Okoboji and Arnolds Park Photo Gallery by Brian Craig at pbase.com

Okoboji and Arnolds Park

My collection of postcards from the early 1900's of Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Orleans, Spirit Lake, Milford, Wahpeton, and West Okoboji Iowa.
If you have a scan of an image you would like to contribute to this site please make contact by email.
luckybreak@gmail.com
Thanks

Arnolds Park 1930's	Arnolds Park 1930's	Spirit Lake 1880's	Brooks Country Club 1940's
The Inn 1929	The Inn Air View	Arnolds Park 1920's	Arnolds Park 1924
Arnolds Park 1929	Arnolds Park 1943	Manhattan Beach Aerial	Manhattan Beach 1940s
Arnolds Park Aerial View	Crescent Beach 1940	Crescent Beach Eagle Pt and Gull Point	Crescent Beach Eagle Pt and Gull Point
Arnolds Park West Okoboji Minnewashta and Gar 1945	Arnolds Park	Pillsbury Point 1942	Pillbury Point
Arnolds Park	Arnolds Park and West Okoboji 1923	Arnolds Park 1942	Okoboji Arnolds Park about 1928
Upper Gar East and West Okoboji 1925	Arnolds Park West Okoboji 1942	Arnolds Park The Grade 1942	Minnewashta and West Okoboji 1942
Inn Hotel	The Inn Aerial	Brooks Beach and County Club	Lutheran Lakeside Camp
Pikes Point 1942	YWCA Camp Okoboji Emerson Bay	YWCA 1921	Walther League Camp 1948
Lazy Lagoon about 1960	Terrace Park Casino 1930	Casino at Terrace Park West Okoboji	Terrace Park Casino-1935
Terrace Park Beach	Terrace Park Overhead Oct. 18, 1954	Casino at Terrace Park West Okoboji	Okoboji Blvd Terrace Park 1909
Green's Beach from the West 1911	Bathers on Greens Beach 1908	Pocahontas Point 1914	YWCA Camp Okoboji 1912
Okoboji Club Aerial	Okoboji Club Lakeside	Okoboji Club West Side	Okoboji Club on Millers Bay
Okoboji Club Entry	Okoboji Club Dining Room	Okoboji Club Living Room	Okoboji Club 1949
Okoboji Club on Millers Bay 1954	Millers Bay 1910	Millers Bay 1913	Hi-Point
Millers Bay West Okoboji	Vestergaards Lake Shore Resort	Gull Point Lake Patrol Station	Gull Point Ranger Station
Gull Point Lodge	Gull Point looking South	Gull Point looking North	Grandview Cottage Crescent Beach 1947
The Cove	Manhattan West Okoboji	Manhatten Beach Hotel	Manhattan Boat Livery 1953
Manhattan Cottages 1937	Manhatten Beach 1953	Vacation Village Clubhouse 1953	Gilleys Beach August 1912
Coal dock and early Steamboats	Okoboji Store	Grade 1900	The Swing Bridge
Des Moines and Swing Bridge	East and West Okoboji	RR and Wagon Bridge	Okoboji Swinging Wagon Bridge 1908
Swing Bridge Okoboji Arnolds Park	Swing Bridge	Swing Bridge	Okoboji Bridge 1909
Wagon Bridge Lake Okoboji	Wilson Boat Works	Des Moines Swing Bridge	Swing Bridges 1920's
Swing Bridge Okoboji	Old Okoboji Bridge	Okoboji Swing Bridge 1909-1929	Tom Olson's Boat Livery
Louis Olson, Bud Fritz, Bill Mason, and Tom Olson	Okoboji Dairy Truck	Grade 1950's	The Grade 1907
Fishing between the Bridges 1908	Okoboji Fish 1912	Gardner Cabin and Monument	Wharf dock 1930
Pretzel Ticket Booth 1930's	Speed Hound Entrance 1930's	Midway 1939	Benits Amusesment Area 1930's
AP Shoreline 1930's	Arnolds Park 1921	Arnolds Park 1938	Arnolds Park Lakeside
Arnolds Park at Night 1940s	Nate's Night Club 1930's	Skating Rink 1930's	Majestic Rink
Benits Amusement Center 1920's	Wrestling Flyer 1932	Bug House 1930's	Lindy Loop 1930's
Tilt-A-Whirl 1930's	The Peacock	Grade between East and West Okoboji	The Grade Okoboji
Near Arnolds Park	Pillsbury Point	Stevens Beach	Pillsbury's Point about 1911
Pillsbury Point 1912	Pillsbury's Point 1942	Scheil Cabin Cass Bay	Marshes' Boat Landing
Biplane on West Okoboji	Morning On Okoboji	Road to the Inn	The Inn Beach 1908
The Inn 1913	Wharf and Beach at the Inn 1910	The Inn	Busy Moment at the Inn
Boat Landing The Inn	The Inn	The Inn Lake Okoboji	The Inn West Okoboji
The Inn Shoreline	The Inn Pavilion	Birds Eye View The Inn	Pavilion at The Inn
Boat Landing and Bathing Beach	The Inn Okoboji	Inn 1929	Inn
Falcon and The Inn	The Inn colorized	The Inn Dickinson Co Iowa	The Inn Shore Landing
The Inn Lakefront	Inn Flyer 1930's	Inn Flyer1930's	The Inn Lake Okoboji, Ia
