Green lake: jewel of west central Minnesota

GREEN LAKE STATS
Lake Area: 5,406 acres
Maximum Depth: 110 feet
Public Access: SW side in Spicer and on the S, N, NE and NW shores
Information is supplied by the Department of Natural Resources.

Every lake has its own mystique. "And if it doesn't, you can make something up," said local resident Allan Latham, with a wry smile. Latham was responding to questions about oft-repeated legends pertaining to Green Lake, located northeast of Willmar, Minn.
Green Lake is not the only lake in the region, but it is the largest. Ask anyone who lives near it and you're bound to hear the same response: "Green Lake is the jewel." An additional 14 lakes are located within a 10-mile radius of Spicer. The nearby town of New London touts its access to "17 lakes in 15 minutes."
Many articles and locals have repeated that Green Lake was named the second-cleanest lake in the world. While the water is remarkably clear, Latham credits Twin Cities broadcasting legend Cedric Adams with the proclamation's pervasiveness. While the claim likely is not based on scientific evidence, it was made to Adams and he broadcast it frequently, turning it into local lore.
"I always thought calling it the second-cleanest lake was rather skillful," Latham said. "If it was called the cleanest lake in the world, the claim could be argued. You'd have some explaining to do." Latham even believes that some fishermen probably still drink out of the lake. About 90 percent of Green Lake is spring-fed. In recent years, its frozen, crystal-clear water has been used to build the ice castle for St. Paul's Winter Carnival.

Other myths about the lake include that it claimed both an airplane and a locomotive. An airplane does rest somewhere in the depths of the 5,000-acre lake. A military plane on a training mission crashed in the lake during heavy fog in the mid-1950s, Latham said, and was never recovered. A mini-submarine tried to find it one summer in the 1980s but its biggest success was churning the sand on the lake bottom, making viewing near impossible.

As far as the locomotive, Latham does not believe that the lake swallowed a train. Rather,the story probably stems from trains that used to pick up and transport large blocks of lake ice used to keep food cold before refrigeration. In fact, more substantial ice-cutting operations were conducted on nearby Foot Lake. With train cars positioned on the frozen lake, ice was loaded using conveyer belts.

Latham also remembers newspaper accounts stating that bizarre "monuments" were discovered protruding from the bottom of Foot Lake. Many theories arose as to why the mystical-appearing monuments were in the lake.

"After a while, people realized that they were simply supports used to hold the weight of the trains that came onto the frozen lake for loading ice," Latham said.

Spicer Castle

Latham has strong ties to the area's history. His grandfather, land developer John Spicer, founded the town and built "Spicer Castle" in 1895. The Tudor-style home, originally built as a summer home, is now a bed and breakfast. Visitors can also experience a dinner cruise on Green Lake or participate in a murder mystery dinner held each weekend at Spicer Castle year-round.

Latham is pleased that the historic property has remained in the family; his daughter is now the manager. In his understated manner, Latham described his role today this way: "They let me drive the boat."

Grandpa Spicer was a friend of railroad magnate James J.Hill. The railroad through west-central Minnesota was built in large part because Hill, Spicer and others wanted to move wheat and other cereal grains to mills in the eastern United States.

The railroad also was responsible for growth in tourism. Green Lake became one of the most popular destinations in Minnesota for tourists wishing to escape summer-heated cities. Hundreds of people at a time took excursion trains from Minneapolis-St.Paul, Sioux Falls, St.Louis, Omaha and other sites to Green Lake. Resorts, first using large tents, were common on the lake's northwest shore. (Allan Latham, below, left)

Another local figure with a big impact was Col. Cushman Rice. Attorney LeeAnn Clayton, whose office is located between New London and Spicer, is researching and writing a book about Rice. A true soldier of fortune and otherwise colorful character, Rice is most often remembered for his financial bequest that built the hospital in Willmar bearing his family name. Built in 1937, Rice Memorial Hospital is the largest city-owned hospital in Minnesota.

Cliff Simon

Today, Green Lake is fully developed. Latham said the annual turnover in lake properties is about two percent. "I'd say that about three-fourths of the properties have been owned by the same family for more than one generation," he said.

Cliff Simon and his wife have owned a condominium or single-family home on the lake for 20 years. He originally entered into a condominium development on the lake with a friend back in 1983 - purely as an investment. But he and his wife fell in love with the lake and decided that they would commute to their jobs from Spicer. Cliff works in Delano.

