The Defenders of Crooked Lake recently issued a request to the Crooked Lake community to share their remembrances of years past. The following letter was shared by Jeanette Belisle about her time in Blackwell Villas in Babson Park.
60 years ago, my brother-in-law rented a duplex in Blackwell Villa. The next year we started renting there for a week in the summer. Within the next few years, our friends, the Roses, Carters and Sanders also came. We rented places in the Crooked Lake Lodge for about 25 years. Cindy King managed the property. We, the Belisles, bought a duplex in 1998, rebuilt it, sold it 2 years later to the Roses and bought the lodge, two story, and caretaker’s cottage.
We rebuilt the lodge, sold two story to Carter’s and caretakers to Ted Burban.
Over the years, many people have stopped and asked if we will rent. We haven’t. They also had stayed there when it was weekly rentals.
If walls could only talk! Sometimes I think they are wanting to. Lodge was built like a fort with cement filled blocks and lots of wood floors and ceilings. It has withstood many hurricanes.
Mel Belisle taught many of our children in the group to ski. They are now in their 50s. He has now passed away along with Ross Carter and Wiley Sanders.
We have enjoyed having Association meetings and yearly fish fries furnished by Ron and Janice Matthews on our front porches.
The Crooked Lake Lodge was used by the railroad managers. Timber was moved across the lake to be put on the trains.
