago to wine and
dine at this popular resort. In about 1958 the Rio was purchased and renamed
the Surf and Sand Supper Club. The new owners were in the process of remodeling
and then on January 9, 1959, regardless of several fire companies coming to the
aid it was razed to the ground. Fire Departments as far away as Bridgman,
Michigan and Michigan City, Indiana came to help but to no avail. The building
was never rebuilt and a parking lot for beach bathers sits approximately where
the old restaurant and lodge once stood.
Bridgman – from the Three Oaks
Independent March 21, 1878
Bridgman has quite a number of short
men and some pretty tall ones, but our new station agent, Waldo G. Stebbins,
over tops all of them by several inches. His height is 6 feet and 7 inches. If
any of your readers know of a taller man, please let us hear from
him.
The Congregational Church
– from the Three Oaks Independent March 21, 1878 The Church was
crowded at the temperance meeting on Sunday evening. Address were made by Hon.
Wm. Chamberlain, Rev. S. T. Cooper and W. Warren. The annual meeting for
election of officers will take place on next Monday evening.
Fire
at Shimer Convalescent Home February 19, 1954 – killed in the
fire were Mary Collins, 87 of Watervliet; Samuel Lutz 91, Covert; Miss Louise
Bishop, 82, formerly of Benton Harbor, Lucy Sparling, 91, Rt 1, Coloma; Fred
Sayles 87, Glenn; Mrs. Adeline Blakesler, 80, Benton Harbor area, E. Harley
Babcock, 76, of Kalamazoo.
Also in critical condition was Mrs.
Jennie Schuster, 81 of Benton who was badly burned. Chris M. Binder, 79 of
Benton Harbor escaped and dragged his wife Katherine, 82, to safety. But
suffered a heart attack shortly after the terrifying occurrence. His wife
Katherine was reported to be in good condition.
Mrs/ Clark Shimer, owner and
operator of the home was hospitalized for shock. Clark Shimer, who had just had
surgery was in the hospital at the time of the fire.
An electric space heater near one
of the beds was thought to be the cause.
January 21, 1895 – the steamer Chicora sank. She was of the
firm in old St. Joseph of Graham and Morton line. The ship was loaded with an
extra heavy cargo of 100 pound sacks of flour. She floundered and sank in a
winter gale off the Lake Michigan coast
somewhere between Saugatuck and
South Haven. Occasionally pieces thought to
be from the wreckage would drift to shore but not one body was ever recovered.
A telegram was sent from John Graham, the
ships owner, to halt the ship from leaving Milwaukee to St.. Joseph but it arrived too late.
The telegram noted that the barometer reading of 28 was noted on the St. Joseph
side of the lake. The captain of the vessel
was Captain Edward George Stines, an experienced with over 30 years as a
veteran of the Great Lakes. His confidence great, he even signed on his son
Benjamin, to make the trip with them.
On that fateful day 23 crew members and 1 passenger lost their
lives.
The Chicora was caught up in one of the fiercest gales to hit the
Lake Michigan shores. When sighted by an on
shore bystander, the ships smoke stack was listing at a 45 degree angle.
Another report differs from the first reports stating that some
believe the ship to be about 10 miles off of the North Pier in St. Joseph.
Crew Members from St. Joseph, other than the captain and his son,
both from St. Joseph were:
Nathan Lynch and Joseph Pearl(only passenger)
Benton Harbor men
lost with ship were: Cornelius Simons, Joseph Marks, W. W. Morgan, Jesse Davis,
Thomas Cass, Jack Ryan, William Dunn, Joseph Felix and John Mattison,
The exact location of the Chicora remains a mystery to this day -
2008.
Swedish Coffee Pot & Swedish Bakery -
Harbert, Michigan - Both were located on what was then US 12 (now known
as Red Arrow Highway). These were two separate entities created around the 1930's. Locals
loved it and Chicago residents would take a weekend drive to dine at
the Swedish Coffee Pot and then stop to pick up their favorite bake
goods.
In the mid 1940's Carl and Cora Marie (Magnuson)
Anderson owned and operated the restaurant for several seasons.
Carl Sandburg, famous American poet, loved to stop in at the
bakery
when he would stay at his Harbor home. In 1961 with the completion of
the portion of I-94 between New Buffalo and Stevensville and then to Chicago, through Indiana, brought a significant change to the area.
Many of the business along the "Red Arrow Highway" floundered and
went out of business. Some managed to survive, such as the Swedish
Bakery.
It expanded and added an addition and now runs a seasonal cafe with the
bakery and many of the old time favorites still offered.
Stardust - Halloween - Youngsters Forgo Pranks for Movies -
Niles Daily Star = Tuesday November 2, 1948
FREE MOVIES attract
children like iron filings being drawn to a powerful magnet.. One local
resident took account of this fact and provided refreshing entertainment for
many Niles youngsters and averted considerable Halloween nuisance.... On
"Beggars Night,: last Saturday, from 75 to 100 Niles children put aside their
"Tricks or treat" pranks and assembled on the front lawn of the Lyle Johnson
home as 330 North Fourth street... The big attraction at the Johnson home was a
two-hour show of sound-movie comedy films.
...Good Samaritans
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson aren't exactly amateurs at entertaining children and the
fact was well provided by the orderly and delighted conduct of the
youngsters.
...The Johnson's showed films outdoors several times
during the week preceding Halloween, and the word was soon around that a
special two-hour show would be presented Saturday night, weather
permitting..... Sandra Johnson, 10, also participated actively in advertising
the special outdoor attraction...
"We like to entertain the
children," - Mrs. Johnson said "and the youngsters seemed to enjoy the movies
so much, that we plan to make it an annual event if possible.:... Mrs. Johnson
also stated that if it is possible to do so when Mr. Johnson is at home that
they may show more of the outdoor pictures this year whenever the weather
permits. --- This is one of the finest examples of constructive community spirit
that we have discovered in some time. Tower
Hill Camp - Sawyer, Michigan. I can still hear the bell ringing off in
the distance, calling people to worship or gathering time. The Warren
family donated the 55 acres for this beautiful camp and building area
nestled in among the pine. It is hosted by the Illinois Conference of
the United Church of Christ and offers outdoor ministry
events. This camp came into existence in 1923 and still offers its
services today.
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