More Beaver Lake memories... 

The times change. Adventures change. Boats get bigger and faster.

My mother distinctly remembers the beauty of that land as a youngster.  Districts #133 and #96 (County Line School) had taken a field trip for a nature field day with her favorite country school teacher.  The students carried their lunches for a picnic.

Taking field trips was a big deal in those days.  She believes there was once a road running north from the lake, just west of where Rick Johnson now has his home.  Because the road was in such poor condition due to some water conditions, it was eventually closed.

Picnics were popular at Beaver Lake. It was the family’s summer entertainment. The ladies always tried to bring their best food items. There was always home fried chicken and potato salad made with lots of eggs and cooked dressing. 

Yes, cooked dressing; dressing didn’t come with a label on it from the store back then. It was cooked on the stove and made with cream, eggs and oil. Mom says it was delicious. 

The picnics also included cabbage salad, home baked beans, cakes, cookies and they always had pie - even cream pie.  Group picnics sometimes had homemade ice cream, which had been packed with dry ice in silver cylinders and covered with a very thick padding.

My mother doesn’t remember anyone ever dying of food poisoning, though the days were often long. Leftovers were often eaten later in the day before everyone went back home again. 

Many remember the white building that used to be at the lake, where you could buy treats.  There was a wooden walkway in front of it, with doors over the counter top that could be turned up for access to the public.  There was penny candy, candy straws, licorice sticks and NeHi pop, which came in glass bottles.

But, mostly it was lemonade, made from real lemons. It sure quenched the thirst.  The ice probably came from ice blocks stored in the ice house, which were harvested from the lake the previous winter, then packed in sawdust so it wouldn’t melt.

Many people enjoyed listening to speakers, concerts, playing games and socializing with friends and neighbors at the lake. Though the cattle were probably moved from the area for large picnics, it was obvious this was their feeding area. You see, there was no grass cut by a rotary mower in those days.

The many picnic table benches were actually boards extending from cut off tree stumps.  Others just chose to sit on spread blankets on the grass.  Ladies wore dresses. So did the little girls. 

Men wore straw hats. A few guys sported Y pants that were tight at the knee, which required long, dark stockings to cover their legs.  Mom insists she remembers there being a rather dilapidated gazebo or screened band stand at one time. 

Some also remember the dances and the roller rink at the lake.  Roller skates could be rented and put on by using a silver skate key to attach them to the soles of the shoes.  

Games were also played in the park. Most likely, you’d find people of all ages having fun with three-legged races, sack races, plain races, all categorized by ages and gender. My mother has a distinct memory of the casting rod events for the men.  

Dr. Algie, the local dentist, was almost certain to win because he could put that “plug” right where he wanted it. Also, not to forget were the ball games.

I remember snowmobiling across the lake often on our way to St. Olaf Lake.  One year, we observed slushy spots of rather red looking ice.  We never knew why, but it was about the same time that oak trees were threatened by an oak blight.

Beaver Lake has held many large ice fishing events for sport and contest over the years.  In the ball playing days, Hank Thompson packed many fishing contests in with prizes, including automobiles, trips, butchered livestock, groceries and cash. All this helped the fast pitch softball players earn money to support their team for league and tournament play the following summers.

The polio epidemic was responsible for shutting down the beach area one year.  One family was hard hit by polio, but their love for the lake had them building a ramp type access to the lake for a paralyzed child. Then, he could get down to the lake on the steepest part of the lake’s shore terrain.

There were tales about a large inlet/outlet on the south east corner of the lake.  As I recall, there was some hassle over it because the water depth could be changed to different individuals’ liking, by removing or adding wooden planking.

When the park was developed, a walking underpass from the parking lot to the beach area was put in for safety concerns. The wooden bathhouse on the west side of the road had been replaced by a modern concrete building on the east side of the road.  The new bathhouse had his and hers changing areas, cold water showers and concession stand. 

A picnic pavilion was built, and play ground equipment installed for the children. The fishing dock put in by the DNR has been a welcome and well-used addition to the lake.

