1

Finley Cabin
Circa 1980
Atton's Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada

2

The Legacy of the Old Log Cabin

By Neil Rutley


My grandfather, Ernie Finley, acquired the Old Log Cabin at Atton's Lake during the 1930's for a debt payment from a local telephone operator and linesman. The cabin was built for this gentleman by the First Nation people. It is debated whether or not it was the first cottage at Atton's Lake; however, there is little doubt that it was one of the earliest. This picture of the cabin has my grandmother, Annie Finley, standing with a friend who was visiting from the United States.

Compared to today's standards, the log cabin was of simple construction. It had a wooden floor, a homemade stove made out of a barrel, and a dumb waiter which conveyed food to a hole in the ground, for keeping it cool. It had one bedroom with built-in wooden bunks, which were covered with sheepskin blankets. The windows had no glass. Screens and shutters kept the elements out…somewhat.

Ernie and Annie spent many summers at the cottage with their three children: Paul, Bob and Marianne. Bob became an avid fisherman. He would often fish for perch in the morning, catching as many as fifty at a time. All three became good swimmers. Bob was especially known for his many swims across the entire lake!

Other cottages from those early days were owned by the Haights, who had a bunkhouse, and the Beggs, who moved a street car in from the city. For weekend entertainment, the adults would gather at the dance hall on what is now known as Elks Drive, while the children played outside, occasionally trying to peek into the hall to catch a glimpse of what the adults were doing.

After my mom, Marianne, married Baillie Rutley in 1954, they too brought their own children to the log cabin every summer. Randy and I often had to fetch water from the old pump, which was located down the hill by the main booth. As the bedroom wall was not fully extended to the ceiling, Randy and I would often stand on the top bunk and peer over the wall, watching the adults playing cards -under the gas lantern- and having just a few refreshments.

In the early 1960's, Mom and Dad moved a bunk house-which was obtained from the Gallivan Farm-and situated it behind the Old Log Cabin. Randy and I now had our own sleeping quarters. Although we could no longer see the adults playing cards, we could still most certainly hear them!

Shortly after Lorne was born, Mom and Dad decided it was time to build their own cabin, the one on Westview Drive, with a lake front view. Randy, Lorne and I all enjoyed the lake by boating, swimming and fishing. Soon, we also learned how to water-ski. In fact, I distinctly remember Doctor Scratch patiently teaching me the fine art of skiing. Lorne, too, learned how to ski from Dr. Scratch…at the tender age of four! He sat on the front deck with his lifejacket on, watching Roy Dion and Dr. Scratch ski, until they finally asked him if he would like to try. I also fondly remember my early morning spring swims with Dr. Scratch - sometimes just a few days after the ice went out!


Randy Rutley, along with Randy and Gary Brackenbury, built one of the first ski jumps in the bay. Many young lads had amazing wrecks, while trying to show off their skiing abilities.

All of a sudden, Doug came along, somewhat putting a damper on our active lifestyle as we now had a little tyke tagging along; however, not much time elapsed before Doug was also joining us in these fun endeavors, including some that he probably should not have been doing at such a young age!

Fishing was always a great way to pass those lazy summer days. We would net up some emerald shiners for bait and catch as many perch as we wanted. Back then there were always plenty of perch and you could watch them bite your hook. Unfortunately, for some reason-over the years- the perch fishery collapsed.

Swimming lessons were also a part of every summer. We all had to participate - whether we wanted to or not. It was amazing that Friday Test Day always seemed to be the coldest day of the week-if not of the summer! I think that even today this seems to be the case.

In later years, golf became a favorite pastime for many of us - except for me, who could never understand why anyone would want to chase a little white ball around on a scorching hot day. However, this didn't stop my brothers from dragging me out on the odd occasion. Although I always enjoy their company, I have to agree with Mark Twain's quote, "A good walk spoiled."

3

Sitting in the Water
circa 2002
Atton's Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada


Credits:
Rutley, Marianne

4

The lake was a wonderful place for kids to spend the summers, as there was so much to entertain us. If we weren't swimming, water skiing, boating, fishing (including spear fishing), feeding or catching Richardson Ground Squirrels, we could always play or watch a ball game down at the booth.

Atton's Lake seems to have something remarkable -something magnetic- about it. The lake is so much a part of our family that none of us has ever been able to leave it behind. Randy, Doug and I now have our own cabins. We have brought our children to Atton's Lake every summer to enjoy this wonderful place. Lorne also returns every year to spend time at Mom's cabin. In fact, we try to schedule our summer vacations so that we can reconnect. Atton's Lake provides us with the perfect opportunity to do so.

I often wonder… if my grandfather had not obtained the Old Log Cabin from a debt, would my parents have come to cherish the lake enough to bring their children to Atton's every summer, and whether I, in turn, would have bothered to purchase my own cabin. Probably not!

5

Essentials on the Pier!
Circa 2002
Atton's Lake Golf Club


Credits:
Rutley, Marianne

6

Paul Finley
Lake Memories

I was very young when the Dance Hall was first in operation. But I still can remember that the Thirties really was a swinging decade at the lake. The orchestra stayed at the lake all summer. There were dances twice a week. It was a four or five piece orchestra. One of the band members was 'Phat' Jones from Rockhaven.

During the 1930's, my parent's cabin was built where the tent camping area was at that time. I remember the lake level being so high that it was only about twenty feet from the tree line.

In 1940, when I was eleven, I noticed that the lake was so much quieter. The young men of the area were gone and people did not go to the lake. In our teen years, my brother Bob and I spent all of our summers at the lake.

When I built my cabin in 1953, close to Dad's cabin, I just looked around and picked a spot and put the cabin there. There were no such things as lots in those days. The lake was just beginning to become more popular again in the early 50's.

Some highlights that I remember at the lake are:
" The planning for the first Regatta in 1954.
" The extensive advertising that the Elks did and how worried I was the night before when it was raining that the day would not be able to be held.
" The large amount of prize money that was offered to boaters.
" The large boat that I built one winter that had a Ford V8 engine as an inboard motor. I ordered special manifolds from the United States for the boat. I envisioned this very powerful boat that would skim over the lake water at about 100 miles per hour. When I tried it out on the water, it would only go at a maximum of four miles per hour. I think it weighed about three ton! I was lucky to find a guy near Watrous who traded it for an old truck. I think I had the best of the deal.