Note
This information was OCR text scanned from SDHS newsletter supplements. Binders of original paper copies are in the SDHC reference library.Note
A Green Beret's Duffle Bag Memories of Saugatuck, Michigan:
A Wonderful Town to Grow Up In or Around
By Fred Jones
1950's
We used to load up the 1953 Studebaker Champion in Kalamazoo about every other Saturday during summer months and head for the Oval Beach. We usually parked upon arrival way down on the left side of the entrance kiosk. Most of that area is now gone due to erosion. I would always run top speed to Lake Michigan's water as if my short child's legs couldn't get me to greet an old friend quickly enough. After splashing in the water for a few moments my two younger sisters and I would search for the "best" location to lay our family blanket. To this day I'm still surprised there is any sand left on the Oval beach because it seemed like we brought back to Kalamazoo about 10 pounds of sand each in our toys, bathing suits, towels, coolers, etc.
My father and I were born in San Francisco and Carmel, California, respectively, and we heartily enjoyed ocean and lake front environments all our lives. Saugatuck was a terrific replacement for California. Later as an adult I had an even greater appreciation.
Around 1956-1959 my father, Art Jones, started to participate in Kalamazoo Sports Car Club functions after purchasing a 1958 Porsche Carrera Speedster. when the event for the weekend was a road course rally many, many times, due to my father's influence in the club, we would end up at the Old Crow for dinner and super socializing with locals and out of towners on their boats, and on foot,. who were curious about the sports cars (50 to 100) at each event. I even got on many of those fancy boats. Yacht owners would come to take a gander at the neat little sports cars parked in front of the Old Crow. I recall one gentlemen told me that B.O.A.T. was an anagram for "Bring Out Another Thousand [dollars]" either to fix, repair, supply or replace his boat or some portion of it.
1960's
I would always go to Saugatuck every weekend, spring to fall color season. One 4th of July weekend right in front of the Old Crow thousands and thousands of kids had gathered to celebrate. A friend of mine had a motorcycle like mine and said to me, "I'll give you $100 if you can do a wheelie down this street here in front of the Old Crow." Luckily I'd already done this hundreds of times on my motorcycle, but never got paid for it. On July 4, 1965, I had $100 extra to spend in Saugatuck - which I happily did.
Robert Taft and I were very good friends during the 60s and 70s. His mother even liked me! On my 21st birthday, March 2, 1968, -I purchased an incredible brass bed for $55 at his store in Saugatuck. I put the bed, rails and all, in my 1964 Corvair Monza sideways with all of the windows down and drove back to Kalamazoo in a snow blizzard. I've turned down $2,500 for that bed, and still use it today. I, to this day, feel through all the friends and acquaintances I made in the last 58 years that Saugatuck Michigan, is part of my spirit and soul and I am eternally grateful for all I experienced there and take with me every day.
