MaryJane Carlson This picture was taken between 1950 and 1957 ! My dad (George Leighton) took pride in painting his signs forLakeside Cabins! He operated and owned the business from 1948 – 1958 ! I remember when the photographer came and took the postcard shots !
Ken Weizel I would guess 1950-52. I helped my uncle Paul Asher, and Aunt Eva, there in 1959.
My folks (George and Helen Leighton) purchased Lakeside Motel from Cliff Miller in June of 1948 ! The family sold this property to Paul and Eva Asher in 1959 !
The Lakeside Motel (or was it Hotel) taken in 1969. Across from Tootsie’s on the Russell’s property. Lots of folks in this group can add a lot more details than I can about this place. I’d love it if we can document the details about years, owners, etc.
Btw. Don’t you love the car pulling the boat captured in the photo? Doesn’t that just say Minnesota vacationland?
Kim Northenscold: I use to clean the rooms there, and one time I was cleaning and Jesse Ventura the body came walking out of a room 
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Jim Swanson :i stayed there a few times as it was close to JIM’s BAR ! and no DWI that way !
Was there a bait/sport shop there in later years,(80s)?
Laura Lapic Swanson Yep! We always thought that kind of store would do well on the lake again. Miss that convenience.
Dick Backlund Few people lived there Joe Randall. Lee othoudt. Sandy Sanderson
Wayne Phyle Rick smith and i lived there for two years after came home from service and like Jim Swanson said Jims Bar was across the street. Don’t know how we ever made it back to our rooms! (Crossing hiway 10)
Laura Lapic Swanson Bet some folks played a wicked game of drunk frogger with you guys!
Leonard Haberman Sr. Motel was run by Larson’s I believe in the 70’s. I think Rick was their son.
Wayne Phyle Yes your correct also had a daughter Kathy. I hear from rick every now and then
Jim Tomlinson Kathy was in my grade. Classes. 74
Larry Moses If I remember right it was a little lake side store in the 40s.Also a bait shop at one time.
Gary Johnson I useta sell Paul an Eva frogs for the bait shop…
Dick Backlund Paul was the most interesting man to talk with.
Gary Johnson I liked his broom in the stake pocket of his truck. Today’s truck stake pockets do not go all the way down. I have lay my broom in the back…I think of Paul Asher all the time while putting the broom down
Carolyn Fowler Very sweet Gary.
Lynn Asher Gary, I can’t believe you remember that. He always did that with the broom
Tom Wigren The bait shop was in the little building that is still there.
Dolores Leslie Sure love seeing all these old pictures. A person forgets what things were like back then and pictures are the best reminders. Thanks!
MaryJane Carlson When my dad (George Leighton) owned the business (1948-59) he had a large grill for serving breakfast to motel guests ….. and burgers to fishermen ! He weekly purchased live minnows from Ebners (still there) in Elk River ….. and angleworms from a …See More
Jana HarrerGroup Admin For those of you who hadn’t seen the previous discussions here is a picture of George and Helen Leighton.
Stan Lumley LYNN YOUR GRANDFATHER PAUL TELL STORIES, HE COULD TELL TRUE STORIES WITH THE BEST OF STORY TELLERS. ESPECIALLY STORIES ABOUT HUNTING AND FISHING.
Sandi Jo Dehn – So fun to read this Lynn Asher
Lou Ann Otten: Had a lot of fun times there with Lynn as kids.
Stephanie Olene My David and I spent our wedding night there June 27, 1970 as our wedding was in Elk River and our reception was in Zimmerman the next day. It was about a hundred for those two days and no air conditioning.
Sandi Jo Dehn I bet a lot of “interesting history” took place inside this motel!!
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BJ Bielen Lynn Asher, are you related to Paul and Eva? They were good friends of my grandparents.
Lynn Asher Yes, they are my grandparents
Lynn Asher Who were your grandparents?
BJ Bielen Lynn Asher Bud and Thelma Smith.
Marlys Meyer Remember swimming there alot!! Paul and Eva we’re wonderful people!!
Stan Lumley I REMEMBER DELIVERING THE ST. CLOUD TIMES TO PAUL AND EVA. PAUL HAD GREAT TRUE LIFE STORIES ABOUT BIG LAKE, HUNTING AND FISHING.
Jim Swanson i used to play cribbage with Paul he taught me how to play !
Bob Olson loved those people and even had Paul come out hunting the second year I was out here,,had a great time and everyone got one
Marilyn Olson Our favorite swimming place
Lisa Richwine Olson Where are the steps Stan? On area by Hwy?
Sandy Haberman A lot of great memories made at that beach!!
Lou Ann Otten Yes lots of memories. Can still hear Eva!
Ken Weizel Thanks Lynn, this picture sure brings back allot of good memories.
