amanmademecca • 1 9 2 7 - 1 9 4 7 - 1 9 9 7 - Greater Whitewater ...

A M A N M A D E M E C C A
• 1 9 2 7 - 1 9 4 7 - 1 9 9 7 •
Published by
Greater Whitewater Lakes
Property Owner’s Association

Whitewater/Rice Lakes are the result of a few visionaries
at the beginning of the 20th century. The book you have
before you is the result of a request for information about
our lakes.
That request led to the inspiration and dedication of
Marian and Charles Cruse to compile a complete history of
the past seventy years. A year of sorting their memorabilia,
checking many other resources, and working
closely with the publishing team has resulted in this History
of Whitewater/Rice Lakes.
The Board of the Greater Whitewater Lake Property
Owners’ Association recognizes with appreciation, all who
have worked on this project, but the title of “Mr and Mrs.
Whitewater Lake” goes to Charles and Marian Cruse.

THE MAN MADE MECCA OF WHITEWATER
A History of
Greater Whitewater & Rice Lakes
By Sarah De Lazzer
With Historians Marian & Charles Cruse
Layout & Design by Lynne Palombi
June, 1997
Published by the
Greater Whitewater Lakes Property Owners’ Association, Inc.
Whitewater, WI 53190
©1997 by Greater Whitewater Lakes Property Owners’ Association
No part of this book shall be reproduced without the express written permission of
the Greater Whitewater Lakes Property Owners’ Association, Inc.

Ode To
Whitewater Lake
Tell us your story,
The things you’ve seen;
Tell of past glory,
About the Indian regime.
How many campfires have blazed
on your shore?
Where are the braves who fished you
of yore?
How does it feel to be growing inside,
To be flooding new banks,
are you bubbling with pride?
The burr oaks are reticent,
They won’t disclose
Why they kept growing
Where no one ere goes.
Do you think they could have known,
Even back then,
That some day you would rise
And be settled by men?
That children’s laughter around you
would ring,
When living is pleasure,
And happiness king!
Bill Reese

Whitewater Lake–
as it looks in
1997 from
Charles & Marian
Cruse’s deck.
Prologue:
“Sit down here a minute. I want
you to see it,” said Charlie Cruse as he
swung a chair around for me to sit on.
The bright cold winter sun shone in
my eyes as I squinted to look out on
Greater Whitewater Lake.
Charlie pointed out to an area on the
horizon and continued. “Just imagine
it all. Originally there were three lakes
separated by pasture and marshland.
Way over there was the ridge and now
it’s a peninsula. Marian’s grandfather
and father used to farm right here.”
But the area I gazed on was a
sparkling frozen lake. Charlie’s wife,
Marian Gutzmer Cruse went on to
paint the picture of three separate
spring fed bodies of water. As a child
she enjoyed the beauty of Bass Lake.
The Gutzmer Family farm bordered its
shores. Nearby Round Lake was not
much more than a “pothole” in the
ground. Charlie could remember a lake
“so small a good baseball player could
throw a ball across it. Round Lake was
rumored to be bottomless,” Charlie
said, “ It was so cold and deep you
always took a good swimmer along if
you planned to take a dip.”
Whitewater Lake was the third body of
water found in this natural bowl of
the Kettle Moraine Forest. It would
become the site where man would
merge with nature to form Greater
Whitewater Lake. Marian explained
the settling of the area. She told the
tale of the Gutzmer family tilling the
soil and building a home, of learning
to hunt and fish on the shores of the
lakes.
As we stepped back in time it seemed
the waters parted. Before my eyes the
original sites appeared as past became
present. So began the History of
Greater Whitewater Lake.
4

