New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1921-09-14
Alonel Camp for Tourists at
6otbenburg, Rfb,, IS popular

- 0LLu.t W ft>N>
/ A"As soon as the table was finished,
the Camp Fire Girls issued invitations
to the girls and boys Of g othenburg to
be present with hoes and grubbing
tools at clearing party" Twenty
girls and boys worked with might and
main and by the time the supper,
which had been cooking over a big fire,
was laid on the new table, the brush
and the cactus and the logs had dis
appeared, and around the girl-made
table that night, new comrad eship
and good fellowship had grown up
among the youth Of the small Nebraska
town. 1t is not surprising, then, when
the drive for funds began early in
June, that there was real enthusiasm
everywhere. A company was formed
and shares sold for five dollars share.
In three days, enough money was in
the treasury to begin putting in i'm
provements A seventy-fve foot
hydraulic we'll was driven and the
water from it has reputation for miles
around.
The next thing was building the
fire place. For weeks, at any hour Of
the day, you could see children of all
sizes going toward the park with their
tools and lunch baskets. They were
doing the work themselves, building
the big fire place with it's chimney and
hanging crane, making the benches,
the foot bridges and the pier. Often
it was not only the children but the
fathers and mothers as we'll who would
go to the park for the day, and each
member of the family would do some
work of which there was plenty for all
willing hands.
.'But mere benchesan tables and a
fire place were not enough, the girls
and boys undertook something bigger.
There must be shelter, for rains al
ways delight in falling on picnickers
and campers and in Nebraska, the
winds get very obstreperous. So the
girls and boys began digging, and they
did not stop until they had hole 18x
rs feet which they cemented them
selves, for the cellar of the lodge or
shelter they were to build. But by
this time, their funds were low; they
saw that an empty house would not
be a hospitable object even in storm.
They abandoned building any more of
the house that first summer than roof
over the basement. The result, when
tai les and benches and cupboards and
fire place had been built in, was a
charming structure which the girls
called the WigWam. Gifts of a range
and few articles of furniture, a rug
and some dishes and table silver, made
the Wigwam ready to welcome tourists
and townspeople.
"But still the girls and boys had more
ideas for their ark,-swings and a
sand pile were added for the children
an eagles nest, which is platform
built high in a tree commanding a view
of the surrounding country, more
tables and chairs for the picnickers,
were built and shrubs and young trees
were put out in bare places. An old
man, respected citizen of Gothen-
burg, was then engaged to act as
Waterman and guide. This man
knows very much about the birds and
trees and flowers, and it is planned for
him to conduct little nature study
excursions about the park.
so Lafayette Park is waiting to
welcome as guests whoever passes that
way. The lodge and large army tent
are always ready to open their doors
with real western hospitality to the
tourist who wants shelter. That the
park is popular is proven by the follow
ing statistics. During the first sum
mer, while the building and clearing
was still going on, 600 children played
in the park and $50 tourists spent one
or two nights there. During the
second summer, the Camp Fire Girls
alone ate $50 meals in The park and
I1,10O tourists from 81 States, Mexico,
and Alaska, registered for one or more
nights. Every church in Gothenburg
holds an all day service on Sunday in
the grounds and people from the near
by towns (short distances in Nebraska
are at least 100 miles) are constantly
picnicking there. The following letter,
written by an ex-senator of the United
States, is an example of the letters of
appreciation which are constantly
coming to the Camp Fire Girls:
To the Gothenburg Times.
Gentlemen:
May i have a small space In your
paper to express an appreciati ton to the
men and women who have so literally
exerted themselves to provide such a
retreat found in the Camp Fire Girls
Lafayette Park. have been in many
towns much larger than Gothenburg,
but few have such camping accommo-