M A G A Z I N E July 2015 | $5.00
THE RED MILL
Better Than Ever A Tribute to Summer Nights NEW Economics of Lakefront Property
LEGACY OF THE CHAIN’S 1940s
Battle of the Boats A New Normal?
LESSONS FROM 2014 REALTY SALES AROUND THE CHAIN
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Introductory message from the publisher
lake people his is the inaugural issue of this exclusive magazine. You’ve received it because you’re one of those folks fortunate enough to own property along the shores of one of our beautiful Waupaca-area lakes. As such, you’re a de facto member of a “club” that’s pretty difficult and expensive to join. And, while you may not know that many of your fellows, you can be confident that they share lots of the same interests and concerns. You probably know my name as a real estate agent at Re/Max Lyons Real Estate, where I’ve been for ___ years. But before that, I was in the publishing business with a weekly newspaper. I’m a past president of the Waupaca Chain O’Lakes Association, and used to own a cottage on Miner Lake where my son Don and I made many wonderful memories. Now I live year-round on Limekiln Lake and specialize in properties on and around the Chain O’Lakes. This publication’s editor, Ron Arthur, vacationed in the Waupaca area over four decades before retiring from a big city real estate business to the shores of Long Lake (Saxeville). In recent years, he’s occupied his time by writing several books about the history of the Chain O’Lakes and serving as a part-time Captain and tour guide on Clear Water Harbor’s excursion boat, The Chief Waupaca. He also serves on the Board at the Waupaca Historical Society. The point is, Ron and I know a thing or two about real estate and the Chain O’Lakes, and we hope this publication can enhance The Chain’s sense of community by delving into the essence of lake living. A cottage at the lake is a timehonored tradition for middle-class Midwesterners. More than a vacation option, it’s a lifestyle. Generations of adults recall their youth in terms of the days they spent at their summer cottages. It’s a phenomenon that only Lake People really understand – and we all get it.
T
So here’s to you – the Lake People. You’re the folks who go down to the water’s edge and “say goodbye to the lake” before you drive back to your house in town. You’ve got a special spot where you like to watch the sun set, and another location where you lay back to gaze at the star-filled heavens on clear, moonless nights. You feel an extraordinary connection to the water, earth and air here – much deeper than what’s possible in the City – and that’s a big part of what we want celebrate in this magazine. We’ll always have some articles about days gone by, because Lake People tend to have a deep respect for the history of the area surrounding their summer homes. This must be due to the fact that, unlike a suburban shopping mall or a steel-and-glass skyscraper, a lake is rooted in Geologic Time. We Lake People can sense that the waters were here many centuries before us, and will remain essentially unchanged for thousands of years after we’re gone. At the lake, we intuit that we’re just the temporary stewards of our little parcels along the shore, and this makes us wonder about our predecessors. They, too, certainly built campfires on the beach, baited hooks and wet their lines, glided silently in little boats across still waters at dawn, and listened to the waves lapping against the shore at sunset. They didn’t have cell phones, digital cameras, Internet access, or flat screen TVs, but somehow . . . in the important ways . . . those Lake People must have been just like us. Thank you.
Cover photo by Mike Kirk. See details at Page 70.
M A G A Z I N E
President and Publisher | Steve Huhta Editor | Ron Arthur Art Director and Ad Design | Dave Hauser WaupacaChain.info Magazine is published independently by Steve Huhta of ReMax/ Lyons Real Estate of Waupaca. The publisher assumes sole responsibility for any and all content found within. For additonal news and content, as well as contect information, visit our companion websites: www.WaupacaChain.info and www.facebook.com/waupacachainolakes WaupacaChain.info Magazine ©2015. All rights reserved. Reprodution of content is strictly prohibited without expressed written consent of the publisher.
Steve
July 2015|
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contents 6 The Red Mill, Better Than Ever 14 Planning for Panfish 20 Esther Williams Island? 24 Kitty Cornered or Catty Wompas 28 A New Normal? 2014 Chain Sales 38 The Battle of the Boats 44 In Memorium: Brinsmere 46 A Tribute to Summer Nights 54 Half Price Sale 58 The NEW Economics of Lake Property Ownership
66 Interview with Ron Arthur 68 2015 Chain Property Sales
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Better Than
EVER Sheila and Todd Lembcke, the new owners of the Red Mill, check how things are going on the opening day of the Coffee & Ice Cream Shop. It was just another work day for the couple, who – with the help of their children – have been working on rehabbing the property pretty much every day for more than a year.
6 | WaupacaChain.info
Story and photography by Ron Arthur
F
or more than a decade, the waterwheel outside the Red Mill has been broken-down and overgrown with weeds. It’s been a conspicuous symbol of the decline of the once-iconic Chain O’Lakes gift shop inside. The waterwheel still hasn’t been fixed yet. But don’t let that fool you. The revitalization of the interior of this the authentic 1855 structure is virtually complete. Late in 2013, the property was purchased by Todd and Sheila Lembcke (the owners of Sunshine Heating and Air Conditioning, located about a mile north of the Red Mill on Hwy. K). After working feverishly all winter and the following spring, the Lembcke’s were able to conduct a “soft opening” last summer. The main gift shop on the ground floor of the Mill was opened for business, although not fully stocked. Working around customers, smaller construction projects continued into the fall. Then the Red Mill and its grounds were closed this winter so that major renova-
tions could be accomplished. This year we’ll finally see the grand opening of all the public areas of this truly remarkable place. Back in the 1800s, the sparkling waters of the Crystal River provided the power used to grind grain and corn at the mill. Most similar mills were built right next to a dam in order to most efficiently extract energy from the falling water. But here the dam was 50 yards away (because the Red Mill once shared the water flow with another mill, now long gone). After the fall, the waters of the Crystal River roiled and twisted, sweeping out a broad “S” curve around one point, then another. They straightened out for about two hundred yards right behind the mil before resuming their circuitous ways. The river and the Mill were once so important to this area that the residents called their village Crystal River, and the mill the Crystal River Grist Mill. [The village name was changed officially to Little Hope in 1980.) July 2015|
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It was the site – more than the building itself – that attracted Delmar Schmidt and his wife Edna to this spot in 1960. Working tirelessly for more than three decades, the couple transformed the dilapidated gristmill into a bucolic phenomenon. Edna Schmidt saw the potential to convert the interior space of the mill into a Colonial Gift Shop, selling furniture, china, crystal, and home décor items. Delmar saw the potential to turn the banks of the Crystal River into a unique attraction. While remodeling the ramshackle building in 1963, a waterwheel was added for purely aesthetic purposes. Because this mill sits so far from the dam, during its
working days the actual waterpower system did not utilize a wheel. The Schmidts hired an expert craftsman named Sterling Schrock who specialized in building historic replicas using authentic period materials and techniques. He patterned the Red Mill’s waterwheel after a replacement wheel built as part of the 1929 restoration of an old gristmill at Spring Mill State Park in Indiana. (The mill in
Mitchell, Indiana is part of a livinghistory village where heritage interpreters portray the year 1863 and still grinds cornmeal today.) In 1970, Mr. Schmidt sponsored Mr. Schrock to build a replica covered bridge to span the Crystal River. Its massive 40-foot long beams were shipped in from Oregon, each cut whole from a single tree. Some 400 hand-made oak pegs were used to assemble 20-tons of rough-sawn lumber.
And in 1974 Mr. Schmidt had the Chapel in the Woods built on the other side of the bridge. It has been a popular spot for weddings ever since. However, it too had fallen onto hard times before the Lembckes took over. They immediately put new roofs on the Chapel and Covered Bridge, and refurbished them. River-level restrooms also have been installed in a section of the mill building that had been used for cold storage.
What a great place for a wedding! The refurbished chapel only seats about a few dozen guests, but additional chairs can be set up outside. Thousands of marriages have been performed here since the chapel was built in 1974.
July 2015|
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The grounds at the Red Mill may well be as big a draw as the gift shop. At great expense, the access to the water from street level has been greatly improved. And, while perhaps not the most dramatic of the Lembcke’s improvements, the addition of new rest rooms down here will certainly be two of the most appreciated.
