As the sun sets over Bone lake, we drive down a lonely dirt road to a nice quiet chalet on a frozen lake - and are nearly hit by a golf cart that is driving on the wrong side of the road! (Now looking back, perhaps this may have been an omen to go back now - or perhaps just a run-in with a crazy golf cart driver.)
We pull up and hooray - the open sign is ON! For some, this is a third attempt to visit the Calderwood Lodge Supper Club.
The Calderwood is situated on beautiful land nestled up to the lake. The building's foundation was hand-built with rocks collected from the property. Once a retreat center in the 1920's, the Calderwood was known for its healing lithium springs. Like many of the Northeastern Wisconsin supper clubs, there are reports that gangsters visited here - Capone and Dillinger.
Last time we were here, there was no snow on the ground and we walked up the creaky front stairs to peer in the window. Looking in, it was dark and surreal, almost like an abandoned theme park.
If you visit, you might call ahead and have a back up plan just in case. Like many supper clubs, the posted hours are not always dependable.
Walking in the front door, above is a rotating chandler. I remember something similar in the state fair's haunted house. Oddly eerie, but fun, it adds to the unique ambiance of the place.
I'm waiting for Vincent Price's voice to come on over the loud speaker and then - I realize the haunted house is more like a fun house. It is hard to know what to focus on first! There are so many things to look at - stuffed animals (some once alive some never), a train of liquor decanters, electronic Santas, angels, coconut monkeys with glowing eyes, parrots and Ernie the life-sized mechanical sheriff.
It is hard to imagine that there were MORE decorations up in this place at one time, as I we see a line of half-packed rubber storage bins along the wall of the bar.
As you can imagine, the service is good at a place like this - in the middle of nowhere. We sit at the bar and order cocktails. The gentleman behind the counter says he is the owner and begins to tell us stories of Charlie Calder - the original builder and proprietor. He hand-built this lodge in the early 1900's out of materials from his 720 acres. The ceiling joists above are the hand peeled logs that Charlie dragged through the woods himself.
Behind the bar (now mostly covered up) are slices of logs and branches meticulously mosaiced in place. It's quite amazing craftsmanship actually and I am anxious to explore more.
The staff is nice enough to let us explore upstairs, so we venture up the 100+ year old stairs. Leading up are windows to the second floor displaying some interesting 50's nautical artwork.
It's clear that a renovation of the second floor must have occurred at some point as there are some more modern fixtures and roof facades - giving it a German beer garden feel. It is hard to imagine that this is once where the guest rooms were located that housed gangsters. Spirits are looming.
A mama possum and her baby peeking out from from the woodwork.
"Ernie" is there to greet you with his stuffed bunny rabbit the next time you visit!
Oh, and don't mind the way-to-realistic looking stuffed shih tzu curled up by the fireplace.
Ratings (out of 5)
Food | N/A this trip
Ambiance | 5 for Charlie's hardwork and the stuffed dead dog
Service | 5
Relish Tray | 0
Entertainment | 0
Creepy Vibe | 5
I want to go here.
ReplyDelete