Part 1: What’s in a name?
Names provide the means to record
history. They identify persons or
objects by distinct characteristics. And
so it is with Whitewater lake and its
original Algonquin tribe name of Waube-gan-naw-po-cat,
meaning whitish
or muddy water. Governor Doty later
gave the lake the Menomonee name
Waubish Nepayuaw meaning White
Water. During the 1830’s Black Hawk
and General Atkinson slept on the
shores of Whitewater Lake during a
skirmish over lands promised in the
Treaty of 1804. It is said that
Norwegian settlers came to the area as
early as 1830 but the first recording of
a white pioneer on the lake dates back
to 1843. By 1844 a group of 37
Norwegian immigrants settled near
Heart Prairie, on the wooded high
grounds of Whitewater Lake which at
the time looked more like a swamp
and covered approximately 50 acres of
land.
Nearby Bass Lake was estimated to
be around 80 acres. Between the lakes
were rough marshy lands and beautiful
forested hills divided by a high
ridge all formed when glaciers planed
the earth with broken ice to create the
Kettle Moraine area. Those early
Norwegian settlers could have built
their log cabins on the level farmlands
of surrounding countryside but
instead they preferred the woods of
Whitewater Lake, so like their beloved
homeland. A Gazette article from 1927
quotes Thomas Nelson, a direct
descendent of the Ole Nelson family,
some of the first Norwegian pioneers
on Whitewater Lake. “Many a settler’s
wife was caught crying while at her
spinning wheel– crying because of
loneliness for the ones left in Norway,
and for the hardships they were suffering
in this section of Wisconsin,”
said Nelson. The immigrants found
many challenges in the wilderness,
enduring harsh winters and epidemics
of malaria and fever. One-fourth of
the Norwegian settlers died during the
fall of 1846.
Those early believers waited for a
pastor who visited once every six
months. They held their church services
in homes, or weather permitting,
they gathered under the oak trees by
the shore of the lake. It was also during
the early 1840’s that the first dam
was built near the current Rice Lake
area. Constructed of large heavy
planks laid end to end and bordered
by side walls of gravel, rocks, and
sand, the dam shut off water in the
creek between the Ole Nelson home
and the Fred Wright Home. This dam
stayed closed until 1865, raising the
waters 15 feet over an area of 2 acres
and was the site of the Ferris Saw and
Grist mill.
1844
...a group
of thirtyseven
Norwegian
immigrants
settled near
Heart
Prairie...
Norwegian settlers
prepare for an ice
cream social at Heart
Prairie Lutheran
Church
5

Heart Prairie Lutheran Church
Hymns are still led by
the reed pump organ
that was placed in
service in 1948.
And always the Norwegian survivors
persevered in their faith in God.
Testimony of that steadfastness still
stands today in Heart Prairie Lutheran
Church built in 1855 on the shores of
Whitewater Lake. For $15, a costly
sum at the time for a small portion of
land, the congregation purchased the
building site of “thirty six square rods
of land” from John Arveson and his
wife on June 24, 1854.
The building began with bricks hauled
by ox cart from Milwaukee and
Whitewater. Heart Prairie Lutheran
Church still looks today almost exactly
as it did in 1856. It is famous for its
historical, architectural, and religious
features. Neatly painted walls measuring
24 feet by 36 feet provide shelter
for over 100 visitors. Inside, 16 hand
hewn log pews rest where they were
placed over 100 years ago. To this present
day, during summer months,
Heart Prairie Church continues to hold
services by the light of oil lamps. A
long pole with a basket is used for collections
just as it was many years ago.
Music plays from a reed pump organ.
There is a square belfry and seven windows
with one giving natural light to
the simple altar and pulpit, and directly
above it hangs a painting of the
ascending Christ. A cemetery surrounds
the church marking the burial
places of young pioneer men, women,
and children, a silent testimony of
their struggle to make a new life in
this rugged land.
Heart Prairie
Lutheran Church–
Photographed
August 13, 1931
6

