|
Leathem
Smith Lodge History
WHEN IT ALL BEGAN
In 1928, Leathem D. Smith purchased a 100 acre farm owned from John Nelson for the purpose of developing Sturgeon Bay's first yacht club and country club facility. Most of the farm buildings were razed and the beginnings of
The Commodore Club were constructed, complete with a dining hall, small lobby/sitting area, twenty-two dormitory-type rooms, cottages, small dock and nine hole golf course.
Leathem D. Smith began his noted career in the local lumber industry taken over from his father. Expanding beyond the lumber industry, Leathem formed the
Leathem Smith Dock Company on Sturgeon Bay's waterfront (presently known as Bay Shipbuilding) and made his fortune during World War I building vessels for the US Navy. Leathem has been cited as the 'Frank Lloyd Wright of the Maritime
Industry'--he invented the self-unloading vessel and shipping container
shipping, both innovations are popularly utilized today.
The stone that now lies beneath Chicago's Lake Shore Drive and the large stone seawall along Chicago's waterfront was quarried at Leathem's quarry (West of Sturgeon Bay on County B) and delivered by Leathem Smith Dock Co. vessels.
Diverting his time from shipbuilding and his other enterprises, in 1944 Leathem ran for the U.S. Senate against the historic Joe
McCarthy...we all know who won that race! Being politically motivated, Leathem continued with his passion for the creation of a passage for large ships to access the Atlantic Ocean from the Great Lakes, thus he lobbied and was
very instrumental in the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
During the Depression, Leathem's shipbuilding and Country Club businesses were floundering. Unable to retain both, the Commodore Club was sold in 1937 to the Bertschinger family who renamed it the Lucerne Hotel (see one of the original signs in our Lucerne Lounge). In late 1944, Leathem being flush with profits from World War II shipbuilding, repurchased the resort. Until the war finally ended, the main dining hall (now the Great Room) was used as a warehouse for materials to construct government ordered support vessels.
On June 23, 1946 the facilities were re-opened as the Leathem Smith Lodge. The next day, Sunday, tragedy
struck...on a return voyage after participating in a sailboat regatta at Marinette, Leathem, daughter Patsy, Mary Loomis (Patsy's college roommate), the General Manager of Leathem Smith Dock Co. and an Illinois industrialist friend of Leathem encountered a
terrible squall on the Bay of Green Bay. Leathem's sailboat,
"Half Moon" (once owned by FDR's son), breached in the heavy seas and quickly overturned, spilling everyone into the cold water. The conditions were so intense that keeping each other in sight was difficult and only one life preserver had not drifted out of reach...that being offered to Mary since she was not a strong swimmer. The General Manager and Leathem's industrialist friend quickly succumbed to the cold water and disappeared in the waves.
On Leathem's insistence and reasoning that strength and age (59) were against him, the two girls were bade farewell and ordered to strike for shore 5-1/2 miles distant in the waning daylight. Approximately 1/2 mile from shore, Mary was exhausted and became hysterical...she slipped from the life preserver towed by Patsy. After nearly five exhausting hours, at 1:30 am, Patsy reached shore north of the quarry and was assisted by occupants of a home whose lights were Patsy's beacon during her grueling swim and tragedies that lay behind her.
At this time Alva Smith, Leathem's widow, asked her nephew, Don Fredrickson, if he would manage the resort. Don accepted, and together with his wife Ruby, remained its manager until 1966 when they purchased the resort from Mrs. Smith. They retained the well known name of Leathem Smith Lodge and continued operating one of the finest run resorts in the history of Door County. Don passed away in 1988, but Ruby is still one of our favorite guests, as is Suzanne Smith-Stearn, Leathem Smith's other daughter.
Between the years 1981 to 1992, the lodge severely deteriorated, was sold twice and underwent two name changes. A major factor in its demise occurred in 1978 when the Highway 42/57 was re-routed around the City of Sturgeon Bay and Bayview bridge was constructed severing the golf course nearly in half.
In 1993, Chuck and Mary Buccola purchased the property from a foreclosure and condemnation. Chuck an Architect and developer from the North Shore of Chicago and, after major renovations and additions to the property,
reinstated the well-known name Leathem Smith Lodge. They sincerely hope you find the 're-launched' Lodge lives up to its excellent reputation of yesteryear.
The Smith, Fredrickson families and many people from the community have graciously shared their photographs and memorabilia with us and many items are displayed in the Lodge.
|
