The home was not very big—only 16’ x 32’—nor were there many amenities. The Galaskas built the place themselves, taking three weeks to erect the package, and the next two years to finish the interior.

For many years, this lakeside cabin was “a camp. "We lived in that hurry up world. You get a little bit of money, go out and get some 2 x 4s, put up another wall,” Richard says.

Old furniture from their city house became “the camp” furniture. The stairs going to the basement were made by Betsy’s father. The floor of the house was plywood until carpeting was finally put in. Eventually, electric heat came.

In 1974, after their daughter was born, the Galaskas moved to the camp and made it home for a year. “The basement was chuck full (of furniture),” Richard says.

Though they loved the idea, there were things that made it unworkable, including no neighbors and no garage to protect their car from the elements.
In 1975, they returned “to civilization.” They regretted the move, and looked forward to the day they could return. “It was always a place where we would go whenever we needed to get back to nature,” Richard says.

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