So the three shallow lakes and
swamplands stayed as the surrounding
Town of Whitewater population grew.
Then in 1926 two local promoters, A.A.
Morgan and George Reddy of
Whitewater developed a plan with
Donald Patterson of Elgin, Illinois. The
three men would oversee the construction
of a dam where Whitewater Creek
flowed into Whitewater Lake. They
envisioned the creation of a spectacular
body of water and a potential resort
area where they could make a fortune
with proper investment. A surveyor
had told them the water level of
Whitewater and Round Lakes must be
raised nine feet and Bass Lake seven
feet, with water at the dam 12 feet, to
connect all three.
All it would take was time and
money. Morgan and Reddy would collaborate
as contractors, using their talents
to see the dam built. Patterson
invested more than twenty thousand
dollars in the project. They formed the
Whitewater Realty Company and soon
horse powered construction machinery
was hard at work moving stones and
earth. Wooden beams jutted out of the
ground creating a framework for the
poured concrete. Nature cooperated
forming two gravel side walls.
It’s hard to imagine the physical
labor it took to finish the large dam,
119 feet long, 18 feet high with six feet
underground. A 24 inch conduit running
80 feet long was laid and a 24
inch gate valve installed thirty feet
from the concrete spillway.
Whitewater Realty Co. agreed in
advance to make payments to property
owners for any land being covered as
the water rose. The farmers there
whose land bordered the lakes or
whose land might benefit by the rising
level of the lake waited anxiously for
the valve to be closed. No one knew
what to expect.
One of those owners with a wait
and see outlook was Albert Hanson,
who owned a small resort on the end
of the ridge. The resort had two cottages
dating to 1906 and 1920 respectively,
a boat house, and a small beach.
Building of dam at
Whitewater Lake, July
18, 1927.
The construction of
the dam was completed
with hand tools and
teams of horses.
7

1927
...the dam
would
“create at
the door of
Whitewater
a lake of
unusual
beauty.”
A road with a bridge to cross the narrow
creek ran from the end ridge to
the land on the other side. Other
prominent land owners included Oscar
Krahn, Andrew Springer, the
Gutzmer’s and the Gnatzig’s. The
Gutzmer Farm and the Gnatzig Farm
still stand on the shores of Greater
Whitewater Lake. All of these
landowners would later play a part in
the controversy surrounding the dam.
Community members planned a
great celebration to mark the dam
closing. At three o’clock in the afternoon
on July 28, 1927 the business
houses of Whitewater locked their
doors to permit citizens to attend the
ceremonies. A signal given by the playing
of a brass band would alert families
to gather their picnic lunches and
Above, three women
stand looking at the
bridge that crossed the
creek onto Albert
Hansen’s land.
July 3, 1927.
Concrete was poured
into wooden forms to
created the 119 foot long
and 18 foot high dam.
Six feet of the dam wall
is underground.
8

Fred Leuning of the
Milwaukee Journal
spoke to the crowd
gathered at the new
dam site on July
28, 1927
The businesses in the
city of Whitewater closed
at three o’clock in the
afternoon
permitting the
citizens to attend the
dam closing
ceremonies.
A brass band played
and fireworks lit up the
sky in celebration.
9

climb into their gas carryalls (now
known as automobiles) to gather
among the oak trees at the dam site.
Fred Luening of the Milwaukee
Journal spoke to the crowd, expressing
deep satisfaction that the dam effort
was to further a very real conservation
movement. Luening stated his belief
that the dam would “create at the door
of Whitewater a lake of unusual beauty.”
His hand turned the wheel that
would stop the water. Experts at the
time estimated it would take thirteen
months before the lake reached the
expected height of twelve feet at the
dam. Fireworks soared in the sky to
announce the birth of the man made
Mecca.
No one counted on the rapid rise of
water or the severe fall of the nation’s
economy during the Great Depression.
The undercapitalized Whitewater
Realty Company counted on land sales
to pay off the options on lands to be
flooded. But when they could not
make the payments, landowners
involved wanted their money or their
land back.
Groups for and against the project
organized. In an editorial letter printed
September 5, 1929 in the Whitewater
Register, Albert Hanson explained his
position on the Whitewater Lake project.
Hanson said he had signed an
option for one year “to please” his
neighbors, although he was “entirely
opposed the project when it was first
presented.” Hanson’s principal objection
centered on his belief that the
“men promoting it had insufficient
April 4, 1929
May 25, 1930
10

