Lincoln Park as a Home

Taken in September of 1948, this photo shows the Haucke family living in the cabin in Lincoln Park. Six children and Mrs. Haucke can be seen in the photo doing daily tasks such as making the bed and shining shoes.

Today, Lincoln Park consists of a zoo, tennis courts, nature trails, public cabins, and much more. Despite this, the word home does not describe Lincoln Park, except for the zoo animals. In 1948, however, one family could call Lincoln Park home.

In late August of 1948, the Haucke family was evicted from their home in Manitowoc. With no place to go, the mayor at the time, Herbert Schipper gave them the option to temporarily move into a cabin at Lincoln Park. Keep in mind, the cabins at this time had not been renovated to include running water. So, the family had no inside water or bathroom, but they were thankful they had a roof over their head.

The family had previously resided at a home on Riverview drive. Prior to their eviction, the building was sold to new owners who wanted to convert the three-family house, to two. So, the Haucke family had to leave and find another place to live. They were given a six-month notice, but the size of their family caused for problems. Mrs. Haucke described how when searching for places to move to, landlords would often lose all interest in renting to the family when they learned of how many children they had. So, when the six-month notice expired, they were evicted.

The family at the time consisted of the parents and eight children. However, at the time only six children were living at home. The eldest two children were away in the military. The six children who lived in the park were ecstatic about their new living situation. They described how they never had so much yard space to play in. At the time, the location of the cabin was a short distance away from the woods, clearings, and the zoo.

For Mr. and Mrs. Haucke though, it was not as much fun. Water had to be pumped from a well and carried to the cabin. With no car and little time to go shopping, groceries for the family had to be ordered by phone and delivered. In addition, they had to buy a wash tub for laundry. There were also only three beds for the eight occupants. For curtains, Mrs. Haucke had to use string to hang them.

On the bright side for Mr. and Mrs. Haucke, was the fact that the cabin had electricity. There was an old-fashioned cast iron stove that provided heat for the Haucke family. This was crucial as they moved into the cabin just a few months before winter.

Mrs. Haucke once pointed out that the cabin was adequate for temporary shelter. She cited how the Boy and Girl Scouts used the cabin for overnight trips. She went on to say that she was worried about enduring the winter in the cabin. In late September one of the children who was away in the military came home and shared that he was not optimistic or enthusiastic about the family’s prospects.  

It is unclear when the Haucke family moved out of the Lincoln Park cabin, but no matter how short or long their stay, it is quite monumental. When in crisis, Manitowoc came to the rescue of the Haucke family. Without Manitowoc’s generosity, who knows where the Haucke family would have ended up living. For now, these are the only people that for a time could call Lincoln Park their home.