51 SUNSET LAKE RD (White Elephant)

Essay by Kay Hoover, Summer 2009

1937 - The White Elephant

Margaret Canty and Mary Canty, (my father's sisters), and my cousin Margaret Regan fell in love with Sunset Lake when they visited relatives at the "Mountain View" cottage (11 Kyes Lane).

Shortly thereafter, they purchased the "White Elephant" cottage from Emil Tonieri. At the time Aunt Margaret purchased the “White Elephant”, there was a large white elephant over the door near the road, and inside Mr. Tonieri had dozens of elephants parading around the border of the living room. They always remained and Aunt Margaret started a collection of many other forms of elephants. The cottage had no electricity at that time but used kerosene lamps to light the little cottage. My mother and father and I were frequent visitors making for quite a full house. My aunts often brought friends to visit during their vacations. Many small improvements were added  - the porch was closed in and an inside bathroom added around 1948.

In 1941 my mother and father decided they would build a place next door. My father started clearing the land and ended up with a horrible case of poison sumac. The December 1941 bombing at Pearl Harbor and the ensuing war put a hold on plans that never came to be.

One year my Aunt Margaret walked with me each day to the Public Beach where I received my first swimming lessons.

Mrs. Wilhelmina Hayes was a great next door neighbor. She gave Aunt Margaret many useful tips on camp living. She also was very kind to let the Eatons and me swim off her dock. The waterfront at the “Elephant” was very rocky. Everyone on the lake hoped and prayed for her son Jack when he was “Missing in Action” during World War II. Eventually he did return safely. On the other side of the White Elephant was the Townsend place. Some relatives of Mr. Townsend by the name of Maguire stayed there for several years. Mrs. Maguire made beautiful braided rugs.

One of my first friends from those early days at the White Elephant was Betty Caldwell (Selling). Her mother had a neat little snack bar at the Greenfield Public Beach. After the 1938 hurricane the Caldwell's rented their cottage, the "Brownie" for a couple of years to the Tomasello family, who had suffered severe hurricane damage to their place on Whittemore Lake. Their sons, Frankie and Bobby, and I became fast friends.  Stuart Draper arrived at the "Wasigan" cottage next to Sylvia's and another friend was made.

My brother, Bill, was born in 1945 and he joined my mother and father enjoying many summers at the lake. As he grew older, the big red canoe became his special transportation around the lake especially across the lake to the Nashua Fresh Air Camp to visit Mike and Paul Doyle and all those cute girl counselors. Later his college buddies visited, making for a few raucous times.

My Aunt Mary did all the driving, so when she developed Parkinson's disease they depended on Al to bring them to the lake.

A wonderful memorable week was spent with my mother, Bill Jr.,  my son, Stephen, and my baby daughter, Ellen, in July 1955, the month before my mother died in August, 1955, when Bill, Jr. was only ten years old.

After my mother passed away, our next door neighbor, Tom Maloney, would often accompany my father and Bill, Jr. on weekend visits. They would all invariably end up at Mountain View for dinner and endless cribbage games ensued.

My father was very pleased when a college friend rented Buxton’s little white house in the woods -- the “Ponderosa.” Steve and Helen Velardo spent several summers there with their granddaughter Cynthia. Ellen and Joanie were regular visitors.

Ellen and Joan often made friends with families renting the Fitzgerald cottage at the very end of the lake (Peter Pine). The Gillespie family from Northboro, MA are still friends today.

Stephen and some of his college friends also spent memorable times at the White Elephant. When Stephen and Tricia married they too enjoyed its charm. It was a difficult decision that my brother, Bill, and I had to make in the 1980's when, with heavy hearts, we sold the place to Linda Bruno. She subsequently made much needed repairs and renovations.