For Edna Schmidt back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, the rambling floor plan of the three-story Mill was like a canvas to an artist. The various nooks and alcoves were filled, not so much with merchandise as with crafts, curiosities, and objets d’art. Mrs. Schmidt’s arrangements of the furniture and furnishings she sold always gave it a distinctively “homey” feel. Sheila Lembcke, who manages the day-to-day operations at the Red Mill, has shown a similar flair. Although the product mix doesn’t include furniture per se, the décor is affably reminiscent of a quaint 10 | WaupacaChain.info
and charming bygone era. The architecture of the main room features a massive stone fireplace and large windows that look out over the covered bridge and chapel. The merchandise is displayed via a variety of antique furniture pieces that the Lembckes collected to enhance the mill’s historic ambiance. As you wander from the main room, you find an art gallery, a candy shop, a general store, and this year’s new attraction – a Coffee and Ice Cream Shop. It is decorated with a railroad theme from the age of steam, and includes booths from an actual decommissioned train depot. If you’re a Baby-Boomer who used to come up to the Chain in the 1970s, you certainly must recall the glory days of the Red Mill. For you, a visit to this new version will take you back to the days
when the Schmidt’s Colonial Gift Shop was not only the premier retail store in the Waupaca area, but a destination that attracted tourists from all around the Midwest. However, if you grew up in the days after Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt retired, you may never even have visited the Red Mill. That will most likely change. Even if you’re not typically inclined to visit historical sites, you can’t help but be impressed by the scenic splendor of the Crystal River as it slips past the Red Mill and under the covered bridge. Besides, coffee is the beverage of choice for the Millennial Generation; and who doesn’t like ice cream? Just don’t be put off by the ruin of a water wheel on the north side of the building. The replica wheel that Mr. Schrock built back in 1970 turned on its gigantic wooden hub for
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only 12 years. During that time it was propelled not by the water cascading over the mill pond dam, but by water pumped into a decorative plume from the river below. The 3,000-pound white oak hub cracked in 1982, and, although
the wheel could no longer turn, it remained an attractive stationary feature for decades. In the 1990s, however, it began crumbling under its own weight. The Lembckes plan to find a way to replace the waterwheel with-
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out breaking the bank. They’re mindful that expensive craftsmanship is vulnerable to the limitations of natural materials, and they hope to find a technologically-modern substitute that will endure for many years. Their children have been actively involved in the renovation of the Red Mill, and they expect to keep this place in the family for a long time. In the mid-1800s, as an operational gristmill, this place also functioned as a social hub for the community. In the mid-1900s, as the Colonial Gift Shop, tourists and locals alike would stop by regularly to keep in touch with one another and the traditions of the Chain O’Lakes area. And now, in the early years of the 21st Century, the Red Mill is once again assuming a place on the local scene that’s commensurate with the beauty of its location and the depth of its heritage.
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P L A N N I N G
FO R
Panfish f you’ve got a dock in the water, a couple of panfish probably are swimming around and beneath it right now.
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From up above, your view tells you these fish are small. But if you hook these feisty fellows and get them out of the water, you’ll see at once how flat and round their bodies are. You might think their shape resembles that of a frying pan. Or you might think that they would fit nicely in a frying pan. Either way, you’d have a good reason to call these little guys “pan” fish. The truth is, there is no generally accepted definition of this colloquial term, although it often is used interchangeably with the scientific term “Sunfishes” (or Centrarchiedae in Latin, which includes Bluegills, Pumpkinseeds, and Crappies).
14 | WaupacaChain.info
Until recently, no one seems to have given much thought to these common little fish. The DNR bag limit on panfish has long been 25 per day, and the season is open all year. Literally 99% of fishermen get bored well before they’ve bagged their limit (per DNR surveys). Sunfish reproduce prolifically, grow rapidly, and seem perpetually abundant. But over the past several years, the DNR has becoming increasingly concerned with managing the State’s panfish population. They’ve determined that, since 1945, the average size of the Bluegills in Wisconsin lakes has decreased from about 7 inches to less than five. For many years, the DNR has been capturing statistical samples of fish from Wisconsin lakes. It uses this survey information to identify and track both positive and negative trends. Typically, the DNR uses the data in connection with efforts to manage the so-called “game fish” – larger species like Walleyes, Bass and Northern Pike that serious anglers seek. But fully two-thirds of the 90 million fish caught in Wisconsin each year are panfish and perch. Most are immediately released, but still, the DNR’s surveys show that most people prefer to catch larger fish – whether they’re out for sport or food. Thus, the DNR figures that even an inch increase in the average length of those 60 million panfish that get caught each year will generate a lot of good will. The task turns out to be more challenging than it might first appear. Because of their fast growth rates and brief life-cycles, shorter average-sizes across panfish populations often are the result of too many fish, not over-fishing. An overabundance of panfish in a given lake can lead to stunted growth, because the natural food supply is limited. But since panfish themselves are food for many species of game fish (especially Walleyes, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass) large panfish populations can improve the number and quantity of more desirable game fish. Panfish typically live only 7 or 8 years. In contrast, many game fish don’t even grow to legal size within that timeframe. Reducing the bag limit is a tried-andtrue way to increase the population of larger game fish, but only 1% of Wisconsin fishermen take the full 25 panfish they’re allowed. What’s more, a study by the Minnesota DNR suggests that the bag limit would have to be dropped all the way down to 10 or less to have any significant impact on average panfish size. Over the last three years, the DNR has been seeking public input on a panfish management plan, and has found that such a severe bag limit reduction does not have citizen support in Wisconsin. Based on public feedback, this spring the DNR
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is proposing three alternative types of panfish bag limit modifications to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. If they are approved (which is likely) one of the three regulations (based on a random assignment) will go into effect on 96 selected test lakes in Wisconsin. All other Wisconsin lakes – including all the lakes on the Chain – will continue to use the current 25-panfish bag limit. During the years 2022 and 2023, the results will be evaluated and final regulations will be proposed. In Waupaca County, Hartman Lake, Stratton Lake, and Shadow Lake each would be assigned different bag limits during the test period. At Hartman, the limit would allow a total of 15 panfish, but no more than 5 of any one species. At Stratton, the current limit of 25 panfish would still apply, but no more than 10 of any one species could be taken. At Shadow, the current limit of 25 would stand except during May and June, when it would be reduced to 15, including no more than 5 of any one species. The most recent DNR fish survey on the Chain O’Lakes took place in 2011. Another is scheduled for this summer. The accompanying chart shows that the 2011 survey found lots of Bluegill here, but their average size – consistent with the statewide average – is considered small. For game fish, the 2011 survey singled out Largemouth Bass, rating them high in both size and abundance. If you’d like to learn more about the DNR panfish management plans, go on-line to dnr.wi.gov/topic/ fishing/ and search for the keywords “panfish plan”. The search will take you directly to the DNR website’s Planning for Panfish page. If you take the time to read through the reports and articles that you can link to from there, you can’t help but be impressed with the amount of thought and effort the DNR has devoted to these little fish that we typically take for granted.
Number of fish captured in Waupaca Chain from electrofishing surveys during April 25, May 10 and June 1, 2011. TOTAL
MEAN LENGTH
LENGTH RANGE
SIZE RATING
NO. PER HOUR
NO. PER MILE
ABUNDANCE RATING
BLACK CRAPPIE
28
7.6
4.3-12.7
Medium
14
27
Medium
BLUEGILL
698
4.7
1.9-9.6
Low
349
681
High
BROWN TROUT
20
8.0
5.6-12.2
High
2
1
Low
LARGEMOUTH BASS
630
12.0
3.3-19.1
High
139
68
High
NORTHERN PIKE
40
18.5
10.4-25.8
Medium
4
2
Low
PUMPKINSEED
25
6.1
3.5-7.8
Medium
13
24
Medium
ROCK BASS
33
5.7
3.0-10.8
High
3
1
Medium
SMALLMOUTH BASS
61
9.9
5.3-16.6
Medium
13
7
Low
WALLEYE
28
18.4
8.7-24.3
High
32
1
Low
WARMOUTH
15
5.9
3.8-7.7
High
8
15
Medium
WHITE SUCKER
5
16.3
12.1-20.5
Medium
3
5
Medium
YELLOW BULLHEAD
2
10.9
9.4-12.4
High
1
2
Low
YELLOW PERCH
18
5.8
2.9-11.0
Medium
9
18
Low
SPECIES
When you go to the webpage dnr.wi.gov/topic/ fishing/ you also can download a free “Fish as Art” Calendar for 2015. Just click on the button in the right-hand column. The printable PDF features high-resolution color images that have appeared on the state’s Trout Stamps over the years. It also provides information about important fishing dates, moon phases, game fish identification, and more. You also can access the calendar directly to download it at: dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/outreach/FishCalendarLandscape2015.pdf. If you or your kids would like a free poster of Wisconsin’s game fish, you can download a PDF file of one prepared by the DNR at the /fishing/ website. The only problem is that you’ll still have to get it printed. Fortunately, we have a solution for that. Just go to the special website we have set up at FreePosterSizePixAndPrints.com. Once there, you will be able to download the computer file of the image if you’d like, and arrange to print it yourself. But you also will be able to order a 12x18” full-color laminated gloss photo print – ready to hang on the wall, but also suitable for framing – for just $7.50. Or, you can order a 12x18” full color poster paper print for as little as $4.00. In fact, you can order a poster paper print as large as 24x36” for just $16. July 2015|
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ESTHER WILLIAMS ISLAND? I
n 1948, Esther Williams was the star of a big MGM musical called “On An Island With You”. As with all her films, the script contrived to maximize the time the glamorous Million Dollar Mermaid could be seen wearing a swimsuit. The promotional posters played off the ever-popular male fantasy of being stranded on a deserted island with a beautiful girl, and the film was box office gold. That same fantasy certainly must contribute to the long-standing fascination around the Chain O’Lakes with Ms. Williams’ tenuous connection with tiny Crescent Island. For many years, the boat captains on the Chief Waupaca would regale tourists with stories about how the wholesome superstar preferred the naturally clear waters of the Chain to the sterile, chlorine-scented swimming pools of Beverly Hills. This is another theme that Midwesterners find hard to resist. In June of 2013, Esther Williams took leave of this world at age 91. During her life, she had four husbands and made over twodozen successful movies. But she retired from acting more than 50 years ago, and few people under 40 years old even recognize the name. In retrospect it seems fair to ask whether her connection to the Waupaca area was merely tabloidstyle fiction – a gross exaggeration built upon a tiny germ of truth. What we know for sure is that Ms. Williams was married to singer/ actor Ben Gage from 1945 to 1959, 20 | WaupacaChain.info
and that, as of their wedding date, Mr. Gage’s family owned Crescent Island – the picturesque little islet that separates Sunset and Rainbow lakes. We also know that, shortly after they were married, the cottage that had stood on the island burned down. The fire was a big enough story in Hollywood that the Los Angeles Times newspaper sent a reporter and photographer out to Wisconsin, but no great crime drama ensued. Mr. Gage and Ms. Williams had three children together, and their divorce was bitter. Ms. Williams
characterized Mr. Gage (who died in 1978) as an alcoholic parasite who had squandered over $10 Million of her movie earnings. The only conspicuous visit that Ms. Williams made to Waupaca occurred shortly after the cottage had burned. Still, there are credible long-time residents of the Chain who recall having personally seen Ms. Williams swimming between Crescent Island and Loyola Point. And if this were her sanctuary from the hubbub of Hollywood, she logically would have kept a low profile in Wisconsin.
