HISTORY OF WOMAN LAKE LODGE
From: History of Longville, MN 1906-2006
March 1920
1920s
Mr. and Mrs. Steve J. Fay and Mr. and Mrs. George J. Town, proprietors of Woman Lake Lodge since the early 1920s, spend the winter of 1937 in San Antonio, Texas. George, who had a well-earned reputation as a muskie fisherman, tested several of the Canadian lakes to see if the brand of Canadian muskellunge would fight as hard as the Woman lake species.
September 1945
1945-1947
Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Mains became proprietors in 1945. Two fully furnished year-round homes were destroyed by fire at the lodge on May 23, 1947. Mrs. Mains had started cooking supper and was interrupted by someone wishing to make a purchase in the adjacent store. A telephone alarm quickly brought people who fought the fire for three hours. A building 15 feet away and 2 homes were quickly ignited. Mr. Mains lost all his clothes with the exception of the one suit he was wearing.
June 1953
1953
Mains announced the opening of their dining room May 31, 1953.
May 1955
1955-1960
George Town, with the late Steve Fay and their wives, owned the lodge for many years, giving generously of their time and money. They sold the resort in 1955 and retired to California where George died on October 15, 1960.
April 1971
1971-1979
Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie De Vaults owned the lodge in 1971. Don and Jean Gruhlke owned the lodge, which was the only complete grocery/tackle store on the lake in 1979.
February 1990
1990
Chuck Gesme was an owner for a few years and sold to Steve and Jayne Routledge in 1990.
January 1991
1991-2004
Jeff and Patty Burks purchased the resort in 1991. Their son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Lori Burks have been the owners and managers since 2004.
September 2018
2018
Jeff and Lori Burks have been the owners and managers from 2004-present.
HISTORY OF WOMAN LAKE LODGE
From: History of Longville, MN 1906-2006
March 1920
1920s
Mr. and Mrs. Steve J. Fay and Mr. and Mrs. George J. Town, proprietors of Woman Lake Lodge since the early 1920s, spend the winter of 1937 in San Antonio, Texas. George, who had a well-earned reputation as a muskie fisherman, tested several of the Canadian lakes to see if the brand of Canadian muskellunge would fight as hard as the Woman lake species.
September 1945
1945-1947
Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Mains became proprietors in 1945. Two fully furnished year-round homes were destroyed by fire at the lodge on May 23, 1947. Mrs. Mains had started cooking supper and was interrupted by someone wishing to make a purchase in the adjacent store. A telephone alarm quickly brought people who fought the fire for three hours. A building 15 feet away and 2 homes were quickly ignited. Mr. Mains lost all his clothes with the exception of the one suit he was wearing.
June 1953
1953
Mains announced the opening of their dining room May 31, 1953.
May 1955
1955-1960
George Town, with the late Steve Fay and their wives, owned the lodge for many years, giving generously of their time and money. They sold the resort in 1955 and retired to California where George died on October 15, 1960.
April 1971
1971-1979
Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie De Vaults owned the lodge in 1971. Don and Jean Gruhlke owned the lodge, which was the only complete grocery/tackle store on the lake in 1979.
February 1990
1990
Chuck Gesme was an owner for a few years and sold to Steve and Jayne Routledge in 1990.
January 1991
1991-2004
Jeff and Patty Burks purchased the resort in 1991. Their son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Lori Burks have been the owners and managers since 2004.
September 2018
2018
Jeff and Lori Burks have been the owners and managers from 2004-present.
