New Year’s greetings from your Waunita Family!!
Junelle, (Mimi) 89 this past November, has enjoyed many visitors in her home this year from past guests, family and prior staff. She is “still” working on the history of Waunita and the story of their adventure that began at Waunita in 1962. Soon we hope to have a finalized copy. Our good friend, Paula Harmon, is helping with this project. THANK YOU PAULA!!
Ryan and Tammy, (Pappy and Toodie) continue to run the ranch…or it runs them rather. They haven’t received any promotions. Ryan still cleans the pool, mops the dining room and does the dishes. Tammy still cleans toilets and does the laundry. It’s all very glamorous. Actually, it’s a great life. They have all their family with them, all healthy and a such a blessing.Randi, Josh, Brinley (5) and Oakley (2) live at the ranch. Randi is Tammy’s right hand gal and friend. Josh keeps his hands in many things. Some ranch work, leather, guiding and cattle work here and there. Brinley goes to school twice a week and loves it. Her favorite thing is to play with her cousins, ride horses and sing. She takes piano lessons which she is loving. Oakley is very opinionated, cute as a bug, super funny and very cuddly.
Kolby, Courtney, Kylie (8), Kade (6) and Corb (5) are living with Pappy and Toodie due to Double Heart (the ranch across the road) selling. Thankful for plenty of room. Kolby and Courtney help around the ranch and find themselves doing odd jobs around the area. Kylie is in 2nd grade. She would like to be a barrel racer and vet when she grows up. Kade is in kindergarten. He kind of likes school, but would rather stay at home and play. Corb is finding out who he is without Kylie and Kade around. We thought he would enjoy being by himself, but he informed us one day… ”I do not like being alone, I don’t want to be alone at Toodies house, I do not want to be alone at the lodge, I do not want to be alone!” What a treasure to have these little ones so close and to see their personalities develop.
Dani is living at Waunita too! She has been working as a waitress for years and just this August, 3 days before school started, she was asked to apply for the counseling position at the Gunnison Elementary School. She did get her degree in Psychology, so this is a great opportunity for her and a way to impact these little ones lives. She was interviewed Monday, offered the job that afternoon and began work Thursday. She also coached 7th grade volleyball during the month of September, which was a challenge, as well as a lot of fun.Our hope and prayer to you and yours is that all are healthy and can look back on your year with more good memories than hardships. Our theme verse for the year has been Proverbs 3:5-6. Be encouraged with these words…”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
Now you see it… now you don’t… and now it’s finished!
September 2021, we began locker room construction for pool facilities. A long needed project. I have to say the old locker rooms had a lot of “character” and for a guy that would admit didn’t have any handyman in his genes-built a structure that worked for at least 50 years!! That’s impressive. Way to go Rod (Pop). Keith Wallin and his construction crew built this new facility in between completing all of their other construction projects and they did a top notch job. The plan is to build up the hot springs operation and the first order of business was to build the new locker rooms, next was to put in a new tub. A swim spa with all the bells and whistles was installed in August 2023.
Ryan and Josh were able to finish upgrades to the stall areas at the barn in time for the Mule Riders visit. Waunita hosted the Mule Riders Association this past September for the 5th time. What a great group. So fortunate to be able to take them on rides, feed them and provide game day. Everyone stayed on their mules this time, no crazy injuries. Wes Pringle happened to be here during their stay and he actually played the bagpipes for a special service they have to remember all those that have passed. The Pringle band put together some entertainment for the group as well. Been several years since that had happened.
Tammy’s Reflections
The Saga Continues…
It’s been a bit since the last newsletter and for some reason I have been prompted to get one out for 2023. I am sure you all have been holding your breath waiting for more of As the Springs Turn….Last we spoke, we were ending a glorious and colorful era with the passing of Dr. Davis on October 31, 1928 just after he had celebrated his 79th birthday. You all remember that don’t you!!!! I know you have saved your last newsletter so get it out and read it and then you’ll be all caught up!! 😉
1928-1961 (Post Dr. Davis) The Stitzers managed Waunita two more seasons following Dr. Davis’s death in late 1928. They first left Waunita to purchase a ranch near Doyleville. This purchase may not have materialized, since in 1930 they moved to Gunnison, taking an option on the LaVeta Hotel. Their attempt to revive this hostelry was met with disappointment. Management of Waunita was then turned over to Mrs. Davis and Theo Oyler of Grand Junction. But the country’s economic instability began to play a role in diminishing business over the next few years.
In 1933, a CCC camp was built about four miles north of Waunita at Bowerman. It employed men from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, as well as some locals. They worked on forest service fences and roads. The camp operated only one summer before it was abandoned and the buildings sold. (What is a CCC camp you ask? I’m glad you did, because I was kind of wondering, something I probably learned at school, but have since forgotten. According to the “Interweb” it stands for Civilian Conservation Corps. Enrollees signed up for six month work periods. They lived in camps run by the military and worked on projects for public land agencies. Learn something new everyday!!).
Late 1933 brought changes to the Davis family and to Waunita, when Caroline married Morris R. Lyles of Chicago. The December ceremony was a double wedding with Anna Jerrell marrying Robert Franklin Alexander. It took place at the family home in Wilmette, Illinois. Following their marriage, Caroline and Morris assumed management of Waunita. The couple managed the resort capably, making some improvements and encouraging local business with swimming, dancing, good meals, rodeos, ball games and even beauty contests.
The Depression, as well as severe drought in the Midwest, affected tourism in the Rockies. Morris sometimes touted the healing qualities of the springs. He and Caroline spent winters in Chicago, leaving caretakers at Waunita. In March 1935, the Atlantic & Pacific Tunnel Company proposed building a seven-mile auto tunnel from Garfield to the Whitepine area. Locals believed it was a scheme to divert water to the Arkansas River. The estimated $1 million price tag and a three-year construction time frame worked to squash the project.
In September 1937, HWY 50 was temporarily rerouted via Waunita, while construction of the Sargents to Doyleville section was in progress. This had little effect on the resort business, as the new construction was completed in January 1938. About that time, engineers began to look into routing the main road via Agate Creek, having also previously considered the Marshall pass route. In August 1938, Morris and Caroline leased Waunita to Bob Parlin, a local rancher and timberman, noting that Morris’s business interests in Chicago demanded more and more of his time. Underlying factors may have been the continuing struggle to generate business during the Depression years, as well as the Lyles’ disintegrating marriage.
The Parlin family had been living at Waunita year round for the past four years. With Parlin’s tenure at Waunita came a philosophical change. For the first time since Dr. Davis acquired a majority interest in the late 1800’s, beer was available at the resort. Rather than advertising Waunita’s health benefits, Parlin emphasized “good times,” with dances being the principal entertainment. He also featured baseball games and later horseback riding and hunting. For a time, Parlin’s son-in-law, Frank Stephenson, managed the dance hall.
The World WarII years brought on more hard times at the resort. Dances were discontinued, but logging activity increased. Since manpower for this industry was scarce, Waunita was once considered for use as a POW camp, so that prisoners could help with the labor shortage. It was also considered as a recuperation hospital for war veterans. Neither plan worked out. In 1946, the James Partch family leased Waunita for five years, with an option to purchase the resort. They acted in conjunction with the 100-member First Baptist Church of Gunnison. Plans were to use the 960 acres, 14 cabins, hotel, annex (old hospital building), club house and swimming pool as a Bible recreation camp. Substantial improvements to the buildings and pool were planned. The group enjoyed a successful summer season. However, changes in the Davis family doomed their plans. (So much doom and gloom…yikes.)
There’s more. Until next time!