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www.AdventureOutfittersLLC.com 22 | WaupacaChain.info
Ultimately, however, the best evidence comes from Ms. Williams herself. In her 416-page 1999 autobiography she makes no mention at all of Wisconsin, Waupaca, or the Chain O’Lakes. A few years after the fire, Hobie Edmunds – owner of the Edmunds Dock marina and tour boat business that preceded today’s Clear Water Harbor – bought the little island and put a mobile home on it. For years, many summer residents and tourists at the Chain wondered how anyone could have floated a mobile home out to the island, without realizing that the waters of the Chain freeze up to three-feet thick in the winter, and many cottages have been moved from place to place across the ice over the years. Eventually Edmunds sold the island (and a parcel adjacent to the Taylor Lake boat landing) to Camp Onaway. These days the campers refer to little Crescent Island as “Cub Island” and use it infrequently, mostly for tent camping by older campers. The small frame structure on the island today is seldom if ever occupied overnight, and is used primarily for storage. The name “Cub” probably evolved as a corruption of the word “Club”. On the official state hydrographic survey of the Chain O’Lakes from 1898, the little island is designated as “Club Island”. Indeed, at the dawn of the 20th Century the island was the infamous haunt of the “Bluegill Club” – a band of local Waupaca businessmen with a conspicuous appetite for fresh fish and good times. The Bluegill Club boys may not have been as famous as Esther Williams, but they partied like rock stars. This photo of the gang circa 1908 is emblematic of the good-natured enthusiasm of the Chain’s early days.
DINNER FORTWO TO450 Whether it’s a cozy dniner for two or a special event for up 450 guests, the Waupaca Ale House is the perfect choice. Our comfortable Banquet Hall or our new elegant Outdoor Ceremony/ Reception Area with Tent, over looking Fox Fire Golf Course and Comfort Suites, can help make your wedding, corporate event or any celebration special. Inquire today for your special event. Our experiended and dedicated staff will help you every step of the way. Make Waupaca Ale House your Event Destination!
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KITTY CORNERED yCATTY WOMPAS T
he little red one-room schoolhouse is empty once
again. At the Southwestern corner of Hwy 54 and County Road Q, the former Barton School is no longer being used as the Town Hall for Farmington. Since last November 13, the Town administration has been operating out of a brand new facility
that sits “kitty-corner” across Hwy 54 at the Northeastern corner. The official grand opening of the new town hall was held on December 14. The proximity and juxtaposition of the old and new buildings seems almost symbolic. It tends to give one pause to reflect upon the changes the Waupaca Chain O’Lakes area has experienced over the 100 years or so since the
The red schoolhouse that had been the Farmington Town Hall sits kitty corner from the new one at the intersection of Hwy. 54 and County Q. Some of the headstones in the historic cemetery next to the old Town Hall are a bit catty wompas.
24 | WaupacaChain.info
Barton School was built. With the assistance of the Waupaca Historical Society, Farmington officials have paid homage to that past by decorating the walls of the new office building with historic photographs. The old red-brick school building, together with a contemporary pole-building behind it, are listed for sale at $79,900. Unlike most abandoned school properties that go on the market, this place has modern up-to-date mechanical systems because of its recent usage as a municipal building. It’s also handicap accessible. The new owner will, however, have to deal with some unusual neighbors: the occupants of the old Barton Cemetery. More than 100 graves lie just a few yards south of the old schoolhouse, many of them dating back to the 1800s. (The
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Sandy Grenlie, the Town of Farmington’s Clerk and Treasurer, stands in the new front office and shows off framed photos of the former Barton School building that will hang in the new Town Hall.
N2757 County Hwy QQ Waupaca, WI 715.258.8840 • www.taylorlakemarine.com
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town maintains the historic cemetery. Over the next few years, it’s likely some people may stop at the old school looking for the Farmington offices. After giving directions a few times, the new owner may start wondering: Where does that term “kitty-corner” come from anyway, and what does it really mean? Is it different from “cater-cornered” or “catty wompus”? These colorful idioms are distinctly American. In England and Australia, the more explicit term “diagonally opposite” is used rather than kitty-corner, catty-corner, catacorner, catercorner, caterways, caterwise, or cater-cornered – all of which are in popular usage and mean exactly the same thing. They reference the one quadrant which lies on the diagonal from any given quadrant established by the intersection of two perpendicular lines – typically, but not necessarily, roadways. When you put it like that, it’s easy to see why we Americans came up with a short-hand expression. The term apparently derives either from the Middle English word “cater” meaning four at dice; the Old French term “catre” simply meaning four; or the Latin word “quattuor”. In the American south, it’s said that some people use the term catty-cornered to reference something that should be square but isn’t. We in northern states commonly use the term “Catty Wompus” [also, caterwumpus” or “kittywaupus”] in this regard (as do most folks down south). Like catercorner, the term seems to reference the geometry of four points as they appear on dice. Those colorful Southerners, by the way, also employ the terms “Wompie-Jacked” and “WhopperJawed” as alternatives to Catty Wompus (which in some regions refers to a mountain lion). All etymology aside, it’s a good bet that the old Barton schoolhouse is the more catty wompus of the two Farmington structures that sit kitty corner at the Hwy. 54 and Q intersection.
Whether you need beautifully landscaped yards or lush green lawns, TLC Lawns & Landscaping is here to attend to your immediate needs. Serving commercial and residential clients, we provide superior services for all the landscaping and lawn maintenance needs of Waupaca, WI. From neighborhood homes to commercial properties, our professional contractors are prepared to exceed your standards of satisfaction.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: • Flagstone and paver patios & driveways • Lawn maintenance • Landscaping • Snow removal • Retaining walls • Ponds and streams • Sprinklers • Stone / brick/wood walls • Seeding, sodding, mulching We also perform specialized excavation work for hard-toreach areas. Call us today!
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A New Normal? 2014 Chain Sales Summary by Steve Huhta 28 | WaupacaChain.info
F
or four years from 2008 to 2011 the Chain O’Lakes real estate market collapsed. But 2014 marked the third consecutive year when both buyers and sellers seemed to be in fairly close accord. Thirty-One bid-and-ask negotiations resulted in deals on Chain properties that closed last year. About 35 lakefront sites are listed for sale around the lakes this spring. You can bet that in every case, the prospective sellers are wondering: What’s the New Normal for Chain prices now that the recession is over?
20%
2007
2012
2013
2014
0%
Waupaca Chain Number of Properties Sold 30
31
25
24 20 15 10
18 15
RECESSION
7-8
5 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 * 12 closed in 2014 so far and 4 closings pending
be adjusted up or down, based on its specific attributes. The beauty of an established Rule of Thumb was that almost every property had some positive and some negative characteristics. In an ambiguous way, they tended to cancel out and the Rule of Thumb prevailed. But Rule of Thumb valuation only works when prices were stable. In a steady market, buyers and sellers can look at several years of recent transactions, and usually find two or more that were truly “comparable” – both in terms of
2011
2012
2013
2014*
checklist features and gut feel. These comparisons helped the parties assign an economic value to the adjustment from the Rule of Thumb that was appropriate for the circumstances. While 2014 was the third relatively good year in a row, there’s still no stable platform that can be used as a basis to generalize about current and future values. There’s no “New Normal” yet. While both sellers and buyers are encouraged that the Great Recession seems to be over, they are cautious and hesitant.
