On April 10, 1894, President Grover Cleveland granted a patent to William W. Wilbanks for the property Cactus Ridge Resort was built on. William Wilbanks then deeded the property to Eliza and Mary Wilbanks on April 17, 1926. The Wilbanks then sold the property to Carl and Leona Henke on April 30, 1958. The Henke's built the resort. The resort business must have been as stressful back then as today because in 1962 they were divorced and the resort was sold to E. D. Curlee, Alyce Marbury and Dolores Poynter. The Curlee group then sold the resort to Blanche McCarthy on May 4, 1962.
I vaguely remember the Henke's. I do remember Blanche McCarthy. I am pretty sure she put in the swimming pool. She was friends with my mom, and we got invited up to swim in the pool occasionally. Blanche sold the resort to Frank and Rose Martinek on September 10, 1968.
 |
| Pontiac Resort Association members from left to right, Joe Morgan, Alice Morgan, Bill Haege, Edna Moody, Flo Haege, Hugh Moody, Fran Gregory, Bill Gregory, Theresa Shourek, Guy Johnson and Frank Martinek. |
I spent a lot of time at "The Ridge" during the time the Martineks owned the resort. They had four kids. Mike and Mark were the youngest and went to school at Gainesville. Mark was a little younger than me, but he and I became good friends. The Martineks had a great business; it was one of the busiest resorts in the area. I think mainly because they had their own restaurant, and they had the best cook in the country working for them, Argie Wilbanks. The Wilbanks family homesteaded in the Pontiac area, and some members of the family still live here today. The restaurant served family-style meals to their guests but would cook to order for hungry fishermen upon request. The Martineks sold the resort to Don (Bud) and Laura Herwaldt on June 30, 1973. The Martineks continued to live in the area after selling the resort, and I still see Mark about once every couple of years.
 |
| Argie Wilbanks |
The Herwaldts were very active in the community and very good resort operators. They continued to run the restaurant. They were one of the longer running operators of the resort. I was running the dock during the last ten years of their tenure at "The Ridge," so I did not have a lot of time to drop in on them, but I know they had a good reputation with their customers.
The Herwaldts sold the resort to Ron Bandy and Janis Allen on June 13, 1989. Once again the resort business took its toll on a partnership as Bandy and Allen dissolved their partnership in 1993. They ran the restaurant as well. Ron prided himself on his breakfasts. No offense Ron, but no one could take the place of Argie. Ron and Janis were avid golfers. She was one of the better women golfers in the area. I got to know her better after she and Ron broke up as she started dating Don Atchison. Johnna and I enjoyed many golf outings with her and Don.
I am not sure the exact date that Frances and Arlene Bahr bought the resort, but it must have been in the mid nineties. Frances and Arlene worked hard to keep the business up and stayed active in the resort association. The Bahrs' relationship could not survive the resort business either as they divorced and the resort was closed earlier this year. It was later sold by auction to local resident Charlie Dacus.
Charlie has been very busy remodeling and hopes to have it ready to open for the upcoming season.
Written by Cap'n T. Morgan
