Lake Geneva

My maternal Bigmother, as we knew her, loved to travel. She would take off alone or with a child in tow to travel across the country in order to visit friends or relatives. My mother recently gave me a large envelope full of Bigmother's postcards. This is a postcard folder which she sent, from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to her youngest son in 1952, two years before my birth. Bigmother was middle-aged when she had my Uncle Don. He was the caboose of 6 children, my mother being the 5th and 9 years older than her baby brother.

The postcard describes Lake Geneva as having "charming scenery and excellent facilities for outdoor sports." In addition, there was a "picturesque auto-drive of thirty miles completely encircling the lake." Red Cross life guards patrolled the beaches, making it a safe place for children. There was a library open to summer guests and golfing for dad. One could fish, sail, go motor-boating or hiking as well. The second largest (in 1952) astronomical observatory in America, Yerkes Observatory was located at Williams Bay, Lake Geneva.


There was even a wild-flower and native-tree preserve to be found at Lake Geneva, which I am positive my Bigmother made sure to visit. She was a life-long lover of gardening. When I was a child her backyard was one big winding flowerbed. The only grass was the pathway. She was a long time member of her local gardening club as well as one of its past presidents.

If you care to read more about Lake Geneva, Wisconsin click here.

This post is a combination of Postcard Friendship Friday and Sepia Saturday.
Please visit both sites to read more posts like this one.