Trail's End Cottages

Trail's End Cottages as described in the brochure: Overlooking Bull Shoals Lake. Ten modern housekeeping cottages with screened porches and air-conditioning. Recreation room, everything for the family and fisherman. Write to: Bill Gregory, Pontiac, Mo. Phone: Gainesville, Osborn 9-2179.

The main house and a few of the cabins as they look  today.

 The resort property was originally patented by John D. Porter on April 6, 1908. He conveyed the property to Ewing Y. Mitchell, who then conveyed it to J. C. Ford on December 31, 1936. Ford conveyed it to the Hollingsworth family in 1951, who then conveyed it to Harry and Alpha Fuller and George and Lucy Elder on November 23, 1954. The Fullers and Elders built the resort. They sold it to Bill and Fran Gregory on August 16, 1958. I always thought the Gregorys built the resort, but the deed to them actually included the motel buildings in the description.

Fran and Bill Gregory.

Fran and Bill lived upstairs in the main house, and there was a recreation room for their guests downstairs. Bill was a fishing guide, as were many of the resort owners back in those days. The Gregorys' daughter, Mary Lou, still lives on a portion of the original property with her husband, Tom. Mary Lou told me she and her dad had to hide all their boating and fishing activities from her mom. If Mary Lou would fall skiing, her dad would say, "Don't tell your mom or she won't let us go anymore."

The Gregorys with their catch.

Trail's End had its own boat dock. It was the only resort in the area that did. There was a swim platform on one end of the dock. I can remember swimming from that dock a few times. I remember one night my brother, Dan, and I were there, along with another local boy, Paul Hagist. Dan and Paul were trying to impress some girls, so Paul decided to show off his fire eating trick. He didn't have any lighter fluid, so he used mixed gas out of one of the outboards. The gasoline flashed when he lit it, and he gasped and inhaled some. He burned his throat and part of his face. He wasn't hurt badly, but the girls were really impressed.

Fran and Bill were always involved in the community. Fran and my mom were very good friends. They were charter members in the Pontiac Ladies Club. The Gregorys were also very involved in the resort association.

Fran with Guy Johnson.

The Gregorys were the first resort owners in our area to sell off their units as private homes. I did not research all the subsequent sales, but the first one was sold to O.E. and Maxine Schaefer in 1967. Fran and Bill continued to live in the main house until they died.



A few of the cottages as they look today.