Frank Lamb on

Oral History

Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society

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Name/Title

Frank Lamb on

Entry/Object ID

2024.41.184

Scope and Content

FRANK LAMB--Oral History Narrative Frank is easy to locate. Since retiring in 2007, his tall ramrod slender frame and long-legged stride set him apart on Saugatuck-Douglas area streets or beach dune trails as he hikes jogs or bikes on his daily physical conditioning regime. His love and knowledge of the local dune lands runs as deep as his need for physical activity and both stimulate his travel adventures to more remote places of natural beauty. The thoughtfully designed home that he shares with his wife Joan and four or five cats is filled with pictures of nature, maps and travel books. While generally quiet and conservative in his demeanor, Frank’s passions run deep in the defense of friends, family, and the natural environment. In 1940 Frank was born in Community Hospital (now the Kirby House on Center Street) and remained the only child in his family. His parents, Leonard and Emily (Urban) Lamb, settled in the area after marrying. His father grew up and went to school in the Glen area, attended the University of Michigan and subsequently worked in real estate. Leonard passed at age 53 when Frank was 12. As a hunter and avid outdoorsman, he left Frank with a love of nature. His mother had previously created the Hollyhock Restaurant serving breakfast and lunch in a building that has since been incorporated into the south end of Marro’s Italian Restaurant on Water Street. Emily, in addition to being a successful businesswoman, was also an artist known for her block prints. The Restaurant building was also Frank’s home until he left for college and the Service. He remembers Saugatuck winters when he and a few neighbors had the unlit downtown town to themselves. Saugatuck Elementary and High School was the focal point for Frank’s intellectual foundation and social activity, spending 12-13 years with the same small group of students. He’s able to identify the whereabouts of many of his classmates, especially those who remained in the area. He recalls the Saugatuck Elementary School burning in 1950 when the surviving gym and local homes had to be used for temporary classrooms. Summers at Oval Beach with friends, and Saugatuck downtown hangouts are among his favorite memories. Mostly, in an age without digital distractions, Frank played outdoors year-round. Tobogganing and skiing on huge wooden skis that strapped to your regular shoes occurred near the second hole at West Shore Golf Course, much as it still does. Art and Nancy Francis (owners of Francis Foods on Butler Street) and their three sons, Guy Rex and Mark, lived just north of the golf course and provided a respite from the slopes. When not playing in the dunes or basketball court, Frank could be found at the Soda Lounge. He recalls how Mike and Vera Kenny and Ruth Wright created this store that served as an informal “youth center” on Butler just south of Kilwin’s ice cream parlor. At Christmas time the owners would throw a party with free food and drinks for area young people. Frank’s favorite teachers during his elementary school years were Mrs. Knox, Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Waugh and Mrs. Loretta Biller. He recalled how Mrs. Biller would bring cultural artifacts from Grand Rapids museums to her geography classes, and how she would manage misbehavior with firm grip on the offender’s scruff of the neck. Being tall and disciplined, Frank played three years of varsity high school basketball during several successful team seasons. He was also a member of the Student Council. In his late teens, Frank spent a summer rowing the ferry that replaced the actual chain ferry from 1950-67, sharing the job with John Sanford who was then a summer visitor. He also worked as a night clerk at Coral Gables. In 1958 Frank began classes at Michigan State University. Not having a clear direction his majors went from education to landscape architecture to hotel administration before he dropped out for a breather. With the Viet Nam war period draft, Frank entered the Army and did his basic training at Fort Knox and was subsequently sent to Bangkok, Thailand to serve for 14 months as an intelligence specialist. This total of a three years respite and broader life experience helped him recognize his innate skills which he then put to use to complete his degree in General Accounting at MSU. While finishing up at college Frank began a part-time job with Lloyd J. Harriss Inc., the frozen pie manufacturer in Saugatuck, a very short distance from his home. When he graduated from MSU in 1967 he stayed on at Harriss full-time until 1983, remaining through the years the company changed hands rising through the ranks to become a Senior Vice President. He tells how Mr. Harriss, who began the business as a small enterprise with his wife, refused to visit the factory again after the teamster union was voted in by his employees, whose needs he felt he had been sensitively meeting. Frank finished up his career at J.B. Laboratories, Inc. in Holland where he served as the President until 2007 when he fully retired. J.B Laboratories is a contract pharmaceuticals manufacturer founded in 1978. Since retirement Frank devotes his time to remaining physically active with running, hiking, biking and skiing. Traveling to places of natural beauty in the US and abroad and serving as a volunteer reading mentor for local primary grade children also fills his time. There are numerous Lamb relatives living in the area including the children of Frank’s uncle L. W. Lamb who built the current Saugatuck-Douglas Bridge in 1936. Frank has two daughters, Laura and Paige, who graduated with both athletic and student leadership accomplishments from Saugatuck High School. He has six young grandchildren.