The Albert Hanson
Family, 1920.
financial backing to put it across.
Hanson said that when “not a cent
was ever given on the option,” he
sought legal counsel and redress for
damages to his property in the amount
of $2200. A Whitewater Register news
clipping dated April 17, 1930 stated
that “failure to take up options when
they expired in some cases has
prompted the owners to demand their
land back. Such is the attitude of
Albert Hanson, Oscar Krahn, and
Andrew Springer who seconded him in
that position.” Hanson filed suit
against the Whitewater Realty
Company. The flooding of Townline
road by rising lake waters also prompted
the concern of some citizens.
Other landowners believed the
greater lake would increase the value
of their land which might sell by the
foot instead of by acre. They wanted to
renew their options with the lake company.
Proponents of the new lake
gathered for a meeting at the Gutzmer
Farm in April 1930. In the meantime,
Greater Whitewater Lake kept growing.
Clear blue waters expanded to fill
721 acres of land creating 11 miles of
shoreline. The lake was stocked with
bass and flocks of ducks gathered to
feed on the whitewashed gravel
shores.
To the dismay of those favoring the
greater lake, Circuit court Judge
Smalley issued an order requiring the
Left, Hansens’ boat
house and pier, 1906
Right, the flooding of
Townline road
prompted residents to
take legal action
against Whitewater
Realty Company.
11

On May 16, 1930 the valve at the dam was opened
and the draining of Whitewater Lake began after
just two years, nine months and 27 days.
The photo below shows the valve being opened.
Above is a view of the spillway just nine days after
the valve was opened.
Right: “Lela, August 13, 1931”
12

water to be removed from the land of
those who had filed suit. The judge
also awarded Albert Hanson damages
of $500 for the rental loss of cottages,
$150 for damage to the beach, boat
and bathhouse, $100 for damage to
concrete steps and platforms, and $225
for damages to trees and the duck
yard. The treasurer of the Whitewater
Lake Company, Easton Johnson,
admitted in court the company had
less than $100 in its account and debts
which included $13,000 to Donald
Patterson and $600 for the first survey.
The dam was opened by George
Reddy on May 16, 1930, two years,
nine months and twenty seven days
after the wheel first turned to close it.
Approximately 6000 people came out
to see the lake turned back to a marsh,
watching the clear shores recede just
as they finally reached their potential
splendor. An article in the April 13,
1930 issue of the Whitewater Register
implored an “outstanding citizen” who
could go out to the lake, gather those
interested about him and get them to
consent that all legal actions be
quashed. An editorial by Fred Luening
appeared in the Milwaukee Journal
and demanded the Railroad
Commission turn its attention to the
Greater Whitewater Lake matter
immediately. “Whose lake is it? Who
has title to, or authority over, any lake
in Wisconsin,” Luening said,
“Probably the railroad commission,
acting for the state. Probably no considerable
body of water, in part natural,
can be disposed of as dam owners
or land owners see fit. Probably they
cannot destroy a lake even if they created
it. The state has something to say
about that.”
But the waters were left to drain
until the three small lakes were left.
Springs continued to fill Whitewater
Creek, flowing north to Whitewater
and on to the Bark and Rock rivers
exiting to the Mississippi and finally
the sea. The area reverted to a fine
spot for harvesting marsh hay, used as
insulation for winter construction
projects.
And the dream of Greater
Whitewater Lake lived on in the memories
of a number of outstanding citizens
who would wait twenty years to
reorganize and plan its rebirth.
1930
...Judge
Smalley
issued an
order
requiring
the water be
removed...
Stewart’s Cabin on
Round Lake, 1927
13

