My mother had a sister, Leila Craig, my “Aunt Lee”. Their mother was a first generation Canadian, and both girls grew up in Michigan’s “Up North”, around Onaway, Rogers City, and Millersburg. Their father was a Scott/Irish photographer who made his living going around to the lumber camps taking photos of the crews and selling them as well as doing studio work in Rogers City. There were stories of him living “in the bush”, and eating blueberries to survive. Another story for another time. I am told that what sense of humor I retain probably comes from Frank.
The paths of the two girls parted, with my mother going to college in Mt. Pleasant and becoming a teacher, with the ordinary, plain, steady life style as you might imagine. Aunt Lee, on the other hand, stayed Up North, and lived quite a different life. She married my uncle, Bill (Barney) who was quite a character and an entrepreneur in and around Petoskey. They opened a linen store called "Barney’s Linens" in Petoskey and catered to all the expensive summer homes and residents in the area. So they moved around in those circles and “Aunt Lee and Uncle Bill” were quite well connected. They also had a store in Ft. Lauderdale, FL which they migrated to in the winter (this was before skiing was so big). Their specialty was fine linens, beautiful imported embroideries, Damask table cloths, napkins, monogrammed lush towels, and so forth. Every summer, I was allowed to go visit them for a week or so. There are many fond memories of fishing for perch on Crooked Lake, swimming in Walloon Lake, and having wonderful dinners of planked Whitefish in Julleret’s in Charlevoix. Uncle Bill had a brother named John who owned “Barney’s Bar”, and I spent many a night (probably without my mother’s knowledge) perched on a bar stool in Barney’s Bar listening to stories between Uncle Bill and his brother. Although I didn’t think anything of it at the time, I don’t think I ever saw Uncle Bill without a can of Budweiser in his hand. He was also quite the cook, and was legendary for preparing his “bittersweet chocolate sauce”. He guarded the recipe with his life, and I believe it went with him to the grave. Too bad.
So, after our lovely dinner in Harbor Springs and pleasant evening at Boyne Highlands we detoured a little bit and re-visited Petoskey as we hadn’t been there in we couldn’t remember how long. The original Barney’s Linens on Lake street, now the historic “gas light district” (thanks to Uncle Bill), is now Robert Frost’s
The Barneys lived in the apartment above the store (three windows) which you got to by going up several flights of stairs (door to the right over car). The land falls away toward Little Traverse Bay behind the store so the back side of the building had three levels. The basement, the store, and the apartment. Their back porch on the third floor had a lovely view of the bay, and again I spent many hours just sitting there with Bill and his Bud. The porch and the memories are still there:
As their business did well, they eventually moved across the street to a larger location located on a corner, now a furniture store.
Once again, they lived above the store with the same good views, but no porch. I missed that porch. MFO and I went in to the furniture store, and of course the current occupants didn’t know of the Barney’s or their successors Kalcheck Linens who bought the business after the Barney’s could no longer keep it going. Petoskey has changed, but there are still the memories of Buds, Perch fishing (and eating), Chocolate sauce, and Barney’s bar. If you have a chance to go there, be sure to visit the gas lamp district thank Uncle Bill
On the way down to East Lansing, we stopped off at another landmark in Grayling, Ray’s Canoe Livery. I had many float trips on the Au Sable River originating from there, as my father was an avid fly fisherman.
Cherish the moment, because sometime it will be the past.
It was nice to think of Aunt Lee and Uncle Bill and visit their legacy, and you can be sure they
DFD
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