Walloon Lake
Encyclopedia
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.
, 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.
. Its deepest point is just over 100 ft (30.5 m) deep. Recently, the introduction of zebra mussel
s 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.
and Camp Michigania, the University of Michigan
's Alumni Association camp.
was the childhood summer home of Ernest Hemingway
. The house is still owned by the Hemingway family.
. The inn also houses a French style restaruant and a culinary school.
Notable Residents:
The childhood cottage of Ernest Hemmingway is located on Walloon Lake. Today, it is home to one of Hemingway's nephews.
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
-formed lake and the headwater for the Bear River
Bear River (Michigan)
Bear River is a small clear slow moving river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the largest tributary of Little Traverse Bay in the northwest of the lower peninsula. The river is formed as the outflow of Walloon Lake on the boundary between Charlevoix County and Emmet County, draining from the...
located in Charlevoix
Charlevoix County, Michigan
-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
and Emmet
Emmet County, Michigan
Emmet County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 31,437. The county seat is Petoskey.The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843...
counties in Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
. It is now home to many vacation homes and cottages.
History
Walloon Lake was originally named Talcott. As the story goes, a local butcherButcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
, 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
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
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.
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 4270 acres (17.3 km²) and is primarily fed from groundwaterGroundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
. Its deepest point is just over 100 ft (30.5 m) deep. Recently, the introduction of zebra mussel
Zebra mussel
The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a small freshwater mussel. This species was originally native to the lakes of southeast Russia being first described in 1769 by a German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in the Ural, Volga and Dnieper rivers. They are still found nearby, as Pontic and Caspian...
s 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.
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 DaggettCamp Daggett
Camp Daggett is a not-for-profit children's summer camp in Petoskey, Michigan on Walloon Lake. The camp is open and staffed year 'round. It is not affiliated with any group or religious organization, but is independent...
and Camp Michigania, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's Alumni Association camp.
Windemere
Located on the North Shore of Walloon Lake, WindemereErnest Hemingway Cottage
The Ernest Hemingway Cottage, also known as Windemere, was the boyhood summer home of author Ernest Hemingway, on Walloon Lake in Michigan.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968....
was the childhood summer home of Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
. The house is still owned by the Hemingway family.
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. The inn has been renovated over the last thirty years and now serves the community as a bed and breakfastBed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. The inn also houses a French style restaruant and a culinary school.
Panorama
Notable Residents:
The childhood cottage of Ernest Hemmingway is located on Walloon Lake. Today, it is home to one of Hemingway's nephews.
External links
- Michigan DNR map of Walloon Lake
- Walloon Lake Association, Trust and Conservancy
- Tip of the Mitt Waterhshed Council http://www.watershedcouncil.org