1945
“...tedious
political
process to
close the
dam”
Part II:
The Community Unites
It could be said the old adage
“break a leg” brought the luck which
resulted in the revival of Greater
Whitewater Lake. Well known area
writer Bob Brown of Fort Atkinson
remembers his father’s fateful “fall on
an icy front step in January 1943 as
responsible in great part for the reappearance
of the lake that is now
enjoyed by thousands of visitors each
year, and for cottage and year-round
homeowners in large numbers.”
The fall resulted in a fractured
kneecap for Whitewater attorney
Ralph V. Brown who had attended the
festivities for the first closing of the
dam with his young son Bob. The
senior Brown fondly recalled the crystal
clear waters and believed the lake
could be restored. He could not return
to his law office for many weeks of his
rehabilitation, so he turned to his law
books seeking a legal answer to recreating
Greater Whitewater Lake.
And Ralph Brown found what he
was looking for. The law allowed county
park commissioners to request and
use county funds to improve waterways
and, coupled with the county
power to condemn lands, were the
legal mechanisms to bring Greater
Whitewater Lake back to life. Brown
was a well known former Walworth
County District Attorney. When he
brought his findings to the attention
of the Walworth County Courthouse,
he was promptly appointed to the
Walworth County Park Commission to
help implement the legal steps needed
to give Walworth County another jewel
to add to its cluster of glistening lakes.
So Brown, along with Park
Commission members, Riley S. Young,
By March 3, 1946
much of the area had
reverted back to
marshland.
14

Darien, chairman; Attorney Charles
Wilson, Elkhorn; James G. Allen, Lake
Geneva; L.A. Hollister, Lake Geneva;
J.E. Shanahan, Delavan; Charles J.
Schwarts, Troy and Lloyd Jensen,
Elkhorn, the Walworth County
Engineer, started many months of
work. With the backing of local
Whitewater businessmen, the tedious
political process to close the dam on
the lake inched forward.
A number of other stalwart citizens
joined in the effort, bringing the issue
before the Walworth County Board of
Supervisors. In April 1944 the
Janesville Gazette reported that the
“Whitewater Lake question” had
recently been revived by the
Whitewater Town Board “which
accomplished some valuable preliminary
work on the matter” and was
expected to ask the county board to
consider the acquisition of a piece of
shore land that would be used as a
public county park.
The “valuable preliminary work”
had been conducted by Whitewater
Town Board Chairman Henry Ludtke,
and Supervisors Alvin Anderson and
Henry Gutzmer. These men had interviewed
17 resident land owners surrounding
the lake and found 16 of
them were in favor of closing the dam.
These men had also enlisted the help
of the Whitewater Chamber of
Commerce which appointed five men;
Neil Henderson, Cordie Hickey,
Attorney R.V. Brown, H.C. Leffingwell,
and Whitewater Register editor R.K.
Coe, to look into the matter. All these
efforts were reported to the Walworth
County Board and by April 26, 1945
the Whitewater Register wrote:
“If you are one of those who think
that the Whitewater Lake project is a
dead issue you are wrong. Last fall the
County Board voted to put a one-tenth
A public hearing was
held to determine if
Walworth County could
operate and maintain
the dam in Whitewater
creek for recreational
purposes.
15

of a mill tax in the budget for the
County Park Commission, and the
money, some $78,000, is now available
to that body.”
The article remarked that Park
Commission members enthusiastically
favored the restoration of Whitewater
Lake commenting on what it would
eventually mean in “tax returns to the
county to have that fine body of water
surrounded by vacationers’ homes.”
The members of the commission
viewed the lake and the location of the
dam, investigating the possibility of
laying out a park in the area. They
knew county ownership of the dam
site could soon be a reality. This
change in ownership would be key to
the Whitewater Lake restoration.
There was little fanfare on April 26,
1945 when the current owner of the
dam site, Whitewater insurance and
real estate broker Ken Hackett, handed
the “key” to the County Park Board.
On that date Hackett gave the county
the dam site and 13 acres of land to
use for park purposes. But it would
take almost two more years of work to
make the wheel turn to close the dam.
Van Evans,
David Williams
and Ken Hackett.
May 10, 1947
16

