The History of Big Alum Lake Chapter 4
RICE FAMILY GIRLS' CAMP
The girls' camp was called "Camp Wichaka", its Indian name meaning "To Be True". The camp existed on the southeastern shore of Big Alum from 1929 - 1933. Thirty girls attended each one-month session, and Mrs. Browning reports that her mother, Maud Rice, ran the camp. Three Rice brothers owned the land and each had a cottage. They were Charles Arthur Rice, who had three daughters, Ray Rice and Roland Draper Rice. Dorothea and her two brothers were his children. Charles' and Ray's cottages burned to the ground. After the fire R. Draper Rice bought their properties, built two houses and Maud started the camp. There were tennis courts in the side and front yards. "Joe blew up the rocks for the tennis courts". One piece of the property was sold to Guy Wescott (currently to the right of the Gagnon/Wheaton house). Dorothea bought that house and loved it. They sold the first piece of land to the Parkers. They owned the rest of the land along the lake to Koehler's (now owned by Joel and Chris Casaubon). The remaining land was divided between her and her two brothers. Her daughter, Dorothy and her husband later bought her house and some years later Dorothy sold it. It is now owned by the Van Vooren family. The cottage next to that was sold to Charles E. Hart and his family (now owned by Shirley Edwards). The Gagnon/Wheaton cottage was owned by Morey Forshey. Dorothea said that he died in the hurricane. The Michael Morrill cottage was the main building for the camp and the one next door, now owned by Julie Morrill and her husband, was also part of the camp facilities. That cottage and the cottage on the site of the present Edwards house served as dormitories for the campers as well as for other camp activities. Camp Life: There were horses for riding, tennis and swimming activities. A nurse was available. Cattle kept the lawn grazed (there were pastures where the tree-covered hillside behind the cottages is now). The campers had ice cream in the fields and on Sundays sang hymns which could be heard across the lake. There was a boat house on the property now owned by Ginny Rice Roscioli and her husband. The pitched roof blew off of the boathouse and they held dances on the flat roof left behind. "The Southbridge Finishing Mill brought Dad (Roland Draper Rice) from New York to Massachusetts. He would take the trolley, walk through the woods to the area near the dam, where Tucker's home presently stands, and signal his wife with a flashlight. She would pick him up in the boat for the weekend."
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