Last issue’s feature on Black Lake was very popular and resulted in additional memories to share.

Jackie Williamson: When the family first started going to Black Lake, they camped out in tents on the bank at Sandy Point. Evidently there was not always sufficient room in the tent for all to sleep because some of the children slept outside. Jackie remembers the occasional rain storm at night resulting in a rude awakening of rain in their faces, followed by a mad dash to the car with their bedding – but it was fun anyway! As mentioned in the prior newsletter, while the adults were out fishing, the older children were left in charge of the younger children and also in charge of keeping the hogs from eating the food off of the picnic tables. Hogs were allowed to run wild at the lake and would come up for what food and scraps that they could get. They were always present at the fish cleaning facilities—anxiously awaiting the fish scraps. Jessie adds that there was a hog that was supposedly tamed as a pet. However, on one fish cleaning occasion Donny (Donald Hilburn) tried to feed the “pet”, it unceremoniously bit him on the thigh, and immediately lost pet status.

Janice Hilburn Patterson: When I was a teenager, Mom and I went to the lake some in the summer. Mom cooked my breakfast at 3 or 4 AM so I could fish early. I borrowed a boat and motor probably from Uncle Olon and Aunt Ruth (Editor: Olon and Ruth Manning). I had to carry my bait, fishing pole, paddles, fish stringer, etc., down to the canal where they left the boats parked. I think the motor was a 3½ hp Sea King or Sea Horse. I had to manually start the motor as there was no electric start. Also, there was no recoil starter, so first I had to wind the pull starter rope around the motor’s flywheel, set the choke and throttle, then pull as hard as I could! Naturally the motor would not always start on the first attempt, and so for each subsequent attempt, I had to rewind the rope, repeating the process. I was not strong enough to start the motor sitting down, so I had to stand, straddle the boat’s rear seat, and pull as hard as I could on the starter rope. When the motor started, it was always excitement because it started in gear and took off whichever direction the motor was steering the boat, frequently towards the canal bank! So I had to quickly flop down and steer it quickly or climb the canal bank, then proceed on out to the channel to try to catch some fish. My left arm with paddle was my “trolling motor,” maneuvering the boat while holding and positioning the fishing pole with my right hand and arm. The fish I caught were mostly White Perch or Crappie, as some folks know them. The largest fish I caught there was a 2¾ lb bass near Sandy Point. Mom always fixed fish and fried potatoes after I cleaned the fish. Those were fun times!

When we were younger, sometimes Mom and Dad left us at the cabin when they fished. I recall once when we were waiting for their return outside the cabin. We thought we had heard a rattlesnake in the cabin so we wouldn’t stay inside. They found out it was a cicada that was beating his wings on the screened porch. But to us it sounded like a snake and we were terrified!

After the morning fishing, cleaning the fish and noon meal were completed, a short wait was endured until we could go to Sandy Point for swimming. We really enjoyed the swimming as it helped beat the summer heat! The strongest appetites could be worked up during a swim!

Cherrise Ward Thomas: My memories of Black Lake are very fond. One of my favorite things was “helping” Aunt Ruth make peanut brittle and grandmother, May Ward, make jelly. I helped at times with my grandfather’s garden and with the chickens. Saturday evenings was a time to make the punch to be served at Sunday School. I loved to walk down the road that ended at Aunt Ruth and Uncle Olon’s house and enjoy the trees, birds and cows feeding. I still get chills remembering going to the old house (I don’t remember who had lived there) with Clint Ward to catch scorpions. He caught one in a mason jar and set it on top of something in the bedroom, off the kitchen, when we got back. It made me nervous to walk by there. During my time at Black Lake some of the camps had transitioned to more than just camps as Aunt Ruth and Uncle Olon and May and Elmer Ward lived there full-time. Uncle Carl and Aunt Ada still used there house as a lake house retreat. There seemed to always be extended family visiting at one or more of the places. We would gather in one of the big rooms and visit for hours. This time seemed to be enjoyed by all.

the days grew warmer and the afternoons became longer. The trees began to bud and the birds sang a cheery song. It was then I realized that soon summer world come along. This was when my life was young, care free and so very much fun. For soon I knew that school would be out, and Louisiana, here I come.

First to the lake, then to Aunt Jess’ and on to Aunt Beek’s, maybe again to the lake, and then maybe, if I were really lucky, around I would go again. But what was the most important was to stay in Louisiana and pretend I was a country girl till summers end.

The experiences would fill a book, what fun we cousins had. The closeness we felt. My, how I remember those fun filled days without a worry or a care. In the fast paced world today I wonder how many cousins, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and even 4^th and 5^th get together and really know each other the way the Cain sisters children , grands and great did? Were we blessed or what?

Remember when the canal was dug at the lake? The big machinery – wow! how big it seemed then. A dragline – what a sight! The private canal! Wow! How special we were. The last time I looked – it seemed to be a ditch! How does our perspective change so much when we grow up?

Then when I was really young. The cabin that belonged to Ruth and Olon with so many beds that lined the walls and filled the floor. No running water, only an outhouse, and Coleman stoves to cook on. The jigsaw puzzles – there was always one in progress and several completed ones glued and hung on the wall. The pallets on the floor and James sleeping in the front porch swing. Wow! What fun – for us kids anyway!

When May and Elmer bought their shack – what excitement there was. For now there were two cabins at the lake. At May’s cabin we played Rook and dominoes until late at night by the light of a single naked bulb hanging from the ceiling. The daylight hours were filled with swimming at Sandy Point and then at the platform behind Ruth & Olon’s new cabin, walks through the woods, and trips in the afternoon to Chandler’s and Black lake Lodge for a drink of soda pop.

And then when Mom & Pop (May & Elmer) built the new cabin – my, we were really in high cotton then! Linda and I got the pallet on the floor one way below freezing night; thankfully an electric blanket was to be had. With Aunt Jess sleeping lightly in the next bed the smell of smoke awakened her sensitive nose. When up she sat and saw the smoke we soon discovered we would have soon been most toasty -my pajamas were smoldering (with holes no less), because in an effort to keep warm I had rolled up in the electric blanket. No visitor was ever with out an experience and tale to be told from just a short visit to the lake.

Almost everyone who made the treks to Black Lake surely remembers when the Red River would rise so high and sometimes flood. But one memory is indelibly stamped into my mind. Seems it was very early one spring, but nevertheless, it had been rain, rain and more rain. The river was flooding and sections of the road between were eroding. Our family was forced to go another route, but over the Red River we would still pass. When we approached there were both officers and men in Army uniforms. The Red River was very near the level of the bridge – to me it seemed to be licking the bridge itself – and after debating what we should do - we crossed over. This was the last time we crossed on that bridge, for that day or the next it was closed and then it was washed away.