When my mom worked at Lerberg’s in Ellendale, right out of high school, (which is 65 years ago now), I remember an enterprising gentlemen. He managed the lumber yard in Ellendale, and bought a couple of cabins from “gasoline alley” in Albert Lea that had to be moved because of road work. 

He moved them to the north side of Beaver Lake.  My mother said to him, “Good move. Just keep on going.”  Though he looked at her rather strange at the time, he took her advice and did just that. He went on to develop the west end of Beaver Lake.

During the Beaver Lake Tour held earlier this summer, I visited with people who now own the cabin formerly owned by Geraldine Rasmussen, of the Austin Daily Herald.  My mother and dad had worked on that cabin many years ago, and a good share of others around the lake. 

Who were the first lakeside year round residents at Beaver Lake? Was it Nels Jensen or  Clarence Peterson?  Or was it whoever lived in the houses on the Kast shoreline? The Wistercils have had two non-typical cabins on the north side for a long time. Who lived there?

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about the local happenings and family events such as family and school reunions, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and birth and wedding announcements.

In order to read about these important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us, so we can then pass along the news to you.  If you have news to share, please contact me.

Also, if our NRHEG Star Eagle readers would like to share birthdays and anniversaries of your family and friends, or you know of some that should be deleted, or names have changed, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

• Thursday, September 1st: Jim Motz, Payton Thomspon, Daryl Nelson, Jody Farr, Catherine Carlson, Gregory Ray, Dianna & Matthew Beckman, Adam & Lalya Lang, Jim & Marian Motz.

• Friday, September 2nd: Krista Paulsen, Brent Broulik, Barb Grunwald, Dean Richards, Logan Callahan, Peyton Moore Ayers, Randy & Barb Horan, Christine & Tom Krause, Amy & Jeff Conley.

• Saturday, September 3rd: Marie Carroll, Lori Ingvaldson, Merton & Trudy Nelson, Joanne & Mitch Wayne, Dick & Paulette Nelson, Tatum Wilson.

• Sunday, September 4th: Cody Blouin, Marc Vanden Heuvel, Melissa Wayne, Tea Boerner, Erin Dobberstein, Daniel Pitcock,  Holly Wangsness Dau, Rachel Arends, Melody & Tim Gassnman.

• Monday, September 5th: Beckett Dane Rasmussen, Sydney Marie Schmidt, Jennifer Broskoff  Dutton, Bruce Langlie, Beth Ann Suelter, Darren Hanson, Stacy Evenson, Grace Lorraine Kofstad, Rande Nelson, Dennis & Mary Jensen, Chuck and L‚ymra Hoogland, Brian & Angie Dobberstein.

• Tuesday, September 6th: LeAnn Hjoberg, Cindy Sloan Scheevel, Jackson Kilian, Tina Thostenson, Luke Trumble, Brian & Nancy Erickson.

• Wednesday, September 7th: Tanner Ryan Green, Caleb Wacek, Bert Van Hal, Janice Nelson, Charles Phagan, Allen Wacek, Jenny & Jed Popiel, Summer & Wayne Schultz, Erik & Gina Cooper, Al & Becky Larson, Brant & Rhiannon Boerner.

• Thursday, September 8th: Pastor Joel Xavier, Natalie Aaseth, Cindy Loberg Smolinski, Anna Lois Erickson, Brittani Hagen, Karen Briggs, Kelly Hagen, Amy Johnson Svoboda, Jennifer Johnson Popiel, Jimmie Olson Jr., Jamie Thompson, Bob & Karen Vaith, Brian & Jody Wayne, Jessica & Jay Eidem.

• Friday, September 9th: Eva Lauren Wayne, Charlie Pence, Paul Aronson, Bruce Cerney, Corey Haddy, Steve Hanson, Roger Herbst, Jim & Mary Brocker, Randy & Deb Parks, Spencer & Suzanne Wayne.

Wherever this year takes you, may you find happiness along the way.