Lake Chippewa Flowage Vacation

In the 1970’s Harry Albert Lessard used to manage the dump that was located off River Road near the old Airfield. At some point the dump went from a drive around circle “dump your trash in the center” to a drop it in the pit where Harry wound burn it.  This change took place maybe 1975-76? During this time Harry was living on Hwy B in the Hay creek area.

Every day in the summer around 11am we would make our daily dump trip from Baumgarten’s Resort to the dump in the red Willys jeep.

Along with the trash, John McGilligan (the webmaster’s grandfather) would also bring along two stumpy bottles of Budwieser for the old guys, and when up staying with grandpa and grandma, a can of Black Cherry Jolly-Good soda for the future webmaster (from the Winter coop of course).

The old guys would talk and the future webmaster would play with Harry’s black lab named “Tim”.

According to legend Harry was the first non-native American to catch a Musky out of the Lake Chippewa Flowage??

Wonderful person with lots of stories.

Snip from Harry’s Obituary

(1903 – May 1994 – Chicago Tribune)

Harry A. Lessard, 90, a retired employee of Johnson Outboards of Waukegan, died Saturday in St. Therese Medical Center in Waukegan. He was born in Wisconsin and moved to Antioch 37 years ago. He was co-owner of Lessard’s Resort in Hayward, Wis. He is survived by two sons, Donald and Paul; five daughters, Arlene , Shirley , Carol, Jeanette and Kathy; a sister; 24 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.