Shady Oak Resort (aka "The Oaks")

Shady Oak Resort as described in the brochure: Loren & Reva Taylor, Pontiac, Mo. Ph. Gainesville, Osborn 9-2178. Nine modern, air-cond. housekeeping units, three just completed, with separate bedrooms. Free freezer service, Guides available, Neighboring store and cafe, Reasonable Rates.

The Shady Oak Resort property (pictured above as it looks today) was originally patented by Finis M. Smith on May 2, 1905. The Finis Smith heirs sold the property to the Taylors on November 19, 1954. The Taylors built the resort and kept it until 1967. I have fond memories from when the Taylors owned the property, as their son, Ricky, was one of my best friends back in those days. I think he goes by "Rick" these days, but then again I don't go by Timmy anymore either. Anyway, Ricky and I had a love for baseball. We both thought we would be playing for the Cardinals someday. There weren't enough kids for one team, much less two teams, so most of the time when we played, I would pitch to him and he would pitch to me. We used the north side of the Shady Oak Cafe for a back stop. If you knocked the ball on one hop to the trees along the resort driveway it was a hit. If you hit it over the trees or to Guy Johnson's store, it was a home run. If you hit it back to the pitcher, you had to run it out. I'm sure he would remember that he won most of the time, but I'm pretty sure I won most of the time.

The Taylors sold the resort to Charlie Storie on March 23, 1967. I remember the Stories but not much about the business those days, as I was in college and probably thinking about something else at the time. Charlie Storie's brother was John Storie, who started Champion Boats. John also later started Cobra/Viper Boats and then Hawk Boats.

Storie sold the resort to Fox-Davis-Nolan Corporation on April 20, 1970. I do not remember the Nolans, but Vickie Fox and Mary Davis were sisters. Mary was the only one I remember running the resort. I also have many fond memories of Mary's time there. Mary opened a liquor store in cabin 1 of the resort, just next to the office and main residence. Mary was an older lady, or so it seemed to me at the time, who was always dressed up and wore bright red lipstick. She was always very friendly to me when I would go into the liquor store when I was home from college. There were even times when I was short of money that she would run a charge account for me. The best perk was when I would want some beer on Sunday. Of course, no Sunday sales those days, so I would call her and she would say, "Check cabin 5 fridge." It would always be there. Mary also had a pet monkey. She had a screened-in area next to the main house where she kept him. When I would take friends in with me, she would say, "Do you want to see my monkey?" When Guy Johnson became ill, Mary became assistant post master. When Guy died and the store closed, Mary moved the post office to the Shady Oak Cafe. Mary died in 1976.

The deeds were very complicated after Mary's passing, but as best I can determine Mary's heirs sold the resort to Bill Sevier on July 30, 1980. After Bill Sevier, Bill Sebert owned the resort. After leaving the resort, Bill Sevier moved to Blue Top and was the dispatcher for the volunteer fire department for many years. On June 24, 1985, someone named Miller, whom I never knew, conveyed the property to Mike and Cindy MacPherson and Tom and Mary Cline. I think Miller may have been one of Mary Davis's heirs.

The MacPhersons and Clines remodeled all the cabins and converted them to apartments with monthly/yearly leases. Clines sold their interest to the MacPhersons while Tom was in law school, and then the Clines bought it back on November 12, 1998. Many of our long-time dock customers who now own cabins or homes in Pontiac started by renting cabins at "The Oaks," as it is now called. I'm sure there are many great stories about what went on at The Oaks. I welcome those comments.

Cap'n T. Morgan