MaryJane Carlson Your grandpa purchased this resort from our dad ! (George leighton)
Lynn Asher Wow, great to hear from you. This picture must be from when your family owned it? I think Paul & Eva bought that in 58 or 59.
MaryJane Carlson Lynn Asher Hi Lynn! Was Donna Sigmund your mother? She was in our(twin Dan and me)class ! We have seen her at several class reunions ! Dad bought the motel in 48; he died in 57 and Dan and I tried to run it until 59…. when your dad bought from us ! Dad did have those postcard pictures taken…. and sold them at the resort ! What ever happened to the deer head mounted on the wall there? I wish we had kept one of those boats ! THANKS FOR SHARING !
Lynn Asher So good to hear from you. Yes. Donna is my mom. Not sure about the deer, I don’t remember
Lynn Asher I do remember trying to pull those wooden boats up on shore, that was a job, they were heavy
MaryJane Carlson Lynn Asher Dad began to replace the wooden boats to aluminum and that was big! I thought a lot of your mother !
Stan Lumley THE HELEN LEIGHTON THAT TAUGHT AT BECKER ELEMENTARY, WAS SHE RELATED TO YOUR FAMILY. SHE WAS OUR 5TH GRADE TEACHER AND A EXCELLENT TEACHER.
MaryJane Carlson Stan Lumley Hi Stan ! I can’t believe you had my mother for your 5th grade teacher ! How precious for us to have this contact so many years later ! GOD BLESS YOU for making this contact with me !
Bob Olson Helen and my mother commuted to Becker to teach every day for years and she was a family friend
Stan Lumley MaryJane CarlsonONE DAY I WAS TEACHING MY SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS FRACTIONS AND MEASUREMENT. I COULD REMEMBER ALL THE CATCH PHRASES HELEN LEIGHTON USED. THE STUDENTS WERE HAVING A ROUGH TIMES LEARNING FRACTIONS. THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS GOT SO THAT WERE UNDERSTANDING FRACTIONS. I LOOKED UP A THE SHOP CEILING AND SAID THANK YOU MRS, LEIGHTON. SOME OF THE STUDENTS LOOKED UP AT THE CEILING AND SAID STAN WE DO NOT SEE ANYONE. MY REPLY WAS MRS. LEIGHTON TAUGHT ME FRACTIONS IN 5TH GRADE AND I AM SURE SHE IS LOOKING DOWN FROM HEAVEN WITH THAT SPECIAL MRS. LEIGHTON SMILE. SHE WOULD BE SAYING THAT IS THE WAY TO GO STANLEY. YOU REMEMBER WHAT I TAUGHT YOU AND YOU ARE PUTTING IT TO GOOD USE.
MaryJane Carlson AMEN! What a beautiful story ! I’m sure you won her heart and smile with your successful teaching ! THANKS AGAIN !
Bob Olson was cliff miller, the fellow that used to own a house next to the a&w
Charlotte LaBathe Paul & Eva Asher owned this, it was also the bait shop.
Marlys Meyer I lived across the highway. Remember walking across the highway with my bowl asking for an ice cream cone without the cone. Would swim at their beach.
JoAnn Zimmel Jana Harrer Julie Watrin Harrigan’s parents parked their trailer right behind the motel on the east side. That was the farthest west part of Brown’s resort. It would now be Russell’s parking lot.
Marlys Meyer Yes, I think the building on the left is still there but has been remodeled and brought up to date.
Linda Newland I remember this
Kelly Fredrickson My grandma lived across the street from this hotel.
Jana Harrer Who was your grandma?
Kelly Fredrickson Gladys Putnam.
Penny Putnam Yes I remember Donny Asher telling me about his folks owning this and all the work he had to do….
Bob Olson Paul and Eva got it from the Laytons,,Helen and my mother taught in Becker and commuted there daily for a few years….I remember Paul picking up those big wooden strip cedar boats and also getting some pancakes there…..I’m sure you all can remember him frying sunfish there
Donna Folkens The last owner was Penny Larson and her husband. Penny was Mr. Strand’s secretary.
Terri Miller I remember it so well!
Jim Swanson SPENT A FEW NIGHTS THERE ONCE IN A WHILE CUZ IT WAS CLOSE TO JIM’S BAR RATHER THAN DRIVE HOME WALK ACCROSS THE HWY.
Wayne Phyle Rick Smith and I lived there for 2 years when we got put of the service (over in the corner) they had 2 children kathy And rick larson, Rick and I would walk across Highway 10 everyday to the old Municipal on off sale my dad and Joe Holland both work there
Mary Lou Kerber When I lived in Big Lake George and Helen Leighton owned the motel. They lived in the large house across highway 10.
