Rice Lake=
- Maple Grove Memor=
ies
by
Dorothy Schoenmann
(Osseo/Maple Grove Press 2004)=
Rice Lake is an historic lake. Indians found it suitable =
for
establishing their mounds. Also, an encampment of these people was discover=
ed
and remains shown to raise corn and perhaps some root crops. It seems to ha=
ve
been a village site. When the freeway was planned and some excavating was d=
one
for aroadbed, artifacts were unearthed. That le=
d to
more discoveries, such as the Indian mound at the rest area as well as the =
yard
at Woodland Mounds apartment building.
In the year 1913 Rice Lake
was drained for farm land. Several farms were abutting the east shorel=
ine.
During the dry years of 1929 and in the 1930's it was possible to walk the =
dry
lake bed. In 1963 the Village Council decided to build a dam at the north e=
nd
to restore the lake to its original levelapproximately 40 to 60 acres =
of
water area. This would be replacing it from marshy overgrown vegetation to =
its
original state.
A public meeting was =
called
on August 9, 1965 for the purpose of restoring or raising Rice Lake
and to discuss a dam at the north end to flow into Elm Creek. A map was
presented by Arnold Cook, Robert Herit and Rich=
ard Conlin that included the property owners around the l=
ake.
They had the privilege of discussing pro or con for the project.=
The Council suggested=
that
the Parks Department have some access to the shoreline for recreational
purposes. All the City officials voted in favor of the project. The followi=
ng
resolution was presented that the village approve the restoration of the la=
ke
by means of placing a dam in Elm Creek to be in the best interests of =
the
village. It created recreational facilities, controlled drainage run&s=
hy;off,
eliminated insect breeding areas, and improved the tax base of the Village.=
T=
he purpose
of restoring the level of the lake to that of Fish Lake,
being an elevation of 891 feetthe same as sea level. The Village Engineer was to determine the
location, its estimated cost and get the approval of the Department of
Conservation. This estimated cost of acquiring the dam site, flowage ease&s=
hy;ments
and construction, legal and engineering expenses would be borne by the
benefiting properties. Hurley Construction was selected to construct t=
he
dam.
What beautiful homes =
are
there today. The east shore has a cemetery, name=
ly
Maple Knoll, but at one time sported the name "=
OldFish Lake Cemetery".
A tiny white church also once occupied a space on the edge of the cemetery.=
M=
any thanks
to Dick Reimer for saving these items of history pertaining to our City.