Our Fire Warden on Oak Point is Jan Price who together with her late husband Harold has held that volunteer position for over 20 years. Jan and Harold first came to Leech Lake on vacation in 1957 when they stayed at the Squaw Point Resort on Steamboat Bay. This resort at the time was run by the Volberdings. This was before the present road system with the looping road circling across the wetlands by the Narrows. Travel between the east and west sides was very difficult. You had to take the old dump road. Many of the early stories of Squaw Point from the old timers are about the travels crossing the streams and bogs on the old muddy roads, getting stuck and being pulled out by a tractor as people traveled to and from the highway.
Jan told me that the first time that Harold, their son Gary and she were on the "big lake" they were trolling big lures, "Double Jointed Pike Minnows" behind their boat. At approximately where the Wades now live, Jan got a hit on her lure and told Harold to stop the boat as she had a big fish on her line. Harold took one look and told her that she was struck on some rocks and he just kept on going. Jan kept holding onto the rod and kept cranking on the reel and yelling at Harold. Finely Harold realized that Jan had a big fish on, he stopped, and Jan got the big fish to the side of the boat. A big musky over four foot long. Son Gary tried to net the fish but mistakenly hit it with the net sending the monster back to the bottom of the lake. Jan had to fight the fish again to get the fish back up to the side of the boat. This time however in their efforts to land the big fish, the Musky just looked at them with his black eyes set about 6 inches apart, and spit the lure out of his mouth right back at them. This happened in front of the only house in the area, and older yellow farm type house with a blue roof.
On their return trip to Leech Lake in 1958, Jan was in Gafe's Tackle Shop on Second St. in Cass Lake and was talking to the shop owner about her big fish that got away. She was also telling him about this yellow house with the blue roof and asking who owned it. Well he owned it. The taxes were only $39.00 a year at that time. The property was for sale. Gafe Peterson is Myron Peterson's father and Neil Peterson's grandfather. Jan asked if she and Harold could she take a look at it. Well they had a dickens of a time figuring out how to find it, but eventually they located it. Well they fell in love with it and then figured out how to buy it. Harold and Jan moved up here permanently in October of 1975. Shortly after moving up here they took over the Fire Warden duties. Myron Paterson's widow, Virginia and her son Neil still live in the Oak Point area.
Fire Wardens play a critical role in forest safety in the wooded areas. During the dry burning season Jan issues burning permits from her home on East Oak Point Road. She has a remarkable memory of all the people she has come in contact with. She can remember who owned what and when during her 50 years experience out here on Oak Point. Harold and Jan Price are a big part of our local Oak Point history. I hope to tell more of her stories in the future.
Jan told me that the first time that Harold, their son Gary and she were on the "big lake" they were trolling big lures, "Double Jointed Pike Minnows" behind their boat. At approximately where the Wades now live, Jan got a hit on her lure and told Harold to stop the boat as she had a big fish on her line. Harold took one look and told her that she was struck on some rocks and he just kept on going. Jan kept holding onto the rod and kept cranking on the reel and yelling at Harold. Finely Harold realized that Jan had a big fish on, he stopped, and Jan got the big fish to the side of the boat. A big musky over four foot long. Son Gary tried to net the fish but mistakenly hit it with the net sending the monster back to the bottom of the lake. Jan had to fight the fish again to get the fish back up to the side of the boat. This time however in their efforts to land the big fish, the Musky just looked at them with his black eyes set about 6 inches apart, and spit the lure out of his mouth right back at them. This happened in front of the only house in the area, and older yellow farm type house with a blue roof.
On their return trip to Leech Lake in 1958, Jan was in Gafe's Tackle Shop on Second St. in Cass Lake and was talking to the shop owner about her big fish that got away. She was also telling him about this yellow house with the blue roof and asking who owned it. Well he owned it. The taxes were only $39.00 a year at that time. The property was for sale. Gafe Peterson is Myron Peterson's father and Neil Peterson's grandfather. Jan asked if she and Harold could she take a look at it. Well they had a dickens of a time figuring out how to find it, but eventually they located it. Well they fell in love with it and then figured out how to buy it. Harold and Jan moved up here permanently in October of 1975. Shortly after moving up here they took over the Fire Warden duties. Myron Paterson's widow, Virginia and her son Neil still live in the Oak Point area.
Fire Wardens play a critical role in forest safety in the wooded areas. During the dry burning season Jan issues burning permits from her home on East Oak Point Road. She has a remarkable memory of all the people she has come in contact with. She can remember who owned what and when during her 50 years experience out here on Oak Point. Harold and Jan Price are a big part of our local Oak Point history. I hope to tell more of her stories in the future.
EelPount Festival
In two weeks, February 19-21, 2010 Leech Lake will be hosting their 31st Eelpount Festival. If you have never experienced this wild festival before, by all means come and celebrate winter with the people from Walker. Bring warm clothing.
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