Collection

Industry and manufacturing

Cataloged By

Winthers, Sally

Acquisition

Accession

2024.41

Acquisition Method

Found in Collection

Credit Line

To view this recording, scroll down to the bottom of this entry and click the blue web link. This video was created by Saugatuck-Douglas History Center volunteers or was donated to the Center in a good faith effort to preserve local history. If you feel this content should not be available to the public — or have additional information that will add context to this interview — please contact the SDHC Archives at [email protected].

Location

Oral History DVD/CDs

AWS/VidArch SSD/DVD originals

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Lamb, Frank Ensfield 1940-, Lloyd J. Harriss Pie Company/Rich Pie Company c1951-1998

General Notes

Note

Cynthia Sorensen on the Frank Lamb History By Cynthia Sorensen (Cynthia Sorensen, Frank Lamb’s cousin, adds the following to the Frank Lamb History.) Franklin Ensfield Lamb Frank’s mother, Emily, was born in Traverse City, MI. She graduated from Traverse City Central High School and had played basketball on the Traverse City H.S. team that won a state title. After graduation she worked in the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce. Emily decided to move to southern Michigan, perhaps to South Haven where a niece was teaching school. When the Greyhound bus stopped in Saugatuck, she liked the looks of the town and decided to stay, as it turns out, the rest of her life. At this time, the Butler Hotel was open all year and rented rooms to people who worked in town. Emily lived there, becoming good friends of the owners, the Redebaughs. She worked in Edson Crow’s restaurant, The Green Candle, located north of the Sand Bar. At the same time she worked for Mrs. Damouth across the street where the Art Glass Alcove is now located. Soon she opened a small gift shop on Lake Mactawa around 64th and South Shore Drive. Eventually she took an office job with Lawrence Lamb’s heavy construction company. His company built the present bridge connecting Saugatuck and Douglas in 1936. It was during this time that she met Lawrence Lamb’s brother, Leonard, 1938. Leonard was a local real estate broker and hunting guide. He was a guide for Franklin Leach of Castle Park, who was on the board of Quaker Oats. Frank was named after him. Frank’s middle name, Ensfield, was his father’s mother’s maiden name, a name well known in the Ganges area. Frank’s father, Leonard, was born in Ganges where his family had a farm on old US 31. I believe the buildings are still there. Frank was born in 1940 in the Community Hospital that is now the Kirby House B&B. Leonard and Emily had an apartment on Butler Street above the building where the Sand bar is now located. They soon bought the house on Water Street where Frank grew up. The house is now part of Marro’s restaurant. The original house had an open porch with a large maple tree growing up through the porch floor. In the middle 40’s, Emily worked for her brother-in-law, William Sorensen, who had a sandwich shop on Mason St. It was a one story red brick building in back of Marro’s building. William Sorensen and John Ball were the cooks; Emily was the waitress, Emily’s sister, Anne Sorensen, was the dishwasher and Clarice Ball made the pies. Later in the 40’s Emily decided to open her own restaurant, “The Hollyhock House”. The Balls opened a restaurant on Butler Street and William Sorensen went into the home construction business. The building on Mason Street was sold to Fred and LaVonne Davis. They added a second story and had a restaurant called “Chicken As You Like It”. Emily had her porch remodeled and enclosed to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. She decided breakfasts were too hard at that time and ended up serving dinners. She was the best cook in town and there were lines waiting to get in to eat. She was only open during the summer season: Memorial Day to Labor Day. Her older sister came down from Traverse City to bake the pies, cakes and homemade rolls. Various friends were dishwashers and the waitresses were college girls who had rooms in the house. Local girls who worked in town during the summer also rented rooms in the house. One famous renter was Joe Gerkin the organist from “The Dock” in the Big Pavilion. Leonard Lamb died in 1953 when his son, Frank, was 13. Emily eventually added an addition to the porch which allowed her to be open year around serving breakfast and lunch. She was open when the Big Pavilion across the street burned in May, 1960. It was the noon hour and the restaurant was full. No one wanted to leave. They had a ringside seat to watch the excitement. Eventually everyone left. The firemen did a wonderful job of keeping the hose on the house to keep it from burning. The front plate glass window cracked and the plastic covers on the sugar shakers melted from the heat of the fire. After the fire was out, Emily opened up and served sandwiches and coffee to the firemen. Frank was in college in East Lansing and someone called him to tell him to come home. Friends of his who were in town came over to carry valuables out of the house and into the back yard. John R. Shack (editor) 9-29-08

Create Date

November 9, 2024

Update Date

May 25, 2026