Prospective buyers are wondering the same thing. And it appears that, in increasing numbers, they are engaging a Buyer’s Broker to help them determine the true cash value of the lakefront properties that attract their interest. A dozen years ago, before the big real estate boom and bust, buyers and sellers both seemed to recognize that the Rule of Thumb for Chain O’Lakes real estate was around $3,500 per frontage foot (plus the reasonable value of the cottage or lake home). Of course, they also understood that the value of any particular parcel needed to July 2015|
29
Chain Chain Properties Properties Sold Sold Over Over $450,000 $450,000
Like so many things in the 21st Century, ascertaining a fair value for real estate has become very complicated – especially regarding lakefront properties where there are so many more factors to weigh and consider. It’s no wonder that ever-higher percentages of lake property buyers are engaging their own brokers to guide them through the process. This trend will undoubtedly continue through 2015 and beyond. It’s a Buyer’s Market, and the movement towards Buyer’s Brokers is evidence of it. Here are some other bullet points from the listing and sales activity around the Chain in 2014: 1. For seller’s, it’s a bad idea to shoot for the moon. Many sellers in 2007 and 2008 demanded that brokers set listing prices way above what their brokers suggested because there were so many rumors circulating about the crazy prices some buyers were paying. This introduced a lot of noise into the market, and resulted in
Selling Selling price price compared compared to to Tax Tax Bill Bill Fair Fair Market Market Assessment Assessment 140% 140% 120% 120%
120% 120%
114% 114%
112% 112%
114% 114%
2007 2007
2012 2012
2013 2013
2014 2014
100% 100% 80% 80% 60% 60% 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% 0%
Chain Chain Properties Properties Sold Sold Under Under $450,000 $450,000
Selling Selling price price compared compared to to Tax Tax Bill Bill Fair Fair Market Market Assessment Assessment 120% 120% 100% 100%
104% 104% 73% 73%
80% 80%
86% 86%
95% 95%
2013 2013
2014 2014
60% 60% 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% 0%
2007 2007
2012 2012
Waupaca Waupaca Chain Chain Number Number of of Properties Properties Sold Sold
30 30 25 25 20 20
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big price reductions and expired listings that made some great properties seem like damaged goods. 2. The “market value” assigned by the tax assessor is probably low for any property worth more than $450,000. In 2013, six out of seven high-end transactions closed at prices over the assessed value. In 2014, it this happened eight out of ten times. Because assessors determine market values in bulk, they must rely on a Rule of Thumb approach. For properties that sold under $450,000 during the last two years, the assessor’s assignment of market value was consistently above the closing price in actual Chain O’Lakes transactions. 3. The quality of lake frontage is more important than ever. Having a place to set up a dock and a boat hoist is crucial, of course. But increasing appetites for bigger boats and a wider variety of on-the-water options (paddle boards, PWCs, peddle kayaks, etc.)
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means that there’s a lot of demand for parking spaces on the shore, and more time spent standing in the shallow water. 4. The “building envelope” has taken on greater significance. When people were building small cottages with dirt driveways, almost any lakeshore lot provided plenty of room. But with modern appetites for big lake homes and garages, and the rigors of new shoreland protection regulations and rules regarding impervious surfaces, both the current and future re-sale values of a given site can depend a great deal on the size and shape of the lot. 5. Structures are being valued more critically. The technical term used by appraisers is “functional obsolescence”. When buyers were clamoring for lake properties back in 2004 to 2007, they were willing to overlook a lot of deficiencies in the cottage and the boathouse at a given site. Now, when the characteristics of older structures don’t conform with modern inclinations, buyers often apply a steep discount due to the shortcomings. Whether you’re a prospective seller or buyer, you’ve got some hard decisions ahead of you. A real estate broker who’s an expert on the Chain O’Lakes can help steer you through the process.
A Recon Boat is a multi-species fishing boat made with the finest fiberglass materials and latest construction techniques. Our boats handle the needs of all styles of fishing from the small inland lakes to the Great Lakes You will love the spacious front deck with enough room for two and a rear deck that lets you walk right up to the transom to net a fish without the fear of falling in. The cockpit area has enough room for you and all your gear.
Recon has a large musky sized livewell for reviving that lunker. Ample storage compartments with heavy gauge aluminum lids and locking latches. The 21 position center rod locker can hold 9’ plus rods. Recon also builds Dyna-Ski water ski boats for recreational and tournament water skiers. At Recon, fishing is our passion and we take pride in every boat we build.
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July 2015|
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O
BATTLE of the
BOATS
38 | WaupacaChain.info
by Ron Arthur
It’s 1946. The Second World War is over. Our victorious G.I.’s have come home to Waupaca. But on the Chain O’Lakes . . . The Battle of the Boats rages on!
F
or four full years after the cessation of hostilities in the WW II, rancor and conflict persisted at the Chain O’Lakes. Each day at dawn, the placid waters seemed as idyllic as always. But as the early morning mist burned off, it became apparent that the lakes were surrounded by enemy factions, seething with aggression. The focal point of all the acrimony was the Chris Craft speedboat. From 1941 thru 1945, the Chris Craft Corporation had been integral to the war effort, building more than 12,000 patrol boats, utility launches and rescue vessels for the Navy. After the Japanese surrendered, the company resumed its position at the Number One manufacturer of recreational powerboats in America. Many former servicemen, whose lives recently had depended on the speed and agility of powerful boats, were buying Chris Crafts as fast as the factory could make them. Small, specialty boat companies had been making mahogany boats with internal combustion engines since before Henry Ford started producing Model-Ts. But they hadn’t been more than an occasional curiosity at the Chain
Balance of Power – The police couldn’t arrest a speedboater for going too fast unless they had a speedboat of their own.
July 2015|
39
until the end of WW II, when they transformed the face of recreation on the nation’s inland waters. Recreational pursuits on the Chain began around 1871. That’s when the railroad began service to Waupaca, and the first steamboat began taking passengers on tours around the lakes north of Indian Crossing. For almost 60 years, through the Roaring Twenties, almost every passenger launch was powered by steam, and all the personal pleasure boats were propelled by oars or paddles. Then the Stock Market crashed in 1929, and the Great Depression swallowed up the 1930s. World War II began in Europe with Hitler’s 1939 invasion of Poland. After Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941, the U.S. joined in the conflict so intense it was known as Total War. From 1930 to 1945, virtually every sort of recreational activity in America was suspended.
40 | WaupacaChain.info
But by 1946, the U.S. was flushed with victory, and ready for some fun. The preceding 15 years of depravation and distress were fading fast from memory, and the young men who’d been to war had an appetite for adventure, excitement, fast cars and . . . fast boats. The counter faction was comprised of people who tended to be older and more conservative. They employed their wealth and political connections to push through a state law that applied ONLY to the Waupaca Chain O’Lakes. It imposed a speed limit on “gasoline power craft” of no more than 15 mph on the straightway and 6 mph in the channels. This heavy-handed tactic (of questionable legality) escalated the conflict, and hardened the parties’ resolve on both sides. Passing such a law was one thing. Enforcing it turned out to be something else.
On July 15, 1947 more than 100 people crowded into the Amusement Hall at the Veterans Home for a raucous ad hoc meeting on the new statute. It soon took an ugly turn as Town of Farmington Chairman Floyd Taylor accused Frank Carey of nearly drowning “two elderly people” by overturning their boat with waves generated by his Chris Craft. “Skipper” Carey was in the business of taking Edmunds Dock customers out for speedboat thrill rides. He calmly rose and denied the accusation. Then, as reported in the July 18, 1947 edition of a summertime newspaper called the Chain O’Lakes Guide (under a banner headline reading Meeting Attacks Speed Boats): “Immediately, one of the large group of women present challenged Carey’s denial by declaring emphatically that she was at a distance of only 35 feet at the time
The Chain O'Lakes used to have it's own newspaper. Published only during the summer months, it eventually was replaced by the Picture Post once the technology for taking and reproducing newspaper photographs developed sufficiently.
of the mishap, that she knew it was Carey’s boat, and that he had not even looked back after the other boat capsized.” As the acrimonious meeting unfolded, it was revealed that the presidents of the Cottage Owners’ Association of the Chain O’Lakes and of the Chain O’Lakes Protective Association both recently had appeared before the County Board and sought it’s assistance to enforce the 15 mph speed limit. It also turned out that the County Board had passed an ordinance prohibiting the operation of boats with engines larger than 5 ½ horsepower, although the State Attorney General had opined that the ordinance was illegal. The Waupaca County District Attorney appeared and stated that if speeding arrests were made by the sheriff, he would prosecute. “If you bring 50 violators before me tomorrow I will prosecute 50,” he
declared. Then Leo Schubert was introduced as the new Commodore of the Chain O’Lakes Boat Club. The news account states: “Mr. Schubert admitted candidly that he often exceeded the legal speed limit in his own Chris Craft. But it was his contention that these high-powered boats are so constructed that they are safer at a speed of 25 miles per hour than they would be at 15. He asked if the question were not more one of safety than of law, at which a loud negative response came from the audience. “There was considerable further discussion of grievances such as speed boats splashing people on docks, refusing to slow down when passing fishermen, passing over spawning beds, and passing dangerously close to swimmers.” The acrimonious controversy grew more intense as time went
on and more fast boats were launched on the Chain. The Sheriff’s Department funded the acquisition of a Chris Craft for use as a patrol boat, and designed Art Krueger as the deputy in charge. In 1948, Krueger arrested “Skipper” Cary on two occasions for speeding and reckless driving. Various legal, legislative, and self-help maneuvers ensued. By 1949, the Town Boards at Farmington and Dayton dug in and adopted ordinances that banned the use of water skis and “surf boards” on the Chain O’Lakes, and prohibited the use of any motor boat that hadn’t obtained a local license to operate. In response, 28 Chain O’Lakes property owners filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction prohibiting the Towns from enforcing their speed-limit and boating ordinances. In 1949, Frank Carey was found
July 2015|
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Specials friday fish fry 11:00am–10:00 pm Cod, Perch or Lemon Garlic Grilled Cod (low fat), wrapped and grilled with low fat butter, coleslaw & rye bread and choice of potato, French fries, skins, Niemuths potato salad or baked potato. Grilled Tuna Steak
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innocent on all charges, the Judge stating: “The evidence in this case appears to be guess work. Witnesses disagreed as to distances, and the testimony was very confusing, making statements and later attempting to change them.” After four years of bitter fighting and expensive legal maneuvers, it was finally becoming apparent to all that speed boating had become commonplace throughout the Midwest and would inevitability take hold at the Chain O’Lakes. The last edition of the Chain O’Lakes Guide for the summer of 1949 led with this headline: Water Safety Rules Approved By Lakes In Mutual Concession. The story announced that a deal had been brokered by the Chamber of Commerce. Businessmen, it appeared, could recognize what the over-agitated combatants were ignoring: The Chain’s uniquely harsh restrictions on water sports were bad for tourism and property values. With minor alterations over the decades, the compromise struck back in 1949 still governs the Chain O’Lakes today: The permitted waterskiing hours were 10 am to 4 pm weekdays on five lakes (including Sunset), but only 10 am to noon on weekends and holidays. The speed limit on the other lakes was set at 6 mph, and the use of motors was banned in Otter, Beasley, Bass and Orlando Lakes.
