Robbins Roost

Robbins Roost as described in the brochure: Brand new modern, air-conditioned, housekeeping cabins with T.V. Secluded, peaceful location. Near store, cafes and commercial boat dock. Family and weekly rates. Gerty and San Robbins, Pontiac, Mo. Ph. Gainesville, Osborn 9-2177.

Any guesses where it is? Here is a hint, the property was patented by Jesse E. Herd on December 30, 1899. Doesn't help much, huh. How about this? It is currently owned by Phil Petars, who worked as a mechanic at Pontiac Cove Marina for many years. I don't have any pictures from when it was open for business, but this is what it looks like now (Phil is a bit of a "collector"):

The original owner, Herd, sold the property to M.M. Sanders, who sold it to the Robbins in 1958. (The Robbins also owned the marina at that time.) There was a house on the property when the Robbins bought it. The Robbins lived in the house and built the two rental cabins. The Robbins sold the property to Malcolm Wallace in 1961, who sold it to Sam Powell in 1962, who sold it to Les Poynter in 1966. I don't know much about Wallace and Poynter, but Sam Powell was a banker from Mountain Home. Sometime during those three owners the house burned leaving only the two cabins. Poynter only kept the property for a few months before selling it to the Romines. In 1970 Phil Petars, the new mechanic at the dock, moved a travel trailer on the property and lived in it until it burned in the mid 1980s. (I'm not sure I would want a residence there unless it was fireproof.) Phil moved into the cabins, and  in the mid 1990s he purchased the property. He lived there until this past June when he moved to the nursing home in Gainesville.

The impact of Robbins Roost on the resort business in Pontiac was short-lived. It did, however, provide much-needed additional rooms during the early growing period of the Pontiac area.

Next up: Guy Johnson's Store. Now everyone has a Guy Johnson story...