Historically speaking …

Full speed ahead for Eric Hauschild, 93 Eric Hauschild is a charming, intelligent and handsome man, with deep blue eyes and snow-white hair. He first came to Sparta in 1939 as a summer resident at Lake Mohawk. When I interviewed him at his daughter’s house, he had just bought himself a new Cadillac (over the phone) that he will use on his trips (alone) back and forth to Florida. His speed on the expressway is not to be discussed in a family newspaper. And, by the way, he’s 93. Hauschild was born in Germany in 1912 and lived beside the Elbe River. His father was a ship captain and, at age 15, Eric decided to follow in his footsteps and signed up on a sailing ship. Always the daring spirit, he changed his mind and instead came to the U.S. to live with his uncle, who owned an ice cream parlor in N.J. He never saw his father again and his mother died three years later, her heart broken from his absence. In 1934 he married Eleanor, the love of his life, and bought an ice cream parlor of his own in Union City. With eight employees, Hauschild and his wife manufactured their own ice cream, made hand-dipped chocolates, and served lunch in their 100-seat restaurant - for seven days a week, 10 hours a day. They worked there for 28 years. n Moving on up Soon after Hauschild came to Sparta in 1931, he bought a lot on East Shore Trail and built a house. In 1946 he bought another lot on East Shore Trail and built a larger house. From there he moved into a home he built on Manitou Island, and then to his final home at the end of Rainbow Trail. He retired in 1961. In 1979, along with other investors, he started up the First Federal Savings and Loan at 8 Main St. Along the way, Hauschild built a couple of “spec” houses on East Shore Trail, sold those, got his pilot’s license and bought a small plane. And then he got interested in sailing - in sailing a Snipe, to be exact. He then proceeded to win every trophy that was available, from the Presidential to the National to the International trophies. Many he won multiple times. One Boston newspaper called him “hotter than last week’s heat wave”. Recently, he cleaned out his trophy case and dumped three garbage bags of trophies, keeping only the silver ones. Hauschild also worked for the N.J. State Police as a marine patrolman for 30 years. Ever the bane of youthful offenders on the lake, he was a stickler for the rules, down to the smallest detail. Nevertheless, he has some good tales about Lake Mohawk: about the two or three cars that drove into the lake, or the boats that blew up because of leaking gas fumes. n Man overboard In late November, 1967, two young men rowed from Rainbow Trail to Krogh’s Restaurant. After a “nightcap” they began to row the boat back home. They decided to change rowers halfway and one fell overboard when the boat began to rock. After 17 days of searching, the young man’s body was not found and the lake soon froze over, so the search was called off. The following March, the body rose to the surface and was reported by several lake-side residents. Hauschild was first at the scene and brought the body to shore. Early one spring, Hauschild saw a canoe floating upside down in the freezing cold water of the Lake. He could hear two boys, who were clinging to the canoe, screaming for help. All powerboats had been put away and all Hauschild had was a leaky, old rowboat he had salvaged. But he grabbed a paddle and a bucket and rowed out to the boys. They were blue from cold and had stayed afloat by locking their arms across the canoe. They carefully climbed into the old rowboat and Hauschild paddled and bailed his way back to his house, where he put them under the shower to thaw. Their father was Commander Howard P. Stafford of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, who also wrote a book on the” Big E.” He had rented a house on Manitou Island and given the boys a canoe for Christmas. After the rescue the Commander called Hauschild to express his thanks. n World traveler After 45 years, Hauschild returned to Germany with his wife. They continued to go back every other year. They traveled all over the U.S. and Europe, never making a hotel reservation, but always managing to find a place to stay at a bed and breakfast. Last year, Hauschild booked a cruise for 11 friends to celebrate his 70th wedding anniversary. After finally selling his home on the lake, he rented a house at Mohawk for the summer. Unfortunately, he also fell down a flight of 16 stairs. Although he broke no bones, he can no longer do his morning push-ups, but still gets in all his sit-ups. Sadly, his wife passed away this year and his blue eyes tear up as he talks about his companion of 70 years. This summer, Hauschild stayed with his daughter, who has a home on the lake. Ever the gentleman, at the end of the interview he walked me out to my car and we both admired his new champagne-color Cadillac. He said he would be heading back to Florida soon to escape the cold weather. I smile when I think of Eric Hauschild and his lead foot, and that shiny car - heading down the road toward his next adventure. Article by Judy Dunn Sparta history isn’t only about buildings or places; it’s also about people. If you know of an interesting person who should be part of our heritage, please contact the author at 973-729-4325. The next meeting of the Sparta Historical Society will be at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 12 in the Sparta Ambulance Building, 14 Sparta Ave.