REMEMBERING WHEN – Diamond Lake Area

By Archie N. Hulsizer

My first encounter with Diamond Lake was as an infant, over 85 years ago. My family was on a picnic where the boat access is now.

The Hulsizer family settled at Scotia in 1904, which was located on the Little Spokane River, about four miles from the boat ramp. A winter trip to the lake by horse-drawn wagon was necessary to cut blocks of ice to put in sawdust for winter and summer food storage. The big house by the river is still there and occupied by family members.

The park at the head of the lake, across from old Camp Diamond, was the sight of many summer gatherings and annual company picnics. On the Fourth of July, my mother would dress up all of the kids and grandkids to go to the celebration at the park. Many good times were spent at the dance pavilion and the restaurant located at the head of the lake or Camp Diamond. Mother often mentioned taking a horse and surrey from Scotia for picnics on the rocks on the north shore, past present day Camp Cowles.

The Diamond lake grange on the South Shore ( Highway 2) was the Rogers School. On many Saturday nights ranchers and others gathered to dance into the wee hours of the morning to music provided by my mother.

On the plateau, above the park area, was baseball field where my father was the pitcher for the Diamond Lake baseball team in 1920. He attended the old Scotia school at the turn of the century. Unfortunately, he died in a truck-train accident when I was only seven weeks old.

My mother later remarried Art Robar, who was raised in the area, and who began logging around Diamond Lake when he was sixteen years old. The accompanying photo from 1909 shows him as the logging train approaches the south end of the lake. This would be about where the Lee home is now located. The logs were dumped there and pulled up the lake to the sawmill.

In 1930 my mother and step-father purchased two lots at Paradise Beach and built a one room cabin all for $400. A hand-pump provided water and the little gas tank gave us light. At that time, the south end of the lake was unoccupied.

The highway, if you could call it that, was narrow and had lots of curves. The old 1921 Dodge coupe would get up to 25 miles per hour. The lots were full of trees and brush and a narrow path got you into the cabin and lake area. Our family spent many summers cutting the brush and digging the weeds on the beach. The lake was full of sunken logs and bark. I have been swimming in that spot for 76 years now and still find and stand on one log that was never removed.

One of the joys as a kid was walking up the beach a quarter of a mile, to Hulbert’s grocery store to buy penny candy. The Hulberts were wonderful people. In later years, my mother and I would cross the road to their home to play the piano and sax and the entire family joined us in song.

My grandparents purchased property next to ours and today there are still two houses on the five lots. Seven generations of my family have enjoyed Diamond Lake for over 69 years.

We have been so blessed to have so many experiences, friends, and neighbors who have made Diamond Lake one of a kind.

Caption for photo:

Art Robar and logging train ca 1909 as it is approaching the South end of the lake.