Stan Lumley HELEN LEIGHTON WAS OUR 5TH GRADE TEACHER AT BECKER. SHE WAS A WONDERFUL LADY. WHEN WE MOVED TO BIG SHE WOULD COME AND PICK ME UP WITH HER BLACK 4 DOOR 1958 CHEV. TO DO ODD JOBS FOR HER. SHE HAD A HOUSE ON THE LAKE NEAR THE LAKE PARK. SHE WAS PLEASED WITH THE JOBS I DID FOR HER AND I WAS PLEASED TO HAVE WORKED FOR HER.
MaryJane Carlson Mom loved her teaching in Becker ! She was 58 when our father died …. and she went back to teaching, learned to drive, and loved her days in BIG LAKE !
Stan Lumley I FIRST STARTED TEACHING IN 1972. I THINK IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 1973, I SAW YOUR MOM ON A HOT DAY WALKING TOWARDS THE NORTH PAST THE HIGH SCHOOL IN BIG LAKE WITH 2 BAGS OF GROCERIES. I WAS DRIVING A 1960 FORD PICKUP THAT I DELIVERED FIRE WOOD WITH. I STOPPED NEXT TO YOUR MOM AND SAID MRS LEIGHTON I BET YOU COULD USE A RIDE. HER REPLY WAS OH STANLEY I SURE COULD. SO I PUT HER GROCERIES IN THE PICKUP AND HELPED HER IN. WE WENT ABOUT AS FAR AS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SHE SAID STANLEY I AM SURPRISED A PROFESSIONAL MAN LIKE YOU IS DRIVING A VEHICLE SUCH AS THIS. I JUST HAD TO LAUGH AND TOLD HER IT WAS A GREAT UTILITY VEHICLE USED TO HAUL FIRE WOOD TO CUSTOMERS IN ST. PAUL. WE THEN TALKED TEACHING PHILOSOPHY. I STILL REMEMBER THE DISCUSSION TO THIS DAY SHE SAID THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS GRADING IS AN ART FORM. IF YOU GRADE TOO EASY, STUDENTS DO NOT WORK TO THEIR POTENTIAL. IF YOU GRADE TOO HARD STUDENTS GIVE UP. SHE ALSO SAID DO NOT WASTE A MINUTE OF CLASS TIME AS YOU HAVE TO MULTIPLY THAT 1 MINUTE TIMES THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS YOU HAVE. I DID WELL WITH THE GRADING PHILOSOPHY BUT AS THIS STORY, LUMLEY TIME STORIES, TRUE LIFE STORIES SHOWS I MAY HAVE TO SOME WASTED A MINUTE OR TWO BUT THE STORIES I TOLD THE STUDENTS WERE BENEFICIAL TO THEM. YOUR MOM WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TEACHERS AND A FRIEND. I ONLY REGRET THAT I DID NOT GIVE HER A FEW HUGS JUST TO LET HER KNOW HOW MUCH SHE MEANT TO ME. BY THE WAY I WOULD SAY THAT MOST OF MY 5TH GRADE CLASSMATES WOULD HAVE WORDS OF PRAISE AS TO HOW MUCH YOUR MOM MEANT TO THEM.
MaryJane Carlson Stan LumleyHow sweet of you to share such words of wisdom from my mom ! She took her teaching as a serious mission ! SHE LOVED IT…… thanks for appreciating her love and devotion to her students. Are you still teaching?
Stan Lumley NO IAM RETIRED. I TAUGHT FOR 35 YEARS. MY WIFE TAUGHT AT BECKER ELEMENTARY FOR 37 1/2 YEARS.
MaryJane Carlson Love this picture ! My parents (George and Helen Leighton) owned this motel from 48-1959 ! Repairing the wooden boats each year was a big job ! Their children ( Lucia, John, Dan, and Mary Jane worked there for college money (WHAT A PLAN MY PARENTS HAD).
MaryJane Carlson Thanks for sharing memories of my mom!
Nellie Blonigen The Leighton use to come and get eggs from mom and Dad, yes they were wonderful people and had some great kids too.
MaryJane Carlson We were raised on those wonderful eggs ! Was your dad Farmer Ed????
Nellie Blonigen No MaryJane Carlson farmer Ed was before our place. It w as the Al Creswell farm. Yes farmer Ed and his folks were such nice people, you certainly could of gotten eggs from them to. I remember your mom talking about you and your brother’s John. She was so proud of you.We were on Co. Rd 81 too.
Sharon Roster I remember Mary Jane and Dan as our choir directors at Saron Lutheran church. They were so great to be around and how sad I was when they left.
MaryJane Carlson How sweet of you to recall ! We loved our time there!
Sharon Roster So that is you! Where do you live in Biglake? And your brother Dan where is he? I never forgot either of you!
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MaryJane Carlson dan lives near Brainerd…. he is a retired minister ! I live in Blaine….. retired teacher !
Sandy Haberman Oh the memories…..
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MaryJane Carlson BIG lake will always , (proudly) be my home town ! Memories of acceptance, (we came from Aberdeen, SDak) love, and opportunity!
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