Bucket of 5 Domestic Bottles $10. Dozen Wings for $5.
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1277 W. Fulton St, Waupaca | 715.258.8978 42 | WaupacaChain.info
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In Memorium
brinsmere 1891 2014 the summer of 1891, D uring Fred Smith began building a summer resort on the western shore of Sunset Lake. He named it Brinsmere – a Scottish term meaning “top of the bluff” – and by the time the tourist season opened in 1892 he had the main hotel building and a separate dining hall ready to receive guests. The resort flourished, operating successfully into the 1920s. But it fell into disuse and disrepair as the ascension of the automobile forever altered the patterns of tourism around Waupaca’s Chain O’Lakes. The main hotel, which was set back from the lake, was demolished long ago. But the dining hall, with its grand two-story porch perched on the bluff overlooking the lakes and islands below, steadfastly survived. By the 1950s, it had become the summer home of the Furstenberg family, who chose to maintain the property, as much as possible, in its original condition. Unlike so many old structures around the
44 | WaupacaChain.info
Chain, it never endured a “gut rehab” or an exterior makeover. Indeed, in this photograph (below) taken last Labor Day weekend, the old dining hall looked
very much as it did in this historic panorama from around 1900. In the old photo, one of the guest cottages is in the left foreground, and the hotel is in the center (to-
wards the back). But after 123 years, Brinsmere is gone forever, having been demolished to clear the site for the construction of a lavish new lake home slated to be ready for occupancy this summer. Similar circumstances have led to the demise of many of the old structures around the lake. The Furstenberg family members had aged and scattered, and didn’t
use the place very often anymore. The old building, one considered quaint and rustic, became increasingly disparaged as antiquated and out-of-date. Building materials and methods of the 1800s were primitive by today’s standards, and Fred Smith had never intended the structure to stand for more than a few decades. By the 21st Century, Brinsmere’s floors sagged and the walls weren’t true. It’s doors and windows didn’t fit right. And it’s “modern” plumbing and electrical systems were mid-20th century retrofits. Meanwhile, the real estate taxes
on the site (with its 150 feet of prime frontage) had turned into an annual burden in excess of $10,000, and maintenances expenses were high. Consideration was given to preserving the old structure by moving the building to a different location. Although possible in theory, the logistics were too complicated and the costs too high. Binsmere will have to live on only in memories and photographs The Brinsmere dining hall had been the second oldest surviving structure on the Chain. Only the Commandant’s Quarters at the Veterans Home (which dates back to 1888) is older than she was. Moreover, Brinsmere held special notoriety for historians because Fred Smith’s verbal reminiscences were recorded by his niece, Ellen Moore, in the year prior to his death. They were published in 1947 and 1948 by the Waupaca County Post in a series called “When Chain O’Lakes Were Young”. Questionable grammar aside, the serial articles provide valuable insights into what recreation was like around the Chain in the days when tourism was still a miniscule component of Wisconsin’s economy.
Fred was born in 1866 as one of the six sons of William Smith, and grew up on Summit Hill Farm. The family farmhouse was located equidistant from Round Lake and Hicks Lake (now known as Sunset Lake). His father reluctantly started taking in summer season boarders after the Chain’s first resort – The Greenwood Park Hotel – failed in 1885 (after just four seasons). Fred had a knack for hospitality, and he could see that Summit Hill Farm was turning business away. His father gave him 60 acres as a wedding present including about 1,000 feet of frontage on Hicks Lake. In Fred’s own words, from his memoirs: Minnie [Hansen] and I got married in March of 1891, and while I was building Brinsmere, we lived with the folks up on The Hill. We opened in the spring of ’92 and our place was filled the very first summer with people Father couldn’t take. And once they’d been there, they most always came back – some of them for many, many years. I’ve known families who came to our place with tiny babies the first time, and never missed a summer until those children were grown up! CONTINUED ON PAGE 55
Right where the Brinsmere dining hall stood for more than 120 years, a beautiful new lake house is being built by Dan Wanty Construction. Perhaps it wil stand for another 120 years.
July 2015|
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summer A TRIBUTE TO
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Fourth of July fireworks at the north shore of Round Lake have become a Chain tradition. But way to many boats crowd in to get a nice shot like this. We used a long exposure photo that Mark Mathu took from his family's cottage and Photoshopped in the fireworks.
A PHOTO ESSAY
Summer days, drifting away, but oh, oh those summer nights — FROM GREASE, THE MUSICAL
During our long Wisconsin winters, most of our summer fantasies revolve around basking in the warmth of sunshine. But, many of our most endearing and enduring summertime memories actually are made after the sun goes down. One of the great things about owning property on a lake is that your dock gives you unobstructed views of the sky and the surrounding shore. Your friends and neighbors often put on quite a show: bonfires down by the beach, sparklers used to carve shapes out of the darkness, bottle rockets, and decorative lighting. But all that pales in comparison to the show that Mother Nature puts on. When the moon is full and shining brightly, there’s nothing more romantic. And on moonless nights when the stars fill the sky you can see the Milky Way, and feel the immensity of the Universe.
nights
This image of the Perseid meteor shower (which happens every year in mid-August) comes courtesy of Maxwell F. X. Palau, a/k/a StarDude Astronomy. His website (stardude.org) and Facebook page are geared towards making astronomy fun and interesting for the younger generation.
July 2015|
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Some people enjoy searching the heavens for planets, satellites and constellations. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to make a wish upon a falling star. If it’s a stormy night, you may witness a spectacular display of lightning. In the city, we tend to regard thunder and lightning as a nuisance. But when we’re up at the lake, it can be fun to sit back and enjoy the show. Taking your boat out after dark can be a blast. You get an even
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better view of the skies above, and you can enjoy the lights and activities you can see along the shore. If you take out your canoe, you can glide along without running lights. You might even catch some of your neighbors out skinny dipping! When you’re boating in the dark, it’s difficult to grasp how different the Chain looks today, as compared to 100 years ago. Just before the dawn of the 20th century, flames provided the only source of light in the darkness. Open fires,
fireplaces, candles, torches, and kerosene lanterns were the best the times could offer. It wasn’t until 1893 that Thomas Edison put his great invention – electric streetlights – on display at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Just six years later the Waupaca Electric Light and Railway Company built a power plant and ran electric lines out to the Veterans Home and the Grand View Hotel. Those same transmission lines also powered an electric trolley that ran from the Waupaca train depot out to the Grand View. Power also was run to the shore at the commercial boat dock situated in the bay between the Vets Home and the hotel. Those first bright electric lights down by the water gleamed far more vividly than the kerosene lanterns on other docks, and the place became known as The Electric Dock. Now, the site of the old Grand View, on Rainbow Lake’s southern shore, is one of the few dark areas remaining on the Chain O’Lakes. In comparison, the Veterans Home grounds glow so brightly you can see them from space. If outer space is of interest to you, here are a few extraordinary things to look for in the night sky this summer: • Venus (which has phases like the moon) will be full, bright and high in the sky. It will reach its maximal brilliancy on the evening of July 10. • Venus and Jupiter will conjoint – that is, appear very close together – shortly after sunset on June 30 in the west-southwest sky. This "double planet" will, no doubt, produce a lot of UFO calls to the authorities. • The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12, during a lunar phase close to the new moon. This means moonlight won’t wash out the sky like it did last year, obscuring the visibility of dimmer shooting stars.
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Ovit la consed quo to iur? Ucietus sum On a clear, moonless ipsandisciet plissunt night, the Milky Way perum autae nobis ea seems to reach out quas as dolorios eos siand draw you in. menditi ut quas vid est
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Visible clearly early this spring with the leaves still off the trees, this spectacular lake house sits on the western end of the north shore of Long Lake (in Waushara County). In fact, it sat there – unoccupied – for almost eight long years after being built in 2007.
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T
his winter, a 5,000+ sq. ft., never-occupied spec house finally sold after remaining on the market nearly eight years. Originally listed at $1.285 Million in the spring of 2007, the 5-bedroom, 3 ½-bath rusticcontemporary sits on a very steep lot with 100 feet of frontage on the Northeastern shore of Long Lake in Waushara County. The timing could hardly have been worse. When the market collapsed in 2008, the asking price dropped quickly to $895,000 – which probably approximates the developer’s hard costs in the premium grade construction. The asking price lingered there for three years. In 2011, the listed price was reduced to $775,000. The real estate taxes alone exceeded $14,000 per year. By 2013 the cedar exterior had weathered and required significant re-staining, maintenance, and cleaning. The asking price was reduced to $690,000. The listing price finally dropped to $675,000 in 2014, and in December the house sold substantially below that figure.
