AINSWORTH SPRINGS

AINSWORTH SPRINGS. It was announced on May 21, 1902 by officials of the YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION(Y.M.C.A) that the organization had purchased the "Orton cottage" at Ainsworth Springs. As the new owner, the cabin was to be used as a lodge for as many as twenty people for many outings organized by the organization during the summer. (1)

As early as July, 1902, Fourth of July celebrations were held at Ainsworth Springs. Railroad transportation was available on the CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD or by boat. It was advertised that the "labor picnic" was expected to be one of the largest. (2)

In 1906 officials of the local Y.M.C.A. had for several years planned an annual camping trip to the springs. Each boy was to take a knife, fork, two spoons, one plate, cup and saucer, glass, oil or rubber blanket to put under ticking, one empty ticking for each two boys two pair of socks, one pair of tennis slippers, one extra suit of light weight underwear, one suit of heavy underwear for cold nights, one extra wood shirt, one extra outing shirt, one extra pair of pants, an extra coat and two dark blankets.

The camp that year from August 20th to 27th under the leadership of H. Lawrence Eddy, was to be operated like a military base with a captain appointed for every seven to eight boys. The schedule announced in the newspaper was: (3)

              Reville. . . . . . . . . . . .  6:30 a.m.
              Setting Up Exercises . . . . .  6:45 a.m.
              Mess . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7:00 a.m.
              Morning Hillside Watch . . . .  7:30 a.m.
              Sports . . . . . . . . . . . .  8:30-11:45 a.m.
              Policy Camp for a merit badge.  1:15 p.m.
              Sports . . . . . . . . . . . .  1:30-3:30 p.m.
              Swimming . . . . . . . . . . .  4:30-5:30 p.m.
              Camp Glee Club . . . . . . . .  3:00-4:20 p.m.
              Mess . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6:00 p.m.
              Camp Fire "Jolly"  . . . . . .  7:00-8:30 p.m.
              Taps . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9:30 p.m.

A popular camping site north of Dubuque, Ainsworth Springs was put up for sale on May 7, 1910 on the steps of the [[DUBUQUE COUNTY COURTHOUSE]. (4)

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Source:

1. "Will be a Summer Cottage," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, May 21, 1902, p. 6

2. "City in Brief," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, July 1, 1902, p. 15

3. "Camp Life for Young America," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, August 5, 1906, p. 3

4. "City in Brief," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, May 1, 1910, p. 4