Name/Title
Gamble-Saugatuck ConnectionEntry/Object ID
2025.01.28Scope and Content
Three page, typewritten essay written by Katharine (House) Allen in 1992 that recounts the Gamble family's connections to the Saugatuck area.
Country Life in America, July 1909 article mentioned in the text:
CAMPING ON THE EAST SHORE, LAKE MICHIGAN THE CAMPING EXPERIENCES OF A FAMILY OF NATURE LOVERS-HOW THEY WENT ABOUT MAKING THEIR HERBARIUM, MOUNTING BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS, ETC.
By CLARA D. [Daisy] GAMBLE Photographs by HERMANN C. SIMONSON
Two pages plus a short article about cooking.Context
OCR scan of the text:
THE GAMBLE-SAUGATUCK CONNECTION
The summer of 1901 was the first one the Gamble family spent in Saugatuck. It came about as a result of William's friendship with Dr. George Gray, a Methodist pastor, who operated a settlement house in Chicago not far from Jane Addams’ Hull House. In 1896 Dr. Gray established the Forward Movement Association for the purpose of providing summer camping experiences for the poor people who visited his settlement house. The Association received support from Chicago businessmen who contributed money for the purchase of property for a campsite. The Association was looking at property along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and it was largely through the efforts of Edwin House that the Saugatuck location was selected. Edwin House had grown up on a fruit farm at Saugatuck and would be returning to operate it himself. But at this time he was in Oak Park, Illinois as a student. To supplement his income, he set himself up as a real estate broker of resort property in Michigan. In addition to earning money, he was interested in helping his home town in encouraging settlement there. In a letter to his mother with regard to The Forward Movement Association, he wrote, "This group is backed by the best people of Chicago," and then he added, "they are to form a kind of Chautauqua for the poor class of the city." In order to try to fulfill this optimistic vision of a chautauqua for the poor, Dr. Gray felt it was necessary that there be some people there, also, who had been privileged to have had more cultural opportunities and thus could serve as a kind of stimulus. That was the thought in mind when he conferred with his friend, Dr. William Gamble, and asked him if he would consider having his family spend the coming summer at the camp. Of course, Dr. Gamble would need to attend to his medical practice during the week, but he could join his family on weekends.
So William invited his wife to take a walk with him one evening. He often chose this means of sharing what was on his mind with his wife. Daisy sensed that he had something special to tell her, and quickly went along. But she was completely surprised by the momentous proposal her husband had for her. And even after she had heard about it, she could have no idea how much it would affect the lives of the whole family. Daisy was sympathetic with Dr. Gray's desire to provide broadening experiences for the poor people. She was also attracted by the thought of getting out of the city and spending a summer in a woodland and dune setting along the shore of Lake Michigan. So she agreed at least to go and look at the area with William the next weekend. They went on a night boat and were met at the landing by Dr. Gray. They were both enthralled by the world into which they stepped. It did not take long for them to agree to participate in Dr. Gray’s plan, at least for one summer.
The Gambles set up tents at the Forward Movement Park, shared the evening meal with the other campers, and generally associated with the city poor who also came mostly in families. They did not devote their entire day to this mingling, however. They took advantage of the location to provide an outdoor education for the children - for the whole family, in fact. The children that first year consisted of: Celia, 10; Raleigh, 8; Dick, 6; and Josephine, 3. They found that first summer so satisfying that they returned to the camp for several years, even the summer of 1904, when Elizabeth was born.
During the first few years, when the children were all young, they didn’t venture far from the campground. They would hike in the woods and along the lake, and make visits to the village across the river. As the children grew older, they would take longer hikes up the river and would take a row boat down the river to Lake Michigan and back. In calm weather, they would even row their boat along the edge of the lake to a point even with their campsite. Eventually, especially when William was there on weekends, they would take long boat rides up the river above Lake Kalamazoo, always on the lookout for new and different birds and plants. For the habitat above Lake Kalamazoo is different from what they found along Lake Michigan with its beach grass and scrubby jack pines. As they traveled up the river they came to a marshy region of cattails and wild rice where they could spot different kinds of water fowl. Still farther upstream, they entered a mixed forest region of pine and hardwood.
The Gambles' open air experiences were unique, with all aspects well planned and projects assigned to each child according to his ability. The program was carried out mostly under the leadership of Daisy, joined by the enthusiastic coaching and assistance of William on weekends. Daisy submitted an article to the magazine, FrankWilson-1908.jpg 147KB
which was published in 1909. In it she described exactly how their tents were made and erected and provided some other useful tips for campers. They continued to associate with other residents of the camp each summer and to attend programs and lectures, in many cases as inspiring as nature, itself.
By 1908, the family began to think in terms of a more permanent summer home. The parents felt that some of the children were outgrowing camp life and needed a place where they could entertain their friends. They liked some property that was for sale on the village side of the river on a ridge overlooking the river and close enough to the mouth so they could see Lake Michigan and the blinking of the lighthouse at the end of the pier. They purchased this property from Edwin House, the same man who had brokered the sale of property for the Forward Movement Association and they had a cottage built there in 1909.
Home ownership brought many changes to their lives including many new responsibilities for all members of the family. This did not entirely exclude their habit of taking hikes and boat rides and thoroughly exploring the region, however. They had a motor boat, called the "Uncle Dan," which was needed for errands in the village. But it could also be used to go up and down the river. They would often land the boat where they could hike in the woods or explore the marshy area where the old river channel had been cut off. The meandering river had been causing navigation problems, which the Corps of Engineers remedied by dredging a new straight channel to the lake. This left a marshland, providing a good home for interesting plants and birds. It also left a body of water that eventually became landlocked and which became known as Oxbow Lake. An art school was established along the shore of that lake which is now operated by the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Gambles did entertain friends at the cottage, many of their Chicago friends as well as new ones from the local area. The "Uncle Dan" became vital to their social activities, enabling them to get to the beach and to the village for entertainment. The Big Pavilion, a large dance hall, was built the same year they moved into the cottage.
The children were indeed growing up. The year after they moved to the cottage for their summers, Celia started college at the University of Chicago. Except for Raleigh, who attended the University of Wisconsin for engineering, the others all followed Celia to the University of Chicago. With some exceptions, the family members all continued to gather each summer at the cottage, which was known as "Homewood." After 1919 Celia did not have far to go to join the family in the summertime. She had made Saugatuck her permanent home when she married Edwin House, the real estate broker and fruit farmer. Elizabeth and her husband, Don, eventually inherited the cottage and fixed it up as a comfortable year- around home, which they used for many years.
The camp continues to this day. Now it is owned by the Presbyterian church, which continues to use it as a haven for city residents, and also as a place for church conferences and retreats. The whole establishment is called "Presbyterian Camps" and the part that is used for camping is called "Camp Gray."
The Gamble family campers - the grandparents and parents of ten, the great grandparents and grandparents of thirty - one, and the ancestors of many in the next generation - would be pleased to know of the gatherings of their descendants in Saugatuck, which now might be called a sacred place for all of the Gamble clan.
Katharine House Allen - 1992Collection
Family History, 1897 Forward Movement Park, Gray and Presbyterian Camps -2014, Nature, ecology, the landscapeCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2025.01Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionArchive Details
Creator
Allen, Katharine "Kiff" (House) 1926-2012Date(s) of Creation
1992Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Presbyterian Camp/Camp Gray/Forward Movement Park 1899-2014, Gray, Reverend George W., House, Edwin Harvey 1875-1958, Gamble, Clara Daisy (Bixby) 1866-1930, House, Celia Martin (Gamble) (1890-1976)Create Date
August 3, 2025Update Date
August 4, 2025
