Noyes Camp Heritage

In the late 1870's, Arthur Holbrook, George Markham, Judson Titsworth and George Noyes began camping on the Brule River. In order to reach the Brule, they had to take a train from Milwaukee to Ashland. Then take the tug, "Eva Wadsworth", to Bayfield. Then engage "Old Man" Cooper's horse-drawn wagon and drive almost sixty miles, through the forest, for two days!! They brought all of their gear; from frying pans to fishing rods, to guns and ammunition, to tents, to clothing and much of their food in specially designed (by Arthur Holbrook) chests and bags. They hired local Chippewa Indians to set-up camp, cook and Guide for them. There they stayed for several weeks!

After several years camping, they built a small lodge on the Saunders property which was part of Winneboujou. Having bought 19+ acres from Winneboujou, they moved the little lodge to "the point" and then in 1889 built a lodge for sleeping and a dining lodge. The point being where our present lodge is.

In 1908, Mr Titsworth dropped out, Mr. Markham built his own lodge up river and Dr. Holbrook built a sleeping lodge next door to what then became known as the Noyes Lodge. Soon afterwards, as there were now many children and guests, the Holbrook family decided to move entirely to their own lodge. The only thing we share now, besides the property, is the boathouse, and a tremendous love of the river!

According to Dr. Holbrook, Judge Noyes turned much of the running of the Noyes Lodge over to his "very competent wife to whom must go the credit for the beautiful, large, and complete lodge which she consistently maintained on the point!". Judge Noyes died in 1914. On May 14, 1924, due to a defective chimney, the lodge burned to the ground!

After the fire, Agnes Noyes began consulting Joe Lucius (builder of our Lucius canoes) to have him build a new lodge. She had stayed up river at Wildcat Lodge and fell in love with the design of it! Hence, the nearly identical Noyes Camp Lodge was built!! The main difference being the addition of the childrens' wing! Practically everything on the porch has stayed the same way as originally planned by Agnes!

Some reflections!
In the late 1940's we still had a wood stove for cooking.
The only telephone hung on the wall next to the wood stove and to make it work, you had to crank it!
Ed Dennis and John LaRock (whose wife Lizzie helped in the kitchen, slathered herself with bear grease to keep the mosquitoes away and keep her warm!) were still guiding on the river!
In 1956, we still polled up river to "the Spring" for our fresh water!
We are still passionate about fishing - not so much deer hunting!
We still pole up river, and, love the rapids!
And, of course, we all are passionate about, and love, Noyes Camp!!

Credit: Lucy Tingley, Camp Historian