The Pokegama, Our History....

 

The original Pokegama Inn was built in 1907 by a man named Airis, on

Parkins Point, Lake Pokegama.  Pokegama is a Chippewa Indian word

meaning "water at the side of a river," "the river divides" or "water that

turns off to one side."

                

While others may have owned the Inn after Airis, Basil and Belle Banks

bought the Inn in 1922 and owned it for about 50 years.  It was a true

summer resort comprised of a Main Lodge and several small cottages.  The kitchen,

dining room, and large screened porch were in a separate building.  The Inn operated under the American Plan where guests stayed in the cabins, but were called to meals at the main lodge at 8am, noon and 6pm by a large dinner bell located outside the main lodge.  The rates at one point were about $3.50 per day, $18 and $21 per week for room and meals.  The Inn could accommodate 50-60 guests at any one time and had a fleet of 15 wooden row boats. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dining at the Inn....

They would take offsite reservations for people to come out

for a meal, especially Sunday noon chicken dinners or the

Friday Night Fish Fry.  When operating at full capacity outside

dinner guests could put quite a strain on the kitchen crew.  All

dishes, pots and pans were washed by hand.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    

 

"The Canoe"....  The story of the canoe is that it is an authentic Native American canoe

that was found by Burl and his brother Jake (sons of Basil & Belle) stuck in the sand

on a nearby point, early upon their arrival at the Inn.  In early times the Natives would

hide a canoe with supplies and wild rice when they traveled out of the area and upon

their return they would retrieve it for their use.  This may very well have been the reason this canoe survived, since the Knapp, Stout and Co. held the water rights to the Chetek area for their logging operations and the dam they constructed on the lake system to raise the level of the lakes may have hidden the canoe under water upon the Natives return in the spring. 

 

In 1952 Addye and Burl Banks took over the day to day operation of the Inn.  Shortly after they took over the operation, Burl added a large recreation room for games and dancing.  And since most cabins were of simple construction, Burl began to redo the bathrooms, sheet rock the walls and install more modern windows and doors.  In the early days a cabin might not have an inside bathroom, but bathroom and shower facilities were located at the Lodge.

 

The Pokegama Inn employed a full time cook, groundskeeper, maid and at least two wait staff people.  The waitresses were usually local high school girls who would work at the Inn during the summer.  They received some wages, plus room and board and worked for tips.  Guests were quite generous and the girls did make good money, oftentimes returning in the summer during college.  Many guests returned year after year and were treated just like family.  In the early days the mother and children would stay at the Inn for a lengthy stay and the father would be home during the week to work and return to the Pokegama Inn for the weekend or for the last week of the family's stay.  Some would arrive by railroad and Basil would meet the train at the local depot and bring them to the Inn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Our deep gratitude to John Banks, son of Burl & Addye and grandson of Basil & Belle Banks, for his generosity in sharing the history of The Pokegama through words and pictures so that we can all re-live and enjoy it!)