In
1926, the Blaesings started to build Shorewood Vista Resort, which was
to be an American plan resort. The first year, they opened a lodge
with four rooms and a single two-bedroom cottage. Each cottage was
built from 2x4's with exterior pine boards and amenities included a
chamber pot, pitcher, washbowl, linens and towels. George did the
building and outside work and Hazel ran the kitchen and dining room. In their first year of business, the Shorewood Vista took in about $635!
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Over the next
25 years, Shorewood Vista
continued to grow. The Blaesing's daughter,
Doris, began working in the business at a very
early age. The Blaesing Family's dedication
began to pay off and the resort developed
a reputation for great meals, activities, and
one of the first tennis courts at a northern
Wisconsin resort.
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In
1947, Doris married James Zambon of Iron Mountain, Michigan. The
next year, the Blaesing family sold Shorewood Vista to Hazel’s
brother. They purchased property on Lake Thompson in order to
begin a Christmas tree farm and to build a new resort, Holiday
Acres, for Doris and Jim.
The Blaesings and Zambons built three cottages
the first year, in addition to one that was already on the property. The cottages were built with fieldstone fireplaces and included kitchens
with dishwashers, a luxury which was unheard of at a Northwoods resort
at that time. A field house went up a year later and served as the
resort office and snack bar.
The
Zambon's two children, Christine and Kim, followed in their mother's
footsteps and began helping out at an early age. In 1965, the
property added an open-to the-public restaurant known as The Three Coins
Dining Room. The property also began to offer The Holiday Plan, a
modified American plan, to guests.
Over
subsequent years, Holiday Acres offered winterized cottages for those
who enjoyed winter activities such as snowmobiling. A new field
house was built following an extensive fire and was designed by
associates of Frank Lloyd Wright. Holiday Acres Camping Resort was
added in 1971 and included a campground with 70 sites that included full
sewer, water and electrical hookups.
In
1971, Doris and Jim realized a lifelong dream of bringing great jazz to
the Northwoods. Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, the Count Basie
Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Band and trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, among
other jazz greats, played Holiday Acres. In 1986, Holiday Acres
held its first annual Jazz Fantasy Camp, an event that has occurred
annually since. The two other perennial jazz events at Holiday
Acres are the Thanksgiving Weekend of Jazz, the Mother's Day Weekend of
Jazz and the Northwoods Jazz Camp Jazz Party.
