By Isabel Hamilton
Journalism Intern
For over 20 years, the Historic Tram Tours have been a fixture of summers in Lakeside Chautauqua. Thanks to hard-working tour guides and generous donations from Lakeside families, they were able to make their return after a three-year hiatus, just in time for the Sesquicentennial season.
The first stage of the Historic Tram Tours began with lifelong Lakesider Carol Murray. The idea to start the tours was inspired by her time volunteering as a shuttle driver in the early 2000s.
“I had so many people say to me ‘What is this place all about?’ So I thought we needed some kind of tour of Lakeside with all its history,” Murray said.
That winter, she began researching and writing the script, and the next summer, tours began in a six-passenger, gas-powered golf cart. Later, Murray was able to use a two-car electric tram that many Lakesiders may remember seeing parked in front of the Pavilion on sunny days, awaiting passengers interested in the history of Lakeside.
In 2017, after 16 years of running the Historic Tram Tours, Murray retired and passed her legacy to Laurie Beam and the late Susan Warden. Reflecting on her time organizing and leading the tours, Murray said, “It was one of the joys of my life.”
When Beam and Warden took over, they kept the original script and tram, with Jeri Hoopes joining the team in 2019.The tours ran until 2020, when they were put on pause due to the pandemic.
While there was interest in bringing the tours back, the old tram could no longer manage the steep hills of Lakeside and would occasionally break down mid-tour. Despite Lakeside’s best efforts, the idea to revive the Historic Tram Tours in time for the Sesquicentennial was eventually vetoed. That is, until Wayne Warden stepped forward with funds for the new cart in memory of his wife, Susan, and other Lakesiders followed in his footsteps.
Wayne and Susan were high school sweethearts in Bellevue. They attended Miami University together and bought a cottage in Lakeside in 1988. This Lakeside connection helped make the new tram a reality.
Susan was a Historic Tram Tour guide for three years, and after her passing, Wayne wanted to help Lakeside purchase a new tram in time for the 150th Anniversary season, knowing how much this beloved program meant to his wife.
Later, Brad and Jeri Hoopes put forward a donation in honor of Jeri’s mother, Marie Bowman. The Lakeside Women’s Club, Barbara Martin and other Lakeside families also donated, allowing a custom tram to be ordered for the Sesquicentennial Celebration.
The new tram is fully electric and customized to fit Lakeside’s specific needs. It is powerful enough to make the trip up and down the hills of Lakeside, outfitted with roll-down covers to protect passengers from inclement weather and, of course, features a sound system with a wireless headset for the guides. Every detail makes for a seamless touring experience.
Beam was a driving force in facilitating the tours’ return.
“The fact that it’s the 150th made the timing really very special,” she said.
This sentiment was echoed by Murray and Wayne Warden.
Giving passengers the opportunity to see the far corners of Lakeside, Beam said the tours cover two main objectives. The first is to emphasize that Lakeside builds on the shoulders of those who came before us. The second looks toward the future, ensuring that Lakeside is not just a place to visit, but something to take with you beyond the gates.
Those who are interested in the history of Lakeside and the people and buildings that made it what it is today can purchase Historic Tram Tour Tickets for $5 at the Administration Office, cash only. The new tram holds nine passengers and runs Monday – Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Monday – Thursday at 1:30 p.m. One of the four tour guides will lead the approximately 70-minute tour, which starts outside the Hotel Lakeside.
In Beam’s words, the tours provide “an outline you can hang your information on,” and are sure to engage Lakeside experts and visitors alike, offering a new perspective on our beloved Lakeside Chautauqua.
