Anyone remember the canvas tents used in the 1960s - rope was thrown over tree branch for height and three more rope were tied to area trees for width. Would sleep four. Made in St Paul in home basement - sold for about $75.

Not familiar with the rope over the tree, but a center pole with tie outs like this one:
BSA Overnighter Canvas Tent

Or a Baker style like Frost Rivers Campfire:
Campfire

Not canvas but my Lean 3 can also be set up with no center pole:

MidwestFirecraft: "Not familiar with the rope over the tree, but a center pole with tie outs like this one:
BSA Overnighter Canvas Tent

Or a Baker style like Frost Rivers Campfire:
Campfire

Not canvas but my Lean 3 can also be set up with no center pole:

"

We used a friends Lean 3 on a week long trip in Canada in June 2019. It worked out well and easily accommodated our group of 6.

deerfoot: "We used a friends Lean 3 on a week long trip in Canada in June 2019. It worked out well and easily accommodated our group of 6. "

That's a solid friend that will lend his Lean 3. Nothing better when the black flies are out and your eating in peace staring out at the lake.

kidread: "Anyone remember the canvas tents used in the 1960s - rope was thrown over tree branch for height and three more rope were tied to area trees for width. Would sleep four. Made in St Paul in home basement - sold for about $75. "

My first year at camp we used tents like that. They had a very distinctive odor that I can still recall. I always thought they were old army surplus tents. Dark, heavy, smelly.

Spent many a night in the Banard (sp) tent. First tent I used in the BWCA, my father sprung for renting the separate floor. Used them also at a boys camp for a number of years. I believe they were made in MPLS, the shop was on Lake street the owner lived next door to a mentor/ high school teacher of mine. When floors became standard they were about 12lbs and could sleep 4 persons, great simple design.

I someday hope to create a similar tent out of 1.1 sil nylon. I have spent some parts of night where sleep eludes you thinking about how to make it. who knows if I will ever do it.

Thanks for taking me down memory lane kidread!

Dan - That's the tent - Barnard or Banard - that's the tent name. Used it for years at Camp Trelipe, Camp Fire Girls camp in northern Minnesota, canoe tripping in BWCA! Great tent no sticks, poles or stakes! "Newer" one even had a snake guard! Thanks you so for the history/memory lesson! Reminds me of all the Sigurd Olson books around the campfire!
kidread Phyllis

the nickname was barnyard tents

straighthairedcurly: "

kidread: "Anyone remember the canvas tents used in the 1960s - rope was thrown over tree branch for height and three more rope were tied to area trees for width. Would sleep four. Made in St Paul in home basement - sold for about $75. "

My first year at camp we used tents like that. They had a very distinctive odor that I can still recall. I always thought they were old army surplus tents. Dark, heavy, smelly."

I always liked the smell of old canvas probably because it brings back the memories of the church camp and scout camps I went to in the late 50’s and early 60’s. I still have a old Wenzel canvas umbrella tent in the attic of the garage from 1960’s.

You really had to store canvas tents clean and dry to make them livable and long lived. I didn't get a nylon tent until the early 1980s.

My early canoe trip days were with BSA Voyager tents. Lightweight canvas, no floor(sod cloth to overlap with ground cloth). Three people fit OK. 12 lbs dry, but they were often packed up wet.

Voyager tent at Saint Croix River camp 1971

The canvas tent I spent the most time in was a little "mountain tent" made by Laacke and Joy in Milwaukee. My father acquired it in the late 1960s and I ended up with it full time in 1972. I spent 90 nights in that tent in 1972! It had a coated nylon floor and triangular footprint in the back making it seem spacious. It was tight for two adults, but I mostly used it solo. 8.5 lbs dry. It was very lightweight canvas, but quite well made. I'd buy another one today if they were still made.

Isle Royale 1972