Fort Dodge Point	Fort Dodge Pt 1930's	The Inn 1909	Inn Stairway 1909
The Inn 1909	Inn Beach Club 1948	Inn Dockside 1948	Dixon Beach 1909
Dixon Beach 1913	Dixon's Point	Dixon's Beach 1920's	Driveway At The Inn
Des Moines Beach 1912	Des Moines Beach	Omaha Beach 1908	Haywards Bay Store 1911
Haywards Bay 1916	Haywards Bay 1913	Pikes Point and Brownells Bay 1911	Head of West Lake
Arnolds Park Boat Landing 1910	Bathing Scene 1907	Arnolds Park 1908	Bathing in West Okoboji Iowa 1910
The Queen	Queen 1909	Steamer Queen 1910	1917 Boat Landing
Bruce (Cap) Root & The Queen 1918	Capt Bruce Root, Engineer Mike Wagner, Merril Root, Clate Elston	Queen and the Okoboji	The Okoboji, Queen, and the Sioux City
Steamer Queen	Queen	Steamboat Landing	Steamer Okoboji
Boarding the Okoboji	Hiawatha and Okoboji 1907	Queen and the Okoboji	Docking at Arnolds Park
Arnolds Park Dock	The Iowa 1910	The Okoboji	Iowa Navy
Steamer Des Moines Orleans Dock on East Okoboji	Queen	Queen	Steamer Queen 1920's
Queen Underway	Queen Unloading	The Steamer Okoboji	Steamer Okoboji
Queen 1908	The Okoboji 1908	Okoboji Steamer on Lake Street	Falcon on Lake Okoboji
Boat Races 1919	Okoboji Racers 1914	Bathing Arnolds Park Slide	Shore Line Arnolds Park
Bathing Beach Arnolds Park	Benits Park Arnolds Park Iowa	AP Slide 1915	Water Slide
Arnolds Park Slide 1911	Arnolds Park Water Slide	Swimming Arnolds Park 1910	AP Lakeshore
Boat Landing Arnolds Park	Arnolds Park Dock 1920	Queen 1930's	Arnolds Park Bath House and Slide
Bathing at Steven's Beach	Stevens Beach 1911	On West Okoboji Lake 1911	Brook's Lobby Golf Shop
Brook's Beach East Okoboji	Stevens Beach	Hi Ho 39 Boat late 1930's	Brooks Country Club 1940's
Tony's Pizza	Reds Cafe	Reds Cafe	Red's Cafe Interior 1950's
Gateswood	Gateswood Hotel	"Snow" at Gateswood Lake Okoboji	Gateswood Private Drive Arnolds Park
Gateswood Lodge 1950's	Gateswood Lovers Lane 1933	Rustic Bridge Gateswood West Okoboji	Stevens Beach Arnolds Park 1915
Lakeside Department Store 1917	Benits Arcade	Turnleys On West Okoboji 1946	Stevens Beach
Roof Garden Fun House Park Theatre	Central Ballroom 1920's	Central Pavillion 1930's	Arnolds Park
Arnolds Park Station	Just Arrived at Arnolds Park	Train Station Arnolds Park	Arnolds Park Hotel
Hotel Okoboji	Okoboji Hotel 1911	Okoboji Hotel Aug. 5, 1911	Arnolds Park Welcome Sign
State Pier Okoboji	Steamboat Landing 1950's	Roof Garden	The Docks Arnolds Park
Arnolds Park bathing beach 1938	Midway at Arnolds Park	Roof Garden Fun House	Amusment Park West Okoboji
Amusement Park	Arnolds Park	Pillsbury Point West Okoboji	Arnolds Park from the Indian Path
AP Shoreline 1921	Landings at Arnolds Park Iowa	Okoboji Store	Queen 1951
M. J. Smith Residence Okoboji	Okoboji Ice Loading Plant 1912	Ice Loading Plant	Ice Loading Plant
Spencer Beach Bridge	Summer Residence West Okoboji	Harry's Kurio Kastle 1930's	Chuck's Candy
Chuck's Peanuts	Kurio Kastle	Kurio Kastle Interior	Kurio Kastle Interior
Kurio Kastle Interior	Kurio Kastle Interior	Lakes Area Map 1908	Antlers Hotel 1907
Spirit Lake Fire Jan. 2, 1908	Spirit Lake 1907	Lake Street Spirit Lake	Spirit Lake Race 1915
Spirit Lake 1917	Spirit Lake Decoration Day 1926	Antlers Hotel 1930's	Spirit Lake Hill Street 1910
Dickinson Co. Courthouse 1910	DC Courthouse 1908	Dickinson Co. Courthouse 1950	Crandalls Lodge 1955
Crandall's Lodge Spirit Lake	Crandall's Lodge	Crandall's Lodge	At Templar's Park 1907
Templar Apartments 1930	Templar Park 1924	Templar Park 1929	Templar Park 1936
West Side Hotel Spirit Lake 1907	Indian Shooters 1910 Spirit Lake	West Shore Drive Spirit Lake	West Shore Spirit Lake 1907
West Side Spirit Lake	New Orleans Hotel 1907	Orleans Hotel 1911	Orleans Hotel On Spirit Lake
New Orleans Hotel	New Orleans Hotel	Orleans Hotel 1912	Weed's Grocery 1937
Orleans Hotel Built in1883	Orleans Hatchery 1930's	Weed's Cottages 1937	Royal Orleans Club
Milford 1900	Milford 1914	Milford 1915	Milford Fire Dept. Ladder Cart
Ponda Rosa Stage	Terril Iowa Post Office 1912

