9 Decades of Memorable Summers on Douglas's Lakeshore
David Ring's first memory of summer fun as part of the Douglas Lakeshore Community was playing golf with family & friends on the West Shore Golf Club( aka Goat Hill) as a small boy. And he shared some great stories about legendary golf games & late night hi-jinks on par 3, 4, 14 & 15 while standing on the back patio of a home in the Westshore Development on Golfview gazing down at what was once the 2nd green. Of course, he still enjoys spending his summers at Sugar Tree, the beachfront home owned by the Ring/White family descendants, and especially loves taking in our gorgeous sunsets from their "lookout" , but admits he really misses that golf course since it closed in 2011.
Acquiring Sugar Tree
David's parents were one of many St Louis families that discovered Douglas, Michigan in the 1930's. Originally the family rented a house near the Rosemont, but in 1935 the owner of Sugar Tree Cottage and Huff House offered to sell his father, Paul Ring, both properties for $11k. However his father decided to purchase only the one property and thus began decades of beachfront memory making for David, his six siblings, their children and grandchildren. David's mother filled her children's weekdays with fun on the beach and golf course, boating and building obstacle courses while Paul worked in St Louis. But on weekend nights after he and the other fathers arrived, she got a well deserved break when she and Paul would walk from one Lake Shore Drive cottage to another to socialize with their friends on a "cocktail circuit" while the kids were gathered for cookouts and bonfires on the beach below the cottages.
David's niece, Libby White, the daughter of his older sister Ban, explained that Sugar Tree was originally a finishing school for debutantes who would polish their dancing and social graces in the cottage's knotty pine lined great room before retiring to the dormitory at Huff House next door & this explains the wonderful open floor plan of the cottage's main floor.
Generations of Douglas & Saugatuck Summer Fun
David's niece Libby and his daughter Meghan (both 3rd generation) have wonderful stories to share about fierce competitions on the golf course ,stories they had heard about fun at the Pavillion, kontiki drums on the beach and snacks signalled by the ringing of the bell outside their cottage's back screened porch. They also made clear that the 4th and 5th generations of their families are making their own fabulous summer memories, maintaining some longtime rituals, and of course creating some new ones. A favorite of many begins as they finally turn onto Center Street after traveling to Douglas for their vacation from homes in St Louis, Illinois, Connecticut, etc , with everyone craning their necks to catch the first glimpse of Lake Michigan. Meghan says that first glimpse still gives many of them a thrill.
Many thanks to David and his family for graciously sharing some of their stories and the accompanying photos . We are truly lucky to have them as part of the Douglas Lakeshore Association. Looking forward to sharing more fun with you all next Summer at our DLSA events and also capturing more memories from both longtimers and newcomers for sharing with all of you on the website as well.
