Boxwell Post Cards

Until relatively recently, there were two ways to contact people outside of camp while you were physically at camp.  The first option was a phone call.  Of course, for most of Boxwell’s history, there were no cell phones.  So, in the early days, you could use a phone at the Trading Post, but more likely you would suffer the walk to the Cripple Crab, wait in line, and make a call from a pay phone there.

Or, option two, you could send mail.

For staff, getting mail from the outside world was quite an affair.  While mail was nice, it might potentially come with some harassment at meal time if the mail distributor thought the mail was from a significant other!  Public embarrassment was likely a given.

Still, if you wanted to send mail, you could write a letter… or send a postcard.  Boxwell postcards go back to Rock Island and have only recently disappeared from the Trading Post.  This particular post card dates back to the early 1980s.  Indeed, this is long enough ago that Boxwell didn’t even have a numerical street address; it was simply found on Route #4, Lebanon, TN!  Still, the postcards were relatively common, even it not bought regularly.  By the 1990s, they were no longer an option at the Trading Post.

One of a series of Boxwell postcards available through the 1980s. This one was sent from Floyd “Q-ball” Pearce to Russell Parham.

Inside the Craft Shop

The permanent Trading Post/Craft Shop buildings that most of us are familiar with came into being as part of the 1972 Capital Development Campaign.  Before then, the Trading Posts and Craft shops were tents!

Seen here is the inside of the Stahlman Craft Shop tent in 1970.  The photo was taken as part of a series of photos during the 1970 National Inspection, when inspectors actually roamed around the camp inspecting the facilities and how things worked. Other than that, there’s nothing inherently special about this photo; it just shows life at camp in days gone by.

To the far left is an inspector.  The man with his back to the camera is none other than Floyd “Q-ball” Pearce.  Next is Michael Seay, part of the Handicraft Staff and soon to Reservation Business Manager.  Behind the fan is Council Executive Ward Akers.

Do take note of the tools, many of which belonged to Q-ball himself.  Every summer, he packed up a trunk of tools and toted them to Boxwell from Clarendon, Arkansas. Then, when camp was over, the tools went back home with him.  Q-ball, a personal friend of Akers, would stay on the staff until 1984.

Inside the Craft Shop before it was a permanent building, during a National Inspection, 1970. Floyd “Q-ball” Pearce, Michael Seay, and Ward Akers are all present.