post a comment

Jan Osher Lohse		28-May-2009 23:33
My Dad was a WWII Fighter Ace from Estherville. Every summer I can remember, if we were within 2000 miles from Graettinger, we would drive to see Grandma, Kate Osher. The highlight was always a trip to Arnold's Park for Caramel Corn, Frosty mugs of Root Beer, the Roller Coaster, Fun House, Tilted House?, Roller Rink and later the Roof Garden! What memories! My uncle, Chris Jensen had a home on Lake Okoboji, and my cousin would take us skiing. Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane.

patrick Gigliotti		24-Feb-2009 04:54
my family vacationed on Okoboji from 1919 to the early Fifties. my grandparents honeymooned at the lake when grandfather came home from WWI. My mother saw Frank Lloyd Wright at the lake in the Twenties. As a child we stayed at Weeds Resort. does anyone remember or have pix of Weeds?

Dixie (Jansen) West		16-Feb-2009 18:13
Love your site. I was born in Estherville and we moved to Milford in 1943. I visit this site about once a month to see what's new. I have cousins still living in the area. Keep up the good work! Dixie (Jansen) West

dede mcfayden-donahue		14-Jan-2009 01:18
These are absolute treasures---only those with Okoboji waters for blood truly understand how wonderful these are---even if most of them happened before me. I will share them with my family. thank you so!!

Denis Parsons		16-Aug-2008 13:47
Thanks for the memories, I was thinking about the Bug House and thought I would Google to see what was available. I sure was rewarded as you have quite an exhibit. Excellent. I spent many times there in the 40's & 50's. Again thanks. DWP Umatilla, FL.

Jeff Calvert		24-Jul-2008 22:56
Brian - thanks for the memories. My family started vacationing at Templar Park in the 40's and continued in to the 70's. We always looked forward to spending the last week of June and first week of July there. I learned to swim and water ski there. Over the years many friends and memories were made. I noticed a posting from Jim Buell. Although I have not seen him in many years, our families became friends and were regulars. I could go on but just seeing the old place again and being able to remember the "good old days" is great. Thanks.

S. Licht		12-Jul-2008 22:32
Very touching photos. My inlaws have been going to Lake Okoboji each July for almost 80 years. In fact, they met at Camp Okoboji and celebrated their 50th anniversary at camp! Our family is the third generation for visiting the same waterfront cabins and travel from all over the US to do so. What a great place to make traditions!

Ted Kizer		15-Jun-2008 14:21
Ted Kizer- Thanks a bunch for the trip down memory lane. We moved to AP in 43, We bought Kingwood from Mrs. Ring, Just up from Kruses Beach[ became Trigg's later] on East Lake. Graduated APHS in 53. The greatest place in the world for a kid to grow up.

Ken Youngberg		30-May-2008 06:43
YOUR COLLECTION IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT!!! I GREW UP ON A FARM NEAR MILFORD AND GRADUATED FROM MHS IN 1962. I HAVE LIVED IN ARIZONA NOW FOR MOST OF 45 YRS. RETIRED NOW AND LIVE IN PRESCOTT, AZ. THANKS AGAIN!! DON OLSEN SENT ME THESE. THANKS DON !!

Ruby Lee		13-Apr-2008 19:37
That is a marvelous collection of photo post cards and brought back so many memories. I have a ticket dated 1909 good for a round trip on one of the steamers....Okoboji, Queen, DesMoines, Iowa from the Okoboji Steamboat Co., F. C. Roff, Manager

DIX		22-Mar-2008 14:53
Great photos! I used to spend a lot of time at the Park, especially the old Majestic Rink! Dixie West

John Smith		18-Dec-2007 01:07
Wonderful collection. I enjoyed viewing them.

Bob Brady		25-Nov-2007 02:07
It was great to get a view of Okoboji again especially the long gone Okoboji Club and the former Terrace Park. Thank you so much. Bob Brady

Jessica		27-Jul-2007 18:58
Have you ever thought of putting these images in abook? Would love to be able to have these in my home to look at.

Jim Buell		21-Jun-2007 08:50
Great site. Thanks for posting these. My family vacationed at Templar Park starting in the 40's into the 70's and it was great to see these old postcards.

Sandy & Mark		18-Mar-2007 02:27
Do you know of any post cards of the Lakeland drive in theatre, Tony's Pizza and Strand theatres in Milford?? What GREAT MEMORIES those places have to many of us. Really enjoy your site Craig, you have a big pat on the back from us. Thanks

Guest		24-Jan-2007 05:49
Can someone please tell me what year Red's Cafe (or Red's Place) closed? Did it burn down?

Donna Cummings		21-Jan-2007 23:24
I grew up in Spirit Lake and loved seeing these old postcards - sure brought back alot of memories. Would love to have a collection like this.

Mayf Marshall		21-Jan-2007 19:20
Bud Lytle and I were at Red's in '43 or '44 the night Hafner's Boat Works burned and changed a flat tire in the parking lot just in time to follow the volunteer fire truck from across the street.

Shawn H		21-Jan-2007 15:47
I love the vast collection of photos you have. I have a home on Rabels Beach on West Lake Okoboji and LOVED to see the photo of Lazy Lagoon whick we are just south of it. Thanks for all the pictures.

jim zimmer		15-Jan-2007 20:44
enjoyed your pictures - my family vacationed in the 50s at triggs - i worked for chester and grace the summers of 57-60. i was 15-18, what a great place. thanks for the memories.

Katie		02-Jul-2006 20:33
I am an artist and have started a painting of the old Okoboji Store. I have only black & white photos. I would like to find out the color of the building. It is light on the upper portion and darker on the bottom. Perhaps you have something with color or know of someone who could help me.

Tony Gardner		11-Mar-2006 19:41
Great collection! Many I don't have in mine. I'm interested in more photos of Gateswood. Also, Parkview Resort, The Hut and the Peacock. Thanks for creating the site.

David Mednik		10-Mar-2006 05:29
I recently found two b/w photos mounted on cards: scenes of Manhattan, West Okoboji (similar to the beached boats in your photo gallery) and an over-treetop view of the windy lake with docks and an anchored sailboat. I'm interested in learning more about the lake and especially about the Manhattan Hotel. THANK YOU!

Brian Craig		19-Feb-2006 03:34
Thanks Lori, glad you enjoyed the collection and stop back for more.

Lori Rute Fortner		18-Feb-2006 19:19
I really enjoyed looking at your collection of postcards!

click on thumbnails for full image