The painting was done by Jim Manning of the Blue Goos
We are sad that we have no news to report. If you have a project and want to show the progress please send it to my attention. Keep up your interest in carving and painting as this will keep your mind on the good things in life. Remember your brain tells your fingers what to do! They work as one! If you want to add the stories of the Maumee Bay Carvers send a email to me! Bob Lund at [email protected]
THE START UP - Bob Lund
And so the History begins with a meeting with the OutdoorBeacon Lowell Wodrich at the Lake Erie Waterfowl Festival at Crane Creek. Lowell rounded up two of the people who were interested in making decoys Jim Manning and Jim Frankowski. After introducing my interest in decoys and attendance at the Pointe Mouiilee Waterfowl Festival. We discussed a decoy show to be held with the Lake Erie Waterfowl Assoication. They thought it was a great idea and began to work on the first event September 30, 1984. The first tank was baby pool supplied by Don Girard who was a member of the Pointe waterfowl group. The first president was Jim Manning and the Treasurer was Jim Frankowski and I chaired the decoy contest.
We felt we needed a instructor on making decoys and Jim Frankowski suggested Bob Franta. Bob agreed to teach a class on a Canvasback Drake. Some 18 or so people attended the 8 week session that included some very notable carvers of the future Rick Johanson and Dick Rhode. The class was held at the Common Space, Toledo. Each of had to have a Foredum to carve our decoy. We carved and painted from 7 am to 10am only stopping for instruction from Bob. At time we had no dust masks or dust collectors. Dust would hang in the air. Bob would bring his homemade red wine. He offered it to us but there were very few takers as the wine and paint would come together in the same bottle sometimes. All in all it was a great beginning for all of us who attended.
THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THE MAUMEE BAY CARVERS - Karen Higgens
The decoy contest was held at the Crane Creek State Park, now the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area on September 30, 1984! 25 non member entries and 25 member entries! The cost to enter was $2.50 non members and $1.50 for members! The prize money was $50 each for the best working bird and $50 for best of show decorative. The judges were Herb Hahn, Steve Yurmanvic and Bob Franta! The best of show working or service bird was a Bluebill carved by Jim Manning and best of show decorative a Redhead was carved by Jerry Domshot! The head whittling champ was Paul Busick! The first event was chaired by Bob Lund!
The second year featured 49 Carvers ! Paul Busick won the head whittling championship out carving 14 other head whittlers including 2nd best Rick Johannsen and Rick Adams 3rd best! The best of show decorative winner was Pat Costello with a Merganser besting 53 decorative entries. Best of show for the service or bird with 68 entries was Joe Delaney with a sleeping Back Duck. The decorative head contest winner was Scott Wodrich! the miniature contest with 20 entries was won by Carolyn Wodrich! The judges were Buckeye Joe Wooster, John Sharon and Herb Huhn! The tent was supply by US Army National Guard! Show chair was Bob Lund
The third year had 82 carvers included were 7 junior carvers! The service decoy champion was John Nemazi with a Ring Neck Hen, the best Decorative was Rick Johannson with Hen
Green Wing Teal, the head whittling champion was Paul Busick, the Best Decorative head was won by Rick Johannsen! Miniature champion was Frank Terwoerds and best of the birds in the round was won by Brad
Hendricks! The show chair was Bob Lund!
THE HAUNTED GOVERNORS INN TALES - Bob Lund
During a lunch at the White Horse Inn, Metamora, MI I learned of that Inn was also haunted. Thus it made me recall the stories of the old Governor’s Inn, Maumee, OH that was purchased and operated as the Linck’s Inn by my carving fried Jim Wilson. The inn which is a historic place was built in the 1836 served as a post office. Later as Inn in many names to follow. Jim opened the inn to serve lunch and dinner as he was an excellent chef.
Jim decided that there was an empty room on the third floor where we could meet on Wednesday evenings to carve decoys and as the rest would be called tell stories of the day. One evening Jim and his son were the last to leave and they shut the lights off in the room and walk to their cars. They turned to look at the building and guess what the lights were on in the room. Because the upstairs was not well heated, we would carve in the room behind the kitchen and one night the range door was heard to open with a clank.
There are stories of three ghost the hang around the inn. The first was a lady of the night who allegedly hung herself in one the rooms. Both employees and visited the room and then went to get help, upon returning she disappeared. Levi the original owner the second ghost enjoys alcohol and is known to take drinks from the patrons and drink them in one gulp. The third is the Lilac Lady and she is seen drifting through the hallway upstairs and leaves a floral smell. Then there is a little girl who takes the coins left on the table.
A ghost hunter from Cleveland decided to come for a night visit. Jim asked if any us would like to come. Of course, I was very interested! We went up the stairs to the third floor very carefully as the stairs were in some places not there and in disrepair.
The ghost buster listened and looked over the room and ceiling and found no signs of a ghost. Our visit of the room on the third floor where we carved decoys had no ghost trace.On the second floor we learned she had found a sense of a ghost, but no sign.
The first floor did not yield a sign but as we were leaving the backdoor entrance to the parking lot, she started to photograph the ceiling and stated there are orbs. Sure, enough when we received the photo’s yes there were orbs.
Steve Secord recalled as we carving on the first floor, a slamming of a door leading upstairs and then someone who loudly went up stairs. The group when to the stair way and not a soul be be found.
Jim closed the inn and has gone through many owners and I bet there will be stories to be told. If you have a tale let me know as this story I am sure never ends.
