Pike Point Resort is located two miles west of Tenstrike, MN. The first cabin was built in 1923 and was the only resort on Gull Lake for 13 years. Hi and Ada Richardson came from Seattle WA. on June 22, 1922 and remember crawling on their stomachs through the hazel brush and trees just to get a glimpse of the lake. The native Americans at the time called the lake ‘Big Medicine’ because they felt it was good for their health to camp in the summer beside the clear lake.

Perched on the shore of Gull Lake Narrows, this institution is half Gull Lake summer resident hangout, and half charcoal fine-dining option. It started as a casino in 1938 and put in a kitchen when gaming was shut down in 1946. Smack between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, on US 131 Exit 61, you’ll find Gun Lake Casino. It’s a fun new gathering place, a favorite hang out, built just for you. With cookin’ local bands and acts, cool bars and lounges, fantastic food, over 1,600 slots, 33 table games and real hospitality.

Every year thereafter they added another new cabin until there was eight. In 1939 they built the lodge that is used today as one of the rental cottages. The Richardson’s cut and planed the lumber themselves for the buildings and the furniture which is used in some of the cabins and the original lodge cabin today along with the modern lodge built some years later. Meals were served at the lodge for as many as 75 guests at one time. Ada and Hi often served the Rotary Club of Bemidji a complete dinner with fresh lemon pie
for 50 cents a plate.

Cabins rented for $ 3 a day which included 3 meals a day and a boat. Minnows were 10 cents a dozen and boat rental was 50 cents a day. Fishing was fabulous in those days as it is today as well.

The Richardson’s would row across the lake to visit their in-laws and pick up a mess of fish . On the way back they would catch enough for their supper The lake was stocked from the Red Lake Hatchery and the Bemidji Hatchery….20 cans were put into the lake each year.

The Richardson’s had their own garden, chickens and cows. Ada canned fruits and vegetables for the farmers she served. Cloth linens were used at the dinner tables and water had to be carried from the lake for washing and cleaning. Food and ice were lowered in o a box in the ground to keep cold until the lodge was built. Then an icebox was built in the lodge for the cold storage. The guests would get down on their knees to get their milk and meats out of the box in the ground.

Mr. Richardson died in 1943 and she remarried Galen Lapp in 1952 and they continued to operate the resort cabins but did not serve meals any longer as she had in the past. The camp was full each year with the cabins having the atmosphere of the ‘good old days’.

Ada and Galen Lapp recalled using the detachable row boat motor by Evinrude. That is what they were called back then. The motor was actually purchased for the resort from the Gibbons Store in Bemidji in the early 1920’s for about $50. Twenty-flat bottom row boats, hand made of pine by Richardson were used at that time.

Guests always wondered how this tiny 4’11” woman could possibly accomplish all the things she had done during the 50 years she owned the resort and still retain her pep and quick step.

Gull Lake Casino Buffet Jensen Beach

The resort changed hands two other times between 1973 and 1979 until it was purchased by Ron and Joan Yearling. They had their work cut out for them with cabins needing work and updating. They loved the atmosphere of the log style cabins and the lakeshore of 950’ was definitely a reason to own this resort. The Yearlings raised 5 children in the home on the property and continued each year to greet new people coming in and to this day there are some that have been coming to the resort for over 40 years in this year of their first year coming into the resort business they had one reservation to start their summer.

Gull Lake Casino Buffet Menu

The newer lodge had been originally built down at the shoreline of the lake. The Yearlings seen that this was not the best place for the lodge and had it physically lifted up the hill and placed on a foundation where it sits today. They created a large kitchen in the lodge and updated bathroom. The log lodge still maintains the original furniture and a magnificent lake rock fireplace. Joan and Ron also had a restaurant in the lodge for their guests to enjoy and it didn’t take long for the word to get out what great cooks they
were and they were serving meals 3 times a day plus running the resort operation. It was just a few years ago that they closed down the restaurant so that they could focus on the great people coming to the resort and their needs.

Gull Lake Casino Buffet All You Can Eat

January 29, 2010, after Ron’s passing away a couple years earlier, Joan sold the resort to Scott and Sue Springer. Scott and Sue are excited about this great adventure and direction in their lives that God has given them. They are living in the remodeled original home site on the property. They will be waiting for all those wonderful people to arrive for their first season of owning Pike Point Resort and making memories for the years to come. They are planning many updates and building of cabins after purchasing the resort. Fishing, friendships, fun and hunting to the criteria should make
for a great first year.