Long Lake straddles the townships of Springwater and Saxeville. It’s 272 acres in size, or two-and-a-half times as big as the Long Lake on the Chain. Its marl bottom gives it the same beautiful blue-green hue as lakes on the Chain. Historically, property values there have been comparable to the Chain O’Lakes, although perhaps 10 to 15% lower. That said, this particular property has some of the worst frontage on the Long Lake. The steep lot provided for a walk-out lower level, a great balcony deck, and three-stories of southern exposure, but it also required a long, steep stairway to the shore. At the far end of the lake where this property sits, the water is quite shallow and the bottom is mucky. The original asking price reflected the euphoria of a real estate market that had been booming in 2005 and 2006, and wasn’t tethered to the hard costs of construction. It must have seemed realistic at the time. Holding costs – real estate taxes, utilities, maintenance, and interest expenses – certainly exceeded $300,000 over the 90+ July 2015|
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BRINSMERE | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45
It was easier to handle people then. When they came to these lakes they didn’t expect the world with a fence around it. If they had good beds and good food and a lot of fun, that seemed to be about all they wanted. There was no such thing as transient trade then. All of our people were from the south, and they came by train, with their trunks, and stayed all summer. They didn’t miss electric lights or running water or inside toilets. Those things would have spoiled a vacation up here then. Fred Smith’s recollections often rambled in a folksy way. As such, modern readers may find them a bit slow-moving and cumbersome. But if you’d like to check out the When Chain O’Lakes Were Young series yourself, you can get it at the Waupaca Historical Society, or on-line in the Waupaca History Section of the Main Street Marketplace website, at www.mainstreetmarketplace.com. In the summer of 1893, the Smith family’s fortunes took a turn as the Summit Hill farmhouse burned down. William Smith (Fred’s father) moved down to the eastern shore of Round Lake and built a resort hotel that he named Locksley Hall (later known as Locksley Lodge). It opened in the spring of 1894, and over the next few years he added 10 guest cottages along the shoreline.
Although located on the shores of distant lakes, the two hotels were really less than 1,200 yards apart, as the crow flies. Fred’s brother Edwin helped manage Locksley with his father and eventually succeeded him. There’s no indication that any members of the Smith family ever competed or quarreled with one another. They were natural born hosts. Locksley Lodge has been remodeled and updated, but still retains much the same exterior configuration as when it was the third hotel built on the Chain. It now moves up to the status of the second oldest surviving structure on the Chain O’Lakes. This excerpt from a famous 1911 map of the Chain shows Brinsmere prominently (as well as William Smith’s Summit Hill Farm and Locksley Hall.
July 2015|
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By Haley Hamilton Haley is a Wisconsin girl who
grew up in Lake Geneva and studied at prestigious Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She now lives in Manhattan where she is a Senior Vice President at the Royal Bank of Canada.
The NEW Economics of Lake Property Ownership Elsewhere in this magazine, you’ll find articles about Waupacaarea lakefront property sales that occurred during the past two years. Owners of such real estate (and potential future owners) always pay close attention to reports of this nature. The thing is, they’re not really so much interested in learning about what’s already happened. The real reason they’re so attentive is that they believe the facts and figures will apprise them about what’s going to happen. Certainly, there’s some logic to this. But then, the runaway escalation of real estate prices in 2006 and 2007 did a lousy job of forecasting what was going to happen in 2008. And the sales statistics from 2009, 2010 and 2011, didn’t provide much enlightenment about the prices actually seen in the marketplace during the past three years. It turns out that past events are only good indicators of future events when markets are stable. In times of stability, pretty much everyone can make sense of prevailing real estate prices on an intuitive basis. But when chaos reigns – rapid transitions from boom to bust and back, brisk inflation, dramatic deflation, sharp stratification of markets, etc. – it takes a professional approach to achieve any meaningful insight. In the wake of the Great Recession, economists all over America have been asked to analyze the situation and provide their opinions. Real estate markets are
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infamously local, and broad-brush analytical summaries given for a broad region like the Midwest (or the entire country) are seldom meaningful in the context of a particular locale. So I’ve been asked by the publisher of this magazine to examine the Chain O’Lakes market with the rigor of an economist. It’s not a glamorous task, and the process doesn’t make for pithy “sound bites”. Moreover, specific prognostications often miss the mark because markets are complex and fluid. On the other hand, when it comes to predicting the future, economists are the only serious players. Ultimately, we may be wrong, but at least we will have had a good reason for making our predictions. So, if you’re ready to look at the lakefront property market from a different perspective, please read on. The OLD Economics The behavior of owning a vacation lake cottage did not take hold in the American Middle Class until after World War II. Our national economy boomed while Europe and Asia worked to rebuild after the war. America’s Great Depression of the 1930s receded into memory as inexpensive automobiles and cheap gasoline empowered a mass movement into the suburbs and beyond. Plenty of men had hands-on construction experience from the war effort, and many of the early lake cottages in Wisconsin were doit-yourself projects. The lots were
small and inexpensive. Rowboats and canoes were good enough for most returning veterans and their young families, who were content roasting wieners and marshmallows over an open campfire. Most of these folks devoted their entire recreation budgets to their summertime cottages. Pride of ownership spurred them to build or improve their cottages with their own labor, thus building “sweat equity”. They paid both their acquisition costs and their vacation property operating expenses comfortably out of the wages a husband could earn from a manufacturing job. This phase of the old economics lasted about 25-years, from 1945 to 1970. By the end of that period, the 25 to 35-year old soldiers who had returned from war were 50 to 60 years old. The children they had raised at the lake were now grown and starting families of their own. A new 25-year cycle was beginning. From 1970 to 1995, young people who had loved the simple pleasures of their childhood summers at the cottage with lots of siblings wanted to replicate the environment for their own one or two children. Sometimes they vacationed at the old family cottage, but often they bought a separate place. These young adults were Baby Boomers (born between 1945 and 1964). By this time, mortgages were available on second homes, and Boomer couples had two incomes to support a sum-
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Large – Modern Chain Home $500,000
Top quality construction with wood burning fireplace and chef’s kitchen with custom cabinets, huge screen porch and deck are just some of the bonuses in this Victorian home! 4 bedrooms & 2.5 baths. Private and natural setting! www.Bass-Lake.Info
Year Around Home on the Chain $250,000
Over 300 ft of frontage on Bass Lake, Waupaca Chain O’ Lakes! This 2BR/1BA updated home has newer natural gas furnace and central AC. Bass Lake offers quick access to water skiing Long Lake. Great fishing.
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Large Home on Long Lake Waushara County $549,000
Over 120 ft of firm sandy frontage facing south on Waushara County’s beautiful Long Lake! This 3BR/3BA home is located on 1.5 acres and captures beautiful waterfront views! Includes 23x18 dry boathouse with deck right on the water’s edge. Long Lake is a clear deep water skiing recreational lake. www.Long-Lake.net
Updated Chain Home, Close to the Water $575,000
Great swimming right from your dock on water skiing Columbia Lake. Remodeled year around home on level lot with great views of the lake – large deck, wood fireplace and open concept www.Columbia-Lake.Net
Great Sand Bottom Swimming $429,000
3 bedroom year around home on popular, deep, clear McCrossen Lake on the Waupaca Chain. Main floor master bedroom, open concept home with wood burning fireplace on a level lot. Great views of the lake as this home sits very close to the water. www.McCrossenLake.com
Commercial Property in the Center of Chain Country $180,000
Includes 60 x 159 commercial lot, 2 buildings: 30x45 and 21x38.. Commercial land on a busy road, in the heart of Waupaca Chain O Lakes area is hard to find. Parking & new well.
90 Feet of Chain Firm Lake Bottom Frontage $579,900
Year round home with lot of room – 4 bedrooms. Enjoy gorgeous views looking south on water skiing Columbia Lake. Gas fireplace, attached garage, storage shed and large deck. Located on a quiet dead end street.
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Remodeled & Updated on the Chain $460,000 Beautifully remodeled/redecorated year around home facing south looking across water skiing Columbia Lake. Lots of windows allow a stunning view of the lake. Nicely landscaped yard and a good size deck.
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This Chain Home Has Everything $3,150,000
Premier Chain property w/ panoramic views across Round Lake. 180 of firm sand bottom frontage, over 6,100 finished sq ft open concept. Cherry hardwood floors & exquisite tile-work. 2 story wall of windows, chef’s kitchen & huge stone FP. Climate controlled wine room, sauna, full wet bar, huge patio and large deck. The amenities are endless. www.Rainbow-Lake.Info
For a complete list of all Chain and other waterskiing lake properties for sale and that have sold in recent years, visit www.WaupacaWaterfront.com
Newer Private Location Home $469,000
Great open concept design. This custom home sits on 1.72 wooded private acres on Otter Lake - Waupaca Chain. This 3 BR/2BA home features large kitchen, tile floors, gas fireplace and large 1 car garage. www.Otter-Lake.Info
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mer cottage and plenty of other recreational pursuits. They had education, ambition, prosperity – and inflation. From 1955 to 1965, the inflation rate in America averaged less than 2% per year. But from 1973 to 1983 it averaged almost 10% per year. From 1979 to 1982, inflation roared at almost 12% per year. Mortgage rates shot up as high as 18% per annum. And when inflation dropped back down to 2% for 1986, people realized that the market value of lake cottages had almost doubled during the prior decade. For Baby Boomers who’d grown up at the lake, the inflation decade spawned the myth that lake properties were a win-win proposition – and Boomers got to keep both wins! It seemed obvious that lake properties were simultaneously (1) fun, nostalgic, and family-oriented private playgrounds, and (2) great money-making investments! For a while, at least, this myth became a self-fulfilling prophecy. So many Boomers wanted to get in on the win-win deal that they created their own boom in the market for lake real estate. As they bid against each other, they drove prices up. And as market prices rose, they doubled-down and spent money to remodel the rustic seasonal lake cottages into bigger, better year-round retreats. Around 1995, the third generation of American lake property ownership began. It’s defining characteristic is inheritance. The parents of the Baby Boomers – born during the 1920s and 30s and known now as the “Greatest Generation” – grew up during the Great Depression. They were more frugal than their offspring, and as they reached the ends of their lives they bequeathed an estimated $12 Trillion of wealth to their children. (Of course, this intergenerational transfer actually began in the 1980s and is still going on to some extent. Tidy 25-year generational
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divisions are merely generalizations of the sort we economists use to make complex data more comprehensible. With respect to lake properties, the point is that inheritance is the fuel that has fed the fire since 1995, as aging Baby Boomers have been tearing down old cottages and building ever more resplendent lake homes.) For a generation that had known nothing but national economic prosperity, was flush with free money, had personally experienced the win-win magic of lake property ownership, and had a hankering to cling to the good old days, investing an inheritance in a lake home appeared to make perfect sense . . . right up until 2008. The NEW Economics You may have noticed that the preceding description of The Old Economics described three 25-year cycles of lake property ownership, but only two age-group generations – the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers. So far, the Boomers and their Parents alone have created and sustained the market for lake properties. But the market soon will be defined by the Baby Boomers’ own babies – the so-called Generation X and/or Millennials. Although Boomers always have conducted themselves as if they would live forever, the proposition already is proving fallacious. In January, the Pew Research Center released a report using 2013 data that indicates there are only 80-Million Baby Boomers left in America, but about 135-Million of their kids. Since Boomers, by definition, were born between 1945 and 1964, the oldest members of the cohort reached 70 years old as of 2015, and the youngest are 51. Some Boomers on the “young” end of the scale are still buying lake real estate – perhaps as an exclamation point to confirm that they’ve finally attained everything to which they could aspire, and
perhaps as a dream house where they can live out their days. But five years from now, when the fourth 25-year cycle of lake property ownership begins in the year 2020, the Baby Boomers will make up a small and rapidly decreasing percentage of the pool of potential real estate buyers. If there is going to be a market demand for lake property in 2020 and beyond, it’s going to have to come from Gen-X and Millennial buyers. Boomers bought lake property in large part because they believed it was a can’t-lose proposition. Between the Great Depression and the Great Recession, national economic downturns were mere hiccups. There were no examples similar to what we’ve observed over the 10 years, with Wisconsin lakefront properties stagnating on the market for nearly a decade, and then selling for less than half of their original asking price. Back in 1970, when Baby Boomers were young, the $50,000 cost of a lake cottage was often well below one-year’s salary for the two-income family. But $500,000 lake houses have priced the vast majority of Gen-Xers and Millennials out of the market. The on-going trend towards Million Dollar Lake Mansions around the Chain demonstrates that affluent Baby Boomers are still willing to double down on their lake property bets. The crucial question now is this: Will that small percentage of upper-tier post-Boomers who can afford an expensive lake property be willing to take the same risk? Put another way, how will postBoomers view the two elements of the Win-Win Myth that has fueled the Baby Boomers’ lake property boom since 1970? The Doctrine of Substitutability Most people have never heard of the Doctrine of Substitutability,
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although they’ve certainly experienced it. Its most simple form is readily apparent at the grocery store when a shopper decides to substitute Jif peanut butter for their preferred Skippy brand because the Jif is on sale. While the example is trivial, the concept becomes more interesting at higher levels of abstraction. In real estate, a buyer might have a preference for a four-bedroom house, but be willing to accept (substitute) a three-bedroom house for the right price. Or, at another level of abstraction, where the conceptual framework is “living space” rather than “house”, a buyer might have a preference for renting, but would be willing to buy a condo instead under the right circumstances. According to academic analysis, for any commodity, other products represent equivalent value to any given customer, at the right price. At that price point, consumers become ambivalent and are readily willing to substitute one for the other. The only time Baby Boomers saw an investment opportunity that surpassed the Win-Win benefits of owning lake property was during the Internet Bubble when the Nasdaq index rose from under 1,000 to over 5,000 between 1995 and 2000. But when that bubble burst, lake property looked better than ever. Competing refugees from the stock market again bid up the prices of lake property from 2000 through 2007. There was no equivalent, substitutable investment in their minds. To predict whether post-Boomers will feel the same way, the key is to determine the correct level of abstraction and the proper methodology for cost accounting. These things are not the same for everyone, but they are likely to be consistent across a broad majority of the members of a particular generation. Of special significance here is the vague value
62 | WaupacaChain.info
different generations place on the “psychic” or emotional benefits imputed to real estate. Baby Boomers, for example, placed a high value on living in the suburbs. Post-Boomers so far seem much more inclined to reside in cities. If this holds, economists foresee a collapse in the price of McMansions as their owners get wheeled off into Nursing Homes. But regarding lake properties, this is more than just a matter of taste. The hard numbers also differ between generations, in two important ways: First, it is no longer rational to factor in (explicitly or implicitly) an increase in property value attributable simply to the passage of time. Second, the holding cost for an expensive lake home is much greater than for a modestly-priced summer cottage. Accounting methodology reduces the analysis to “cost-perunit” equivalency. In this case, the “unit” is one day (and night) of recreation. In the case of a vacation home lake property, the process involves adding up all of the expenses associated with ownership and maintenance and dividing the total by the number of days that the property is used. (Note: A more complete accounting would produce a cost-per-person-perday value using the number of overnight guests occupying the premises each day as the divisor.) Admittedly, few lake property owners have ever taken the time to carefully perform such a calculation, much less compare the result objectively to a specific alternative like booking an equivalent number of rooms at a resort that offers comparable amenities. But normal people (i.e. noneconomists) routinely perform similar approximate calculations in their heads, using rough estimates instead of precise values. That’s how we decide whether to go shopping for a Chevy or a BMW.
Because of the Win-Win Myth, most Baby Boomers avoided this analysis, even in rough approximation. Their calculation was simple: Whatever the annual holding costs may be, the annual appreciation on my lake property will be greater. Thus, as long as I can afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs (even if that requires a second-mortgage on my primary residence) all of the pleasures of having a vacation home at the lake are essentially free. Post-Boomers Rule Baby Boomers have always seemed to feel that everyone else thinks like them, or at least should think like them. And so far, at least, the lake property phenomenon has been all about the Boomers. It started because the Boomers’ parents had a vision of an idyllic family life where the kids had a big suburban backyard to play in during the school year, and a lake cottage to enjoy during summer vacation. Then the young Boomers applied their signature move – bigger and better; and the old Boomers’ approach so far has been more of the same. But is this much “bigger” really better? As is clearly visible around Waupaca’s Chain O’Lakes, the Boomers have squeezed out rental cottages and seasonal cabins in favor of large lake homes that are costly to buy and expensive to own and maintain. Annual property tax bills in excess of $10,000 are now common around the Chain, and the cost of money at 5% per year on a $500,000 property is $25,000 (regardless of whether it is an outof-pocket expense or the income lost from alternative investments foregone). Assuming a Millennial inherits such a place, but lives out of state and only can make it back to the Lake 10-days out of the year, those two expenses alone (without considering the considerable annual
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maintenance, insurance, and utility expenses associated with lake property) translate into a cost per day of $3,500. That’s $7,000 for a weekend (not counting the family’s travel expenses). Post-Boomers have lots of recreational options, and enjoy the freedom to travel to enchanting vacation spots all around the world. For $7,000 a family can spend a week in Hawaii or the Caribbean or Europe. For $35,000 they can . . . The new economics of lake ownership won’t kick in magically on January 1, 2020. The transition has already started, and will go on for decades. There’s a certain amount of market inertia that’s difficult to predict, and many Boomers are living to ripe old ages. The intergenerational wealth transfer from Baby Boomers to their babies is estimated to exceed $30 Trillion. It’s always difficult to predict what people will do with a windfall – especially a windfall so large. It’s possible that post-Boomers (at least those with parents who owned lake property) will buy into the Win-Win Myth because they learned it from Mom and Dad. Still, if they get into an economic pinch, will they feel the emotional attachment to hold onto the lake house until they’re totally out of options? And if they do want to sell, who’s going to be ready, willing and able to buy?
