Walloon Lake
| Walloon Lake | |
|---|---|
 |
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| View of North Arm | |
| Location | Charlevoix / Emmet counties, Michigan, USA |
| Coordinates | 45°17′09″N 85°01′06″W / 45.28583°N 85.01833°WCoordinates: 45°17′09″N 85°01′06″W / 45.28583°N 85.01833°W |
| Primary inflows | groundwater |
| Primary outflows | Bear River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 4,270 acres (17.3 km2) |
| Surface elevation | 177 feet (54 m) |
Walloon Lake is a glacier-formed lake and the headwater for the Bear River located in Charlevoix and Emmet counties in Northern Michigan. It is now home to many vacation homes and cottages.
Contents |
[edit] History
Walloon Lake was originally named Talcott. As the story goes, a local butcher, J. R. Haas, saw the name Walloon Lake on an old railroad map, he tried to discover the history behind the name. It is thought that a group of Walloons from Belgium settled the land at the north end of the lake, which was then called Bear Lake. No trace of this settlement has ever been found.
[edit] Ecology
The lake has 30 miles of shoreline and is an irregular shape vaguely resembling a human form. Hence, locals refer to their cottages on the "west arm", or the "foot", etc. The lake covers 4,270 acres (17.3 km2) and is primarily fed from groundwater. Its deepest point is just over 100 ft (30 m) deep. Recently, the introduction of zebra mussels has made the clear waters even clearer. For a few months after the ice melts (usually in April), it is possible to see to the bottom of the lake at depths up to twenty feet. Unfortunately, this causes certain underwater vegetation to grow rapidly, which can adversely impact the flora and fauna of the lake, as well as its recreational value.
[edit] Current Use
Real-estate value has increased rapidly since the 1970s, and many large houses have been built around the lake. There are two camps on the lake: Camp Daggett and Camp Michigania, the University of Michigan's Alumni Association camp.
[edit] Historic Sites
[edit] Windemere
Located on the North Shore of Walloon Lake, Windemere was the childhood summer home of Ernest Hemingway. The house is still owned by the Hemingway family.[1]
[edit] The Walloon Lake Inn
Originally named Fern Cottage, the inn was a destination point for many visitors and also served as a docking point for the steamboats that would take the travelers to hotels or to their cottages on the lake.[2] The inn has been renovated over the last thirty years and now serves the community as a bed and breakfast. The inn also houses a French style restaruant and a culinary school. [3]
[edit] Panorama
Notable Residents:
The childhood cottage of Ernest Hemmingway is located on Walloon Lake. Today, it is home to one of Hemingway's nephews.
[edit] References
- ^ Piehl, Beth Ann. "Windemere on Walloon." Homelife: An Up North Magazine. July & August 2009. http://www.miseasons.com/homelife/issues/julaug09/windemere.html
- ^ http://www.walloonlakeinn.com/history.html
- ^ Kates, Kristie. "Historic Dining on Walloon Lake." Northern Express. 30 November 2009. http://www.northernexpress.com/editorial/dining.asp?id=4266
[edit] External links
- Michigan DNR map of Walloon Lake
- Walloon Lake Association, Trust and Conservancy
- "Walloon Lake". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1618952. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- Tip of the Mitt Waterhshed Council [1]