"Green Lake has been a bit of a secret in Minnesota," Simon said. "It's one of the clearest lakes and it offers lots of good fishing and other recreation, and a great location." He also noted the escalating property values of late.

The lake has a sandy, rocky bottom with few weedy areas, making it a good swimming lake. The water in front of the Simons' home is shallow, enabling them to put a volleyball net on the water and enjoy a fun, cooling game in the summer.

"The lake has tremendous structure - a lot of reefs and hidden islands," Simon said. "Its deepest point is 110 feet deep but you can be in two- or three-feet depths out in the middle of the lake. It's a great lake for walleye and bass."

Aside from the beauty and the recreation, Simons said that one of the best benefits of living on Green Lake is the friends they've made along the lake. "That's certainly one of the biggest treasures."

Joe Monnens

Joe Monnens and his two brothers grew up on the southeast corner of Green Lake, near Spicer Castle. "I never knew how lucky I was until I left," he said. Monnens works as a graphic designer in Minneapolis."As a kid, I took the lake for granted." He recalls countless hours spent swimming, tubing, knee-boarding and fishing on the lake.

Monnens has especially vivid memories of fishing with his brothers and father on an old pontoon boat. When the boys were five or six years old, their father would tie them to the seats of the boat for safety, and tie the fishing rods to their wrists so they wouldn't slip into the water. "He got such a kick out of it when we'd catch five- to ten-pound northerns," Monnens said. "We'd catch good-size sunfish, too. My dad knew where the good fishing spots were." 

Monnens' friends enjoyed the lakeside activities available out the door of their home but he suspects his mother's cooking may have been an even bigger draw. "My mom is an awesome cook. She'd make full meals for my friends whenever they came over."

The lake has lost some of its charm over the years, Monnens said. When he was a child, lake properties were mostly small cabins occupying small lots, giving the lake a "rustic, peaceful feeling." As with many Midwestern lakes in 2003, Green Lake sports more million-dollar homes and high-powered boats than just a few years ago. "A sense of commerce has arrived that has taken away some of the romance," he said.

But Green Lake still remains special to Monnens. "It is such a beautiful lake; the water is crystal clear. You can just relax on the porch, watch the sun rise at 5 a.m. with a cup of coffee, or watch the sun set from the dock. That clear, clean and crisp feeling - it's just beautiful."

The lake and surrounding area offer a variety of benefits to residents and tourists, he said, from the excellent fishing, antique and other shops, golf courses and just the small-town atmosphere.

"When you leave, it becomes a bigger world," Monnens said."But going back is always a fun thing. You forget about your worries. People are honest, true to who they are, unpretentious. You don't have to worry about [office] politics. It's a friendly place."

In what likely is the ultimate testimonial, Monnens added, "It's a place where I could go back to and live. People really care about the area. The pace is slower there but it's all about enjoying what life is about day to day."

Water-ski team: national champs

With such plentiful lakes near Willmar, it's no surprise that fishing isn't the only recreation. One very popular lake attraction is the Little Crow Ski Team. Throngs of locals and visitors watch the all-volunteer water-ski team perform on the Crow River each summer.

The team, which includes about 125 competitive water-skiers, had won 10 regional titles and two national championships heading into the 2003 season. Its jump team won a national championship in 2002.

During a one-hour program, team members perform barefoot skiing stunts, swivel skiing, "doubles routines," a ballet line, jumps off a ramp involving 360-degree spins, and record-setting pyramid building featuring a five-tier pyramid of skiers. Barefoot skiers are pulled by boats going 40 to 45 miles per hour.

The Little Crow Ski Team performs Friday evenings before a crowd in New London's Neer Park. The park's bleacher seating for 1,500 fills early. The largest crowd to visit Neer Park for a show was on Aug. 14, 1998, when 6,639 people cheered on the Little Crow team. The team also makes appearances at local summer celebrations.

     

Green Lake Area Fishing Information

LAKE ANDREW, 814 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie and largemouth bass. Walleye fingerlings are stocked every other year. Numbers and sizes of walleyes are good.

BIG KANDIYOHI LAKE, 2,692 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike and channel catfish. Walleye fry are stocked every other year.

CALHOUN LAKE, 618 acres Fishing: Northern pike, bluegill and crappies. Walleye may be found due to a connection to Green Lake by the Middle Fork Crow River.

DIAMOND LAKE,1,565 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike, bluegills and crappies. Walleye fingerlings are stocked when natural reproduction is inadequate. Walleye are abundant and nearly three-pound average size. Quality northerns common.

