PCM: The 1950s

Bull Shoals Dam was completed in 1951. By January 1952 the lake level was at or near the bottom of the power draw-down elevation of 588 feet above mean sea level. By April the lake level had reached 640. The lake leveled out then for a few months and finally reached the top of conservation pool of 654 by March 1953. I'm not sure when the first lease for Pontiac Boat Dock was signed or who the first lease holder was as the Corps of Engineer's records only went back to 1962. Marvin Looney, a long-time Pontiac resident and son-in-law of the second lease holder, told me he thought the original lease holder was named Funchis. Funchis was here when my parents first bought property in Pontiac. I remember them saying he was from Texas and that he was very unfriendly. They actually thought they had made a huge mistake buying property here. Frank Stafford, the man who sold them their property, later told them that the dock had been sold to Sanford Robbins and they should come back and meet him. We moved here in 1953, so the Robbins must have taken over by then.

Pontiac Boat Dock August 1953

In the early days, Sanford must have been in business with his brother, Jimmy Robbins, who also built Jimmy's Court (see earlier post). Apparently that relationship must not have lasted as you can see this old business card that read "C.S. & J.W. Robbins, Operators" has the J.W. scratched out.

Bull Shoals Lake was all about fishing in those days. A few years ago Bill Looney, grandson of Sanford Robbins, showed me the old ledger from the early days of Pontiac Boat Dock. Their business would start to pick up just after the first of the year and would peak in March and April. It was amazing how many days they would have all or nearly all of their 100 rental boats out. The business would start to taper off by summer and was almost non existent by July. What a difference 60 years makes.

Sanford Robbins in front of dock, 1954.

The fishing was some of the best in the Midwest back then. Big stringers of BIG Largemouth Bass were common. Andy Vollmar, a fishing guide and wheeler/dealer, once told me he had a standing bet with anyone that he could go out and catch a 10-pound bass any night. Sounds like a fish story, but Andy had the proof.

Andy Vollmar

One day in the mid-80s he came in the dock and saw the picture I had of him with the fish. He asked, "How would you like to have the actual fish?" I thought he was going to give them to me to show off what he had caught, but then he said, "I'll take $400 for them." Well, I really didn't have an extra $400 for a bunch of old mounted fish, but they do make for a nice display.

Andy's fish are still hanging inside the store at Pontiac Cove Marina today.

The Corps had a little trouble controlling the lake level back in the early days. It reached about 657 in May of 1953. In June of that year they began a continuous draw-down that lasted until October 1954 bottoming out at the bottom of the power draw-down elevation of 588. I'm not sure if it was a serious drought or if the Corps just thought since they had all this power potential built up they should use it. Probably some of both. I was told that Theodosia Marina was just around the corner from Point 13 by the time the lake stopped falling. It was much smaller then but still no small task to chase the shoreline that far. The lake began a continuous climb then and got back to conservation pool of 654 by the middle of 1955. It bounced back and forth some through 1956, hitting a low of 627 and high of 655, but in the spring of 1957 it started to rain. The lake made a steady climb and hit the top of flood control pool, elevation 695, in July.

The road to Buzzard's Bluff hits a low spot at the turnoff to Hollingsworth Cove. There used to be a cattle guard there. In the old days we never said we were going to Hollingsworth, we were always going to the cattle guard. In fact, I had my bachelor party there on August 3, 1973. Not quite as glamorous as the ones they take to Cancun today, but still fun. Frank Stafford said there was no way the lake could ever get that high. But here is old Frank in a boat floating over the road.

Left to right, Alice Morgan, Mrs. Hammonds and Frank Stafford. Carl Rowen in the background.

The lake went down nearly as fast as it went up and then leveled out for a few years. The Pontiac area was booming in those days. The Pontiac Area Association was very well organized back then as you can see with this Ozark County Times news clipping.

Stay tuned. The 1960s are up next.

Written by Cap'n T. Morgan