Hearings Yield Valuable
Public Input
The next step for the Park Board
was a meeting with the State of
Wisconsin Public Service Commission
to determine whether the health and
public safety of the community would
be impaired by the closing of the dam.
On December 11, 1945 Walworth
County filed an application with the
Public Services Commission for a permit
to operate and maintain a dam in
Whitewater Creek for recreational purposes.
A hearing on the issue took place on
January 25, 1946 at 10:00 in the morning.
Over 100 people attended the
meeting, coming from near and far.
Mrs. Claire Boyd, Chicago, and Mrs.
Helen Kirk, Elgin, Ill., descendants of
Albert Hanson; Morris Krahn, A.J.
Bigus, B.J. Choblowicz, Carl
Kienebaum, Rudolph Frodl, Dr. Henry
Clemens, all property owners in the
proposed lake area. Donald Patterson,
the man who had financed the construction
of the dam twenty years earlier;
appeared to address the closing of
the dam on the grounds of property
damage.
Presiding over the hearing was W. F.
Whitney, Madison, a member of the
public service commission. Just imagine
the atmosphere in the room when
he ruled those appearing to oppose the
dam “out of order.” Whitney would
only allow the landowners to register
as opposed. He limited all testimony to
matters relating to public health and
safety. Lloyd Jensen explained the
physical features of the area and stated
that the present water level in the
lakes was “so low that they could
hardly be called lakes, most of the land
marshy and unfavorable to agriculture.
Easements had been obtained from 13
of the 24 property owners on the site,”
Jensen said.
But what would happen to other
nearby bodies of water if the dam was
closed? That was the question of
Hawthorne Melody Farms located on
nearby Tripp Lake. The dairy needed
Hawthorne Melody
Dairy Farms relied on
the water of Tripp Lake
for cooling and
condensing. Some
thought that flooding
Whitewater lake would
adversely affect the level
of other area lakes.
17

1000 gallons of 60 degree water per
minute from Whitewater Creek, as
well as Tripp Lake, for cooling and condensing
purposes. On hot days the
dairy used even more water.
Hawthorne Melody Dairy Farm looked
for legal provisions that provided the
dam be opened slightly if the dairy
ever suffered a lack of water. Legal
counsel for Hawthorne Melody, Earl
Meixner, later admitted a Greater
Whitewater Lake “might even prove to
be an advantage during dry periods”
providing another source of water.
A.J. Bigus questioned the zoning on
the future lake. He feared the area
might not be zoned properly affecting
the value of the large expensive home
he had just built in the area. According
to the Whitewater Register the “climax
to the hearing” was found in the
words of Patterson who stated his
“strong favor for the plan, expressing
the purposes of the original promotion,
the cause of its failure, and why he felt
it should still be carried out to the benefit
of the entire community.”
Patterson said the dam would conserve
moisture for farmland, would have
great recreational value and would
increase the fish and game life of the
area. For twenty years Patterson had
waited for an opportunity to again see
the lake “that almost was.”
Statements from the Whitewater
Chamber of Commerce and from
Mayor Willard Reese of the City of
Whitewater also supported closing the
dam. The hearing carried on well into
the afternoon, and the testimony that
day certainly greased the dam wheel,
but it was just a start. The meeting
October 7, 1946
Strong opinions were
voiced by many citizens
who were in favor of the
lake project.
18

