another Belter's Island reminiscence

a vintage ad

From a 2010 interview with Cal LaPorte, conducted by Janelle Kohl:

Cal remembers that Belter's Island was there before 1925. Years later, when Cal turned 21, he was allowed to go there for a beer. Drinking age was 21 back in the 40's.

Belter's Island Resort was neat and clean. It was a local bar and run nicely. Lots of music and dancing. Mrs. Belter had a lot of antiques. She also had a piano that she played.

In order to get there, one would have to get picked up from the mainland and taken over by boat. Whenever you wanted to leave the island you could get a ride back.

Belter's owned the island and Beaumont's were there too. They were related by marriage. [As the previous article indicates, Mrs. Beaumont was the daughter of the Belter's.]

Cal recalls a story about a happening on the island:

There was a bachelor named ----. He always had his car at the main landing to get to the island. In the winter you walked over to the island. A few people each year might take a chance and drive over. ---- was known to drink a lot. One winter he disappeared. Townspeople looked for him all winter and no one could find him anywhere. Come spring, when boats were out and about, he was found in the bottom of Stone Lake at the main landing. Evidently, he took a drive right into the lake and never made his way back out. All on the Stone Lake parking lot to the island.