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Owner and designer Mark Rolfs has been in the stone cutting and landscaping business in central Wisconsin for over 30 years. Rolfs creates fireplaces, chimneys, patios, walkways, walls, and home accents that feature natural aged brick and stone for the discriminating home owner. Rolfs supplies cobblestone and hand-cut field stone for the look and quality that sets you apart from the rest. • Custom color matching for building additions and repairs. • Hand selected cobblestone and split fieldstone. • Custom cut jams, keystones and corners. N658 Cty E, Waupaca, WI (shop) 715-256-0460 or (cell) 715-281-0038
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INTERVIEW l Ron Arthur
You recently wrote a book about the history of the Chain O’Lakes. How did that come about?
passing through, but we’d never explain how come they were called that. For example, we’d get to Limekiln Lake, point and say the name, and pretty much leave it at that. Presumably it has something to do with a limekiln, right? Well, yes. But it’s unlikely that 1 out of 100 of my passengers had any idea what limekilns looked like or what they were used for. Frankly, neither did I when I started giving tours. Once I found that out, I searched for ruins of an old limekiln along the shores but couldn’t find anything. I finally was able to spot its former location on a map from 1896.
By 2012, I was out of the real estate development business and looking to regroup after the market collapsed in 2008. I took up full-time residence on Long Lake in Waushara County, which is about 10 miles south of the Long Lake on the Chain. I used to own a summer cottage there, so I’ve been familiar with the area for over 40 years. When I heard Clear Water Harbor was looking for a part-time captain to give tours on the Chief Waupaca sternwheeler, it sounded like fun. The book grew out of the script I was given to read over the P.A. system while looping passengers around the lakes north of Indian Crossing.
A fair percentage of Chain property owners know that it’s a substance called marl in the bottom sands that gives these waters their distinctive blue green color. But only a few realize that the chemical composition of marl is simply calcium carbonate – exactly the same as lime. In the 1800s, a company used to dredge the western shallows of Limekiln Lake and dry out the mucky marl using a big wood-fired kiln. The resulting lime powder was an essential ingredient in both concrete and brick-mortar. Some of the pits from the dredging are still visible under water.
How did you go from a script to a book?
To paraphrase the first President Bush: “Read my book. No new nexus.” It takes about 100 pages for me to detail the connections between lake names and Chain history. It’s all
My bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison is in journalism. I wrote for newspapers and magazines before getting into real estate, so I knew how to tell a story. The cruise is only 90 minutes long and the script could just scratch the surface. I went to the Historical Society to dig deeper and one thing led to another. Now I’m not only the author of a book, I’m on the Board at the Historical Society.
Interesting. So what’s the story with George Lake?
What’s the title of the book? A Concise Guide to Historic Sites on Waupaca’s Chain O’Lakes. So, it’s a history book? Not really. It’s certainly not the sort of history book you imagine when you think of a library or classroom. It’s a travel guide to a place of historic significance. It’s mostly sold through local gift shops as a souvenir. It’s under 100 pages and full of old photos and maps. There’s a lot of information in it – including things I’ve never seen published anywhere else – but the style is relaxed and it’s a quick read. Can you give an example of something never published elsewhere? It took me a long time to figure out how Lake George got its name. In fact, the origins of the names for all 21 lakes became the main theme of the book. When I was Captain Ron, we’d tell the passengers the names of the lakes we were 66 | WaupacaChain.info
At a book signing by Main Street Marketplace during last year’s Strawberry Fest.
in my book, for just $15. But I can tell you here that the key to solving the mystery is to recognize that earliest maps referenced it as “Lake George” rather than “George Lake”. I can also tell you that the names Sunset, Rainbow, Nessling and Columbia all have intriguing backstories. Are you writing anything else about Waupaca and/or the Chain O’Lakes these days? The Concise Guide is going to remain in print, but I’ve also streamlined the content and the physical size for a new book. It’s called the Pocket Guide to Historic Sites of Waupaca’s Chain O’Lakes. It literally fits into your pocket. The back cover contains a map from 1911 on which historic sites have been numbered in order. This makes it easy to find the relevant information inside at the same number. There’s also an “EZ-Read” version of the pocket guide aimed towards young people like the campers out on Onaway Island. The idea is that you
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can take the guide out in a boat and use it to learn about the places along the shore. What else are you working on of interest to Chain residents? Besides this magazine? Well, through researching my books I discovered a variety of old maps and other historical images of Chain O’Lakes tourism from Victorian times. Because I’ve kept up to speed on the computer applications involved in modern digital publishing, I was able to put these skills to use in creating artistic prints of these maps and images, suitable for framing. For the past year or so, they’ve been available for sale at major gift shops in the area including Cate & Company, Main Street Marketplace and The Red Mill. Also, last year I did several custom prints for people with cottages around the Chain. Starting with one of the historic maps, I integrated overlays using old photos from the cli-
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ents’ personal family collection. This allowed long-time lake residents with historic cottages to hang a piece of art that embodied both the history of the Chain O’Lakes and their own family history of vacationing at the Chain. I’m interested in experimenting more with this kind of project this summer, with the objective of developing the best way to produce these familyoriented works of art at a reasonable price. If any Chain residents with an album of old photos are interested in working with me on such a project, I hope they’ll contact me through this magazine so we can see if there’s a way to do this that works well for everyone. Are you still conducting tours on the Chief Waupaca? It looks like I’ll be doing a few specialty tours for history buffs where I go deep into the Chain’s past. But I’m no longer doing the narrated public tours or the regular private charters.
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2015 Chain Property Sales Off to a Great Start T en homes on the Chain closed escrow between January 1st and June 12th this year. That’s the exact same number as in the first five months last year. As of June 1st, there were approximately 35 Chain O’Lakes homes on the market. That compares to 54 Chain homes being for sale at the peak of the recession in 2009. There are indications both buyers and sellers are coming to grips with the post-recession market prices of lake homes. A Wing Span condo unit sold in January after having been on the market for several years. A Round Lake property, originally listed for $1.25 Million 2007, sold in March at a discount of about 40%. And a Limekiln Lake house also closed this spring at
about 60% of its 2008 asking price. [See more details in the article in this magazine entitled Half Price Sale.] An owner with a Chain property to sell recently interviewed three local Realtors before selecting Steve Huhta and Re/Max Lyons Real Estate to handle the listing. The deciding factor apparently was the unique and creative marketing plan Steve presented, designed specifically for that property. This new magazine represents just one of the extraordinary ways that Steve connects with waterfront property owners. He also works on the cutting edge of Internet exposure and social media. But its not all about cell phones and computers. Sometimes the process of selling a lake property
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requires years of planning and preparation. Steve’s in it for the long haul, so feel free to contact him for advice and suggestions, even if the sale (or purchase) you’re contemplating is still years away. In the meantime, stay in touch with Chain O’Lakes trends and happenings by following these blogs and websites: www.WaupacaChain.Info for loads of information about happenings.
www.WaupacaWaterFront.com for a complete list of all Chain and other area water skiing lake properties for sale and sold.
www.Facebook.com/Waupaca ChainOLakes for even more Chain news and info.
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Extensive Liquor Selection • Located at 1070 W. Fulton St.
• The Beer Barrel® now stocks an Expansive Selection of Craft Beer and Wine Selections. Ethanol - free Gas • Ice • LP Gas • Diesel • DMV • Bill - Pay Services • ATM • Nightcrawlers • We Carry a full Line of Tobacco products & roll your own tobacco.
Locally Owned & Operated. Paul and his Family Appreciate Your Business! While you are here, enjoy some great food. Dine In or take out. We are home to Jonny Salsa Authentic Mexican Food.
1070 W. Fulton Street. Open 6:30am to 11:00pm Daily. 715.258.6885 July 2015|
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If you don’t know Mike Kirk by name, you probably still recognize him as the guy who often drives his 1926 Model T truck in parades or puts it on display in antique car shows. Or maybe you know him as the man who saved the Waupaca train depot from demolition, then worked tirelessly to restore it to its former glory. He’s been an active member of the Board of Directors at the Waupaca Historical Society for decades, and is a modern day Renaissance Man with seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm. His family cottage is on the north shore of Sunset Lake. In August of 2009, Mike paddled his canoe the entire length of the Chain, some 3 ½ miles, from the cottage all the way down to Marl Lake. He says it took a good hour and a quarter. When he finally made it, he got out to stretch his legs and snapped the idyllic image that graces the cover of our inaugural issue.
Need MoNey? We CaN Help! Whenever you need money for your personal or business needs, stop at Farmers State Bank! Don, Dick, Keith, Jeff, and Al are ready to help with all your loan needs!
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Auto Bank 118 W. Session St. 715-258-1413
King Branch N2701 Cty. Rd. QQ 715-258-1415
Wild Rose Branch 315 Hospital Rd. 920-622-5554
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h T e t W a h u e e o l y h o t e u e s e! M Weekly Specials Monday Night Pizza Buffet The Original - All you can eat pizza buffet. A variety of your favorite Wheelhouse pizza, garlic bread and cheese garlic bread.
Friday Night Fish Special Light and flaky! We don`t deep fry. Come early - quantities limited.
Wednesday Rib Night Slow-smoked, tender and succulent Kansas City style Ribs. Homemade special recipe BBQ sauce cover these perfect ribs. Full and half racks available served with coleslaw and homemade corn bread.
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Malts, Shakes, Cookies and Brownies. Featuring Cedar Crest Ice Cream. Regular and “Scratch” waffle cones. Games room for the kids. Fresh baked specials. We’re located just across The Wheelhouse parking lot.
Summer grilling and live music events all summer!
Sunday Prime Rib Specials Prime Rib Dinner or Prime Rib Sandwich. Served until they are gone. Each available with sauteed mushrooms, or onions or both!
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