Remembrances - Mystery Photo
By Sylvia Henricks
First printed in the Franklin Township Informer, February 10, 2010
When this panoramic photo was given to the Township Historical Society at our Harvest Dinner several weeks ago, Don Rabourn, who delivered it, told us the donor had said it was a photo of the lake at the Acton Camp Ground.
We admired the vintage photograph. "The 1920s probably," some of us guessed. "See the boys in knickers." Others thought it was older than that. But nobody believed it was the Acton Camp Ground. The body of water in the photo was far beyond the size of the small dammed up stream that had in the late 1800s provided recreation and fire protection for campers.
The photo, 46 x 10 inches, had for many years belonged to Bill Belton who died a not long ago. The Beltons lived in an old family home on Franklin Road, near the intersection with Shelbyville Road. Don told us Bill's wife, Martha, said that he had been told and always believed it was a photo of the Acton Camp Ground. There was no identification on the front of the photo, and on removing it from its oversized frame, we found nothing.Where can this photo have been taken? Indiana has many lakes and resorts and camp sites on their edges. The Federal Writers Guide for Indiana (1945) lists 36 in its index. There is Lake Shafer -- "The 1200 foot dam backs up the waters of the Tippecanoe for ten miles forming the 1400 acre Shafer Lake;" -- Lake Syracuse is "a small body of water adjoining Lake Wawasee on the north, part of a chain of lakes with a combined area of 7,000 acres and a shore line of 40 miles," or Winona Lake, a popular summer resort, and the scene of many religious activities.
Perhaps some reader can help us identify the lake, or even the occasion, in this photo. For a better look, we will have it at the Meeting House for our first Open Hours of the season on Saturday, March. 6, 2010. You may also email sylvia422@sbcglobal.net with your thoughts.
RANDOM FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP FACT: