Carol Boulette shares Fall Color Tour history

Carol Boulette remembers the early years of the Three Rivers Area Fall Color Tour. The event has long been associated with the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce for which she served as Executive Secretary for 35 years.

Sunday, October 18th, brought the successful staging of another Three Rivers Area Fall Color Tour.  Coordinated by the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, it’s a tradition that dates back nearly 60 years.

This week I had the good fortune to chat with Carol Boulette, a Three Rivers resident who served as Executive Secretary of the Chamber for 35 years – from 1950 to 1985.  She shared memories of working at the Chamber and, in particular, reminisced about the early years of the color tour.  Carol indicated that it originated as a “car caravan” around the Three Rivers area, beginning in 1949 or 1950, and was started by Estes “Estey” Griffin, a key person in the history of Scidmore Park.  (Carol_Boulette audio clip – 1:13)

According to Three Rivers – The Early Years, Griffin – beginning in 1938 – took charge of the birds and animals that were part of a plan by the Three Rivers Conservation League “to make the park area around the hospital and the present park into a game farm for exhibiting game birds and animals as part of the Three Rivers park system.”  This rather unique aspect of Three Rivers history continues to this day with the Petting Zoo in Scidmore Park.

Among many contributions to the park, Griffin erected the stone lighthouse that still stands on the point of land where the Rocky and St. Joseph rivers converge.  His service to the community was recognized by the Three Rivers Lions Club when he was honored as the organization’s first “Citizen of the Year” in 1965.

To hear the full interview with Carol Boulette (14:57 – 13.6 MB), click here.

Enjoy!

Bruce Snook
River Country Journal