EAGLE LAKE, 824 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike and bluegill are present but in low numbers.

LAKE ELIZABETH,1,054 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike and crappies. Walleye fry are stocked every other year. Northern pike angling is good.

LAKE FLORIDA, 674 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike and bluegill. Florida is a good early-season walleye producer.

GAMES LAKE, 515 acres Fishing: Northern pike, bluegill and some crappie, walleye and largemouth bass. Walleye stocking has been discontinued, however, walleye may be found due to a connection with Norway Lake.

GREEN LAKE, 5,406 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie and smallmouth and largemouth bass. Walleye fingerling stocking has not been necessary in recent years due to adequate natural reproduction. It is a consistent walleye producer with potential trophy northern pike. Experimental regulations include a 24-inch maximum on northern pike.

LAKE KORONIS, 3,014 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike, crappies, bluegill, smallmouth and largemouth bass. Walleye fingerling stocking has not been necessary in recent years due to adequate natural reproduction. Walleye and large-mouth bass are abundant and some near trophy size. Quality northerns are common. Excellent crappie fishing early in the season.

LONG LAKE (HAWICK), 286 acres Fishing: Northern pike, bluegill, walleye and largemouth bass. Experimental restrictions on bass; all bass over 12 inches must be released.

LONG LAKE (WILLMAR),1,575 acres Fishing: Walleye. Low numbers of northern pike and bluegills.

MIDDLE FORK CROW RIVER RESERVOIR, 855 acres Fishing: Northern pike and some crappies and walleye. Walleye are not stocked. Northern pike are abundant and of average size.

NEST LAKE, 945 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie and smallmouth bass. Walleye fingerlings are stocked every other year.

NORWAY LAKE, 2,344 acres Fishing: Walleye, northern pike, crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass. Walleye fingerlings are stocked when natural reproduction is inadequate, and a northern pike spawning area is operated. Good-size northern pike are available.

RINGO LAKE, 716 acres Fishing: Walleye,northern pike and crappie. Walleye fry are stocked every other year. Ringo is a good early-season lake for one- to three-pound walleye.

WILLMAR LAKE (FOOT), 435 acres Fishing: Walleye,channel catfish and some crappies. Walleye fry are stocked every other year. Good shore fishing. Walleye in the one- to three-pound range are abundant.
Information is supplied by the Department of Natural Resources. 

Beyond Green Lake

If the lakes draw people to the area, many nearby sites and activities keep residents and visitors busy when they're not in a boat. A sampling of other area attractions includes:
Sibley State Park- at 2,500 acres,it offers miles of hiking trails, birding and more than 300 nature programs
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center- a 500-acre center on the southeast shore of Lake Florida
Golf courses- Island Pine Golf Club, Atwater; Hawk Creek Country Club, Raymond; Little Crow Country Club, Spicer; Eagle Creek, Willmar; Valley View Golf Course, Willmar
Glacial Lakes Trail- 22 miles of trails built on an old Burlington Northern Railroad bed. Twelve miles are paved for biking, inline skating and hiking, with an adjacent path for horseback riding. The trail runs through rolling hills, prairie, wetlands and farm land
Green Lake Bible Camp Chapel- Norwegian-style stave church on Green Lake
The Barn Community Theater- stages seven shows a year in Willmar
Monongalia Historical Society Genealogical Library and Museum- Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, Thursdays through Sundays. The society serves as custodians for Scandinavian artifacts from settlers who came to the area in the mid-1800s
Antique- and other specialty shops 

Quick Clicks
Willmar Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau www.seeyouinwillmar.com 1-800-845-TRIP
Little Crow Ski Team www.littlecrow.com Hotline: 320-354-5684
Spicer Castle www.spicercastle.com
City of Spicer www.spicermn.com
Area hotels, resorts, and campgrounds
Beards Resort New London,Minn. 320-354-2745
Cedar Point Resort Spicer ,Minn. 320-796-5146
Dickerson's Lake Florida Resort Spicer, Minn. 320-354-4272
Gauer's Sunset Shores Resort New London, Minn. 320-354-4220
Hide-Away Campground New London, Minn. 320-354-2148
Island View Resort Spicer, Minn. 320-796-2775
Northern Inn Hotel & Suites (adjacent to Little Melvin's on Green Lake) www.NorthernInn.com 1-800-941-0423 

By Barb Umberger

Please login to post your comments.