We are sad that we have no news to report. If you have a project and want to show the progress please send it to my attention. Keep up your interest in carving and painting as this will keep your mind on the good things in life. Remember your brain tells your fingers what to do! They work as one! If you want to add the stories of the Maumee Bay Carvers send a email to me! Bob Lund at [email protected]
THE START UP - Bob Lund
And so the History begins with a meeting with the OutdoorBeacon Lowell Wodrich at the Lake Erie Waterfowl Festival at Crane Creek. Lowell rounded up two of the people who were interested in making decoys Jim Manning and Jim Frankowski. After introducing my interest in decoys and attendance at the Pointe Mouiilee Waterfowl Festival. We discussed a decoy show to be held with the Lake Erie Waterfowl Assoication. They thought it was a great idea and began to work on the first event September 30, 1984. The first tank was baby pool supplied by Don Girard who was a member of the Pointe waterfowl group. The first president was Jim Manning and the Treasurer was Jim Frankowski and I chaired the decoy contest.
We felt we needed a instructor on making decoys and Jim Frankowski suggested Bob Franta. Bob agreed to teach a class on a Canvasback Drake. Some 18 or so people attended the 8 week session that included some very notable carvers of the future Rick Johanson and Dick Rhode. The class was held at the Common Space, Toledo. Each of had to have a Foredum to carve our decoy. We carved and painted from 7 am to 10am only stopping for instruction from Bob. At time we had no dust masks or dust collectors. Dust would hang in the air. Bob would bring his homemade red wine. He offered it to us but there were very few takers as the wine and paint would come together in the same bottle sometimes. All in all it was a great beginning for all of us who attended.
THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THE MAUMEE BAY CARVERS - Karen Higgens
The decoy contest was held at the Crane Creek State Park, now the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area on September 30, 1984! 25 non member entries and 25 member entries! The cost to enter was $2.50 non members and $1.50 for members! The prize money was $50 each for the best working bird and $50 for best of show decorative. The judges were Herb Hahn, Steve Yurmanvic and Bob Franta! The best of show working or service bird was a Bluebill carved by Jim Manning and best of show decorative a Redhead was carved by Jerry Domshot! The head whittling champ was Paul Busick! The first event was chaired by Bob Lund!
The second year featured 49 Carvers ! Paul Busick won the head whittling championship out carving 14 other head whittlers including 2nd best Rick Johannsen and Rick Adams 3rd best! The best of show decorative winner was Pat Costello with a Merganser besting 53 decorative entries. Best of show for the service or bird with 68 entries was Joe Delaney with a sleeping Back Duck. The decorative head contest winner was Scott Wodrich! the miniature contest with 20 entries was won by Carolyn Wodrich! The judges were Buckeye Joe Wooster, John Sharon and Herb Huhn! The tent was supply by US Army National Guard! Show chair was Bob Lund
The third year had 82 carvers included were 7 junior carvers! The service decoy champion was John Nemazi with a Ring Neck Hen, the best Decorative was Rick Johannson with Hen
Green Wing Teal, the head whittling champion was Paul Busick, the Best Decorative head was won by Rick Johannsen! Miniature champion was Frank Terwoerds and best of the birds in the round was won by Brad
Hendricks! The show chair was Bob Lund!
THE HAUNTED GOVERNORS INN TALES - Bob Lund
During a lunch at the White Horse Inn, Metamora, MI I learned of that Inn was also haunted. Thus it made me recall the stories of the old Governor’s Inn, Maumee, OH that was purchased and operated as the Linck’s Inn by my carving fried Jim Wilson. The inn which is a historic place was built in the 1836 served as a post office. Later as Inn in many names to follow. Jim opened the inn to serve lunch and dinner as he was an excellent chef.
Jim decided that there was an empty room on the third floor where we could meet on Wednesday evenings to carve decoys and as the rest would be called tell stories of the day. One evening Jim and his son were the last to leave and they shut the lights off in the room and walk to their cars. They turned to look at the building and guess what the lights were on in the room. Because the upstairs was not well heated, we would carve in the room behind the kitchen and one night the range door was heard to open with a clank.
There are stories of three ghost the hang around the inn. The first was a lady of the night who allegedly hung herself in one the rooms. Both employees and visited the room and then went to get help, upon returning she disappeared. Levi the original owner the second ghost enjoys alcohol and is known to take drinks from the patrons and drink them in one gulp. The third is the Lilac Lady and she is seen drifting through the hallway upstairs and leaves a floral smell. Then there is a little girl who takes the coins left on the table.
A ghost hunter from Cleveland decided to come for a night visit. Jim asked if any us would like to come. Of course, I was very interested! We went up the stairs to the third floor very carefully as the stairs were in some places not there and in disrepair.
The ghost buster listened and looked over the room and ceiling and found no signs of a ghost. Our visit of the room on the third floor where we carved decoys had no ghost trace.On the second floor we learned she had found a sense of a ghost, but no sign.
The first floor did not yield a sign but as we were leaving the backdoor entrance to the parking lot, she started to photograph the ceiling and stated there are orbs. Sure, enough when we received the photo’s yes there were orbs.
Steve Secord recalled as we carving on the first floor, a slamming of a door leading upstairs and then someone who loudly went up stairs. The group when to the stair way and not a soul be be found.
Jim closed the inn and has gone through many owners and I bet there will be stories to be told. If you have a tale let me know as this story I am sure never ends.
|
|
|
|
The Final Hunt by Charles Crooks his ashes and a decoy he made are at Magee Marsh