was adjourned until February 25. The
next hearing centered on the
Hawthorne Melody water level needs
and the depth of surrounding lakes.
The original dam closing seemed to
have a domino affect on the water levels
in other nearby bodies of water,
namely North Lake in the town of
Sugar Creek and Lake Lorraine in the
town of Richmond. Mrs. W.T. Sherman
of North Lake said that the lake
reached its highest level during the
time the dam was closed and that
after it was opened the lake practically
disappeared. Lake Lorraine association
members anticipated the lake might
rise to a more “suitable level” if the
dam was closed. The wheels of
progress again moved slowly and this
hearing was adjourned to March 18 to
allow for more information concerning
the water flow for Hawthorne Melody.
Who would know how the water
flowed in Trippe Lake when the dam
was closed twenty years earlier? At
that time the Hawthorne Melody property
was owned by Whitewater Libby,
McNeil and Libby Milk. On March 18
Austin Johnson, a former engineer of
Whitewater Libby, McNeil and Libby
milk plant, testified to the public service
commission that the closing of the
dam in 1927 had little effect on the
level of Trippe Lake and that there was
always plenty of water for cooling and
condensing purposes.
His testimony brought closure to the
Whitewater Lake public safety commission
hearings. Special weirs to
measure the water flow from
Whitewater Lake to Trippe Lake were
installed by order of the Walworth
County Park Board in May 1946. The
U.S. Coast and Goedetic Survey cooperated
in the recording of the findings.
At the same time J. Walter Strong, a
long time advocate of the Greater
Whitewater Lake project, was appointed
to the County Park Board to fill the
place created by the resignation of
attorney Charles Wilson. Strong immediately
went to work for the board,
taking pictures of areas that would be
flooded if the dam was closed.
By August 1946 a new county wide
zoning ordinance proposed to keep a
The dam at Tripp
Lake in the City of
Whitewater played a
key role in the decision
to re-create Greater
Whitewater Lake.
19

generous amount of area surrounding
Whitewater Lake residential. A zoning
map posted in Skindingrude’s window
advised subdividers to consult statutes
with a copy of an article from The
Whitewater Register which said:
“The point is this: No landowner
should start selling land, and find later
that he is in trouble. Today the state
has strict regulation over subdivision
work. There are requirements to be
met. A new lake division cannot be
laid out like the other lakes which
started colonization before there was
strict regulation. Those who wait until
they can subdivide properly, will avoid
trouble, and their lots will command
more money.”
September 19 marked the date the
lake was formally zoned residential to
control the kind of commercial enterprises
and homes built. By November
1946 the County Park Board finally
submitted a resolution to the
Walworth County Board and asked to
commence condemnation proceedings
against the owners of eleven tracks of
land. A court named commission of
three, the Walworth County
Freeholders, was appointed to determine
the value of the land flooded. If
the owners were unhappy with the
appraisal of their property, they could
ask for a new one. Each property
owner had twenty days to respond at a
Circuit Court hearing on the necessity
of closing the dam to meet the plans
of the Park Board.
The August
Meyer farmhouse.
20

A Lake Made By The People
For The People
By law, the future lake bed had to
be cleared of any dead trees, stumps,
fencing and other dangerous materials.
So when the word went out many
individuals volunteered time and
equipment to join in the cleanup
effort.
In the midst of preparing the lake
bed another plan developed which
would connect the southern edge of
the Kettle Moraine State Park system
with the northern end of Greater
Whitewater Lake. August Meyer gave
the Conservation Commission an
option to purchase 148 acres of farmland,
including 600 feet of lake
frontage for a bathing beach. By joining
with neighboring farmers, a possible
second lake could be flooded creating
what would later be called Rice
Lake. On January 9, 1947 the Kettle
Moraine Park Association approved the
option.
Two weeks later the notable sale of
farmland on the shores of Bass and
Whitewater Lake took place. Ken
Hackett arranged the transaction
between John Kachel and developers
Van Evans and David Williams of
Wauconda, Illinois. The 160 acre
Kachel farm included 6000 feet of
shoreline. The Pete Nelson farm on
Whitewater Lake yielded another 120
acres to developers. In the meantime
Donald Patterson had acquired subdividing
contracts for the Peterson,
Stewart and Thorne farms. All of these
sales would aid the Lake project.
1946
September
nineteenth
marked the
date the lake
was formally
zoned
residential...
1947 map shows for the first time the plan
to create State Park Lake, known today as
Rice Lake.
21

