Kutchin Articles

Article from Fond du Lac Reporter, Tuesday, March 1, 1977, page 12

by Peg Power [Full name Harriet Kathryn Kutchin Power]

               RARE, SQUARE PIANO LED GOOD LIFE

RIPON -- If the Vose square piano in the R. H. Calden living room at 336 Scott St. could speak, it would reveal a marvelous history of life and times in Green Lake.

     A square piano is different from a grand piano in that it is rectangular in shape instead of curved.  The old piano, instead of having three pedals, has only two, a "loud" and a "soft" pedal.

     It belonged to Hattie Sherwood Kutchin, who was born in 1854 at Green Lake.  The piano was brought across the lake in winter by cart to rest in the living room of the Sherwood farmhouse, later swallowed up in building the Maplewood Hotel.

     Many hymns were played on it because Mr. Sherwood was a religious man who had family prayers.  He refused to let Victor Kutchin marry his daughter Hattie unless he studied for the ministry--which he did.  Hattie was reared by stepmothers because her mother died.

     Whether the piano followed her to the homes she lived in after her marriage in 1876 to Victor Kutchin is not known, but it probably did not, remaining instead in the Sherwood farmhouse.  Kutchin preached in Kaukauna and at Black River Falls before going to Waupun, where he had a small, struggling church before becoming chaplain at the Wisconsin State Prison.

     In 1891, after studying medicine and becoming surgeon at the prison following his years as chaplain, Dr. Kutchin decided to open a sanitorium to give the Keeley cure for alcoholism, which then was believed to be "efficacious in curing that condition."  He built onto the farmhouse, adding a story on top of the original roof and extending to the west of the original structure to make a three-story building.  Only the great front of the farmhouse remained visible, while the original kitchen and back rooms remained much as they had been until later additions.

     The original farmhouse living room became the "parlor" to be used for social occasions.  The piano moved to what had been the hall of the farmhouse in an alcove where it just fit.  A gold-framed mirror hung above it.

     The sanitorium did not prove to be a success and, as Dr. Kutchin used to tell Maplewood Hotel guests later, "I decided I would rather rob the well than the sick."  So, he turned it into a summer hotel and it prospered.

    
Dr. Kutchin added to the dining room with a sleeping porch above the front of the room and an apartment for the Kutchins and their daughter Donna.  Their son had gone to college and law school and became an attorney in Montana.  A three story addition west of the original annex and an enlarged lobby were next constructed.  An office next to the lobby were next constructed.  An office next to the lobby bore the nameplate "Dr. Kutchin."

     The parlor became the center of homemade entertainment in those days before radio, phonographs, and TV.  Many talented people came to the hotel including the Ernest Gamble concert party that traveled all over the United States and Europe.

     Cards were not played on Sunday so those evenings were set aside for entertainment by whomever might be capable of providing it, and usually there were some.

     Pianists and accompanists played the old piano, some complaining it was not as fine as they were used to, but doing their best to make up for its alleged deficiencies.  Groups stood around to sing if someone was able to play the songs they knew and had a good time doing it.

     Dr. Kutchin, who had memorized much poetry, customary in the days he grew up, would recite favorite poems and tell of his experiences at the prison and some of the men he encountered there.  He had curios they had made for him, including a marble piece shaped like a book with "faith, hope, and charity" carved on it.

     One talented entertainer was a man who worked for Lyon & Healey, a Chicago music store.  One favorite was his rendition of "The Preacher and the Bear" which he sang and played.  The old piano trembled as his large hands came crashing down at the crescendo when the preacher said, "If you can't help me, for God's sake, don't help the bear."  Phil Harris later made the song a classic on his radio program, but his version did not have the intensity displayed by Mr. Collins.

     A memorable night in the late 20s found a group spending the entire evening going from one old-time popular song to another, mostly from memory, as different people who knew the tunes were able to accompany them.

     The building was not heated in winter and the piano underwent extremes of temperature that spoiled many cheaper pianos.  But it carried on until the hotel closed after the summer of 1956 and found its present home, where it is cherished.  Unfortunately, the sheet music that had been collected for guests to use gradually disappeared into the hands of "collectors" who simply walked off with it.  Only a stray hymnal or two was left.

     As radio became popular and after Dr. Kutchin no longer took part in the affairs of the hotel (he died in 1939) the Sunday entertainment became a thing of the past and the piano sat unused for days at a time, except by a curious guest who had never seen a square piano before and wanted to try it.

[Peg Power was Fond du Lac Reporter Ripon Bureau Chief until her retirement in 1975].

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Article from The Green Lake County Reporter, January 1, 1925

     The following letter was received by R. W. Mapps, and should be of much interest to every one in Green Lake:

               Biloxi, Miss. Dec. 14, 1924

     About the business pertaining by the "Hattie Sherwood Park".  That is all settled.  I found out before leaving Wisconsin that a village can hold property not within its corporate limits; had J. J. Wood of Berlin draw a deed conveying the park property to the Village of Green Lake and said deed was received by me here in Biloxi on the 4th day of December, 1924.  I had it executed and filed here with my other papers the day it was received.  So in the event of anything happening to me there will be no question of the Village getting the Park.

     The weather here is very beautiful and taking a long walk this afternoon, I came back with my shirt sticking to my back, which will go to show that it was just a little warmer than I care for.

     Trusting that this finds you all well and with all the good wishes of the season, I am

                         Always your friend,

                              Victor Kutchin

     This letter is published so that all will know exactly what is being done regarding the park and camp site.  Dr. Kutchin deserves many thanks and much praise for his fine spirit in donating this land to the village for park purposes, and it is suggested that everyone write him a letter expressing their gratitude.  Too, lets get back of this movement and help put the new park association on a sound foundation so that we can maintain and develop the property in a satisfactory manner.  The Commercial Club wishes to turn over to the park association the responsibilities of the park, so that other matters more closely related to the busy business men can be handled.                  R. W. Mapps, Pres.

                              Green Lake Commercial Club

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Article in The Green Lake County Reporter, June, 1924

               DR. KUTCHIN IS TENDERING INVITING PLAT

                WILL BE KNOWN AS HATTIE SHERWOOD PARK

     Green Lake is at last to have a bathing beach and park.  A ten acre plat just south of the village has been offered the community by Dr. Victor Kutchin for that purpose and accepted by the committee in charge of camping grounds and public parks.  Final arrangements have been completed and plans will be effected immediately to provide Green Lake with this much needed resort.

     The doctor's one stipulation is that the park, which is on Lawson drive, and includes a beautiful wooded island out in Green Lake, although made a park, be kept as nearly in its natural state as possible.  The plot will be known as Hattie Sherwood Park as it is given by Dr. Kutchin as a memorial to his wife, Hattie Sherwood Kutchin.

     The name Sherwood has been connected with the land since the early days when Green Lake was known as Dartford.  It was one of the Sherwoods who secured the land from the government and developed the water power now owned by Victor Lawson of the Chicago Daily news.  A bridge is to be constructed from the mainland to the island.  Bathing house and comfort stations will be erected and places for cooking provided.  A caretaker will be secured so that every effort to make the park a safe, sane and pleasing spot will be effective.

     Dr. Kutchin's foremost desire is to have the place one that will be a tribute to the memory of his wife, a woman of beauty and character who was beloved by all who knew her.

     NOTE  The people of the community extend their appreciation to Dr. Victor Kutchin for his very liberal gift of the above property.  Let us all do our best to make this park a pleasant place to go.