Camp Alton:
The Final Chapters...continued

Special thanks to Michael Kupersmith for the pictures of the camp grounds.
These pictures were taken on Michael's latest visit to the  hallowed grounds the weekend of February 3, 2001!

To enlarge the pictures just click on them!

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On Michael's most recent visit to Wolfeboro for his son's hockey tournament he took the time to visit what is left of the Camp Alton grounds.

February 9, 2001

Michael writes:

As you can see, I am enclosing copies of my most recent photos of the old Alton grounds. I was in Wolfeboro last weekend for Cy' s hockey tournament and stole an hour or so to view the carnage. I think this trip saddened me even more than the last one. There will never be any turning back. Also, my guess is that this will be the last time I'll be able to walk the grounds - lake views only.

There was an ice fishing derby in progress and ice fisherpersons were all over the lake, speeding hither and yon on their snowmobiles. Were it not for their presence, Wolfeboro would have been very quiet. For example, Bailey's was closed for the season - bitter disappointment there. (On the other hand, the Wolfeboro Inn had a terrific Sunday brunch buffet - well worth the price of admission).

Last Saturday was a brilliant, sunny day, but with strong gusty winds. This was my first winter visit, and it was fun to trek from the point to the beach and back on the frozen surface.

The "homes" now being built are incredible. The first series I've labeled A-1 thru A-5 are of house "A" after bunk A. It's hard to tell without the old landmarks, but it extends roughly from where "A" used to be down to E or F. It is massive. I couldn't circumnavigate the whole thing because of thigh-deep snow drifts, but I estimate it to be in the neighborhood of 10,000 sq ft. It must be Bill Gates' eastern estate. I chatted briefly with a local fisherman and asked him if it was supposed to be a condo, but he thought it was indeed a "single-family" house. A 3-slip boat house is also being built.

I labeled the next series C-1 thru C-4. C for "Chief" because it pretty much covers the entire area where Chief's (Peter's) quarters used to be and the dining hall. It, too, is massive. I didn't get a good shot of the eastern wing, which is perpendicular to the part you can see. I think it is also in the neighborhood of 10,000 sq ft. I couldn't get too close to it because of no trespassing signs, which I really didn't want to test for obvious reasons. The part of the camp road extending between the A-field and the tennis courts leads down to this estate and a fence blocked the way. I thought it ironic that this "home" has stone staircases facing the lake, just like the structure it replaced. This house is going to have a more modest 2-slip boat house.

"M" is a modest 4000 sq ft house placed about where "M" used to be.

"P" is a massive house placed between the old "P" and the beach. I saw the foundation go in 3-4 years ago. I can't tell if it's a condo; it has six (6) carports. Sorry you can't see it too well through the trees. I took a shot from the road side, but the film is still in my camera.

"B" is the beach house pictures in the shots I sent you earlier.

X-1 thru X-3 are lake shots. Too bad about the way x-3 turned out. It was the last shot on the roll. Were it not for the strange exposure, it would be a great shot. I took it standing about 300 yards north of the end of the point.

Note on x-1 the ice coating on the fence.