Mr. R. K. Boyd's recent letter to the Alert recalled to my mind the lake as I saw it the first time back in the summer of 1867.
At that time the dam at its outlet was scarcely one-half the height of the present one, consequently the lake was much smaller than what it now is, while its shore-line was altogether different; then its margin was almost completely lined by tamarack and ash swamp and cranberry bog, and beyond this and extending into the lake for a considerable distance, wild rice (the "monomin" of the Ojibways) grew in almost impenetrable profusion, Rice Creek, Pokegama, Moose Ear and Ten Mile were then narrow, tortuous streams, their channels being so crooked and choked up with wild rice and other water vegetation as to make navigation, even with a birch bark canoe difficult and tiresome. From time to time, as the need for more flood water became greater, the Knapp, Stout and Co., raised the height of the dam, and in 1875 it was completely rebuilt, giving it a 16-foot head. In the fall the gates of the dam were closed in order that there might be a full head of water for the spring log drive; as a result the lake froze over at a low stage and water, as it raised under the ice during the winter, carried ice and bogs with it and uprooted the timber covered by the overflow. The bogs were thus broken up into sections; many sunk and in time decayed, while others became floating islands. These, becoming a menace to the dam, were cut up by the lumbermen and "sluiced" through the dam.
Until 1872 Prairie Lake was known as Big Rice Lake (the "Nibbewa Monomin sokiagan" of the Ojibways in contradistinction to the present Rice Lake which they called "Pongee Monomin sokiagan" literally Little Rice Lake.)
Then the present site of Chetek and all the region around about was heavily timbered where only the native Ojibway (there were three villages located at different points on the lake containing about 1,000 souls) and wild animals were present to take note of the slow but steady encroachments of that advance guard of civilization--the lumberman--on their hereditary domain. Now, as I understand, and can well believe, Chetek is one of Earth's choicest beauty spots, where peace, prosperity and happiness reign supreme, and where the hardships and privations of its sturdy old pioneer settlers, may God be good to them here and hereafter--are but a misty memory. --H. H. Lampman