The Dam Finally Closes
Then, after three years of thorough
work, the efforts of so many citizens
finally paid off. Knee deep in snow, a
group of about 25 people traveled in a
stock cart hauled by tractor to the dam
site on February 13, 1947. Some
watched and some joined workmen in
chopping out an 8 inch layer of ice so
County Engineer Lloyd Jensen could
turn the dam wheel to stop the water
flow. Shortly before noon R.V. Brown
called the workmen and witnesses to
the top of the dam as a prayer of
thankfulness was offered.
Dr. H.E. Fowler, Earl Cox, Ralph
Brown, Don Hackett, Frank Winnie,
Bob Brown, Walter Strong, Milo
Krahn, Mrs. Luther Turner, Mrs. Milo
Krahn, Mrs. Anthony Fibaker, Bert
Eelbeck, Pete Peterson, Anthony
Fibaker, Oscar Kaspar, George
Johnson, Henry Gutzmer, Henry
Ludtke, Dwight Turner, Charlie Cruse,
Lloyd Jensen, Ken Hackett, Harley
Johnson, Luther Turner, and Marian
Gutzmer Cruse all bowed their heads
as Reverend Harold Rekstad stated
the expectations of the project and
hope for its “success as a benefit to
mankind.” There was another good
reason to brave the cold temperatures
and close the dam before the spring
thaw. Engineers hoped to catch the
runoff from snow and ice into the
Kettle Bowl of Greater Whitewater
Lake, filling it even faster with cool
clear water and making the dream a
reality.
February 13, 1947.
Onlookers were
transported to the dam
in a stock cart pulled
by a tractor.
Eight inches of ice
needed to be cleared
from the dam to
allow access to the
valve wheel.
22

History Was Made
Editorial , Whitewater Register
February 20, 1947:
“This newspaper has done everything
within its power to bring about the closing
of Whitewater Lake Dam and continues to
press on for a State Park area adjacent to
the Lake.
Thursday, the 13th. day of February,
was, therefore, a day of satisfaction for
effort rewarded. The dam was closed with
appropriate words from the Reverend
Harold Rekstad which attests to the sincerity
of those who were engaged in the task.
Each of us who stood there was thinking
of the future of Whitewater. We envisioned
a place of beauty and serenity carved out of
a busy world where succeeding generations
of our people may go and rest and
pleasure.
The list of helping hands is a long one
The job of closing the
gates of the Whitewater
Lake dam was left to
County Surveyor Lloyd
Jensen pictured here in
the Thursday, February
13, 1947 edition of the
Janesville Gazette.
Dr. H.E. Fowler, Earl Cox, Ralph Brown, Don Hackett, Frank Winnie, Bob Brown, Walter Strong, Milo Krahn, Mrs. Luther Turner,
Mrs. Milo Krahn, Mrs. Anthony Fibaker, Bert Eelbeck, Pete Peterson, Anthony Fibaker, Oscar Kaspar, George Johnson, Henry Gutzmer,
Henry Ludtke, Dwight Turner, Charlie Cruse, Lloyd Jensen, Ken Hackett, Harley Johnson.
Not pictured, Marian Gutzmer Cruse and Luther Turner
23

and the groups are many. To name a few we give you Ralph Brown, Ken Hackett, Henry
Ludtke, Henry Gutzmer, Alvin Anderson, George Johnson, the County Board of Supervisors,
the Park Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Public Service Commission, Lloyd Jensen,
George Patterson, Van Evans, Earl Cox, Paul Scharine, and many, many others.
Long after this generation is dust, Whitewater Lake will serve as a source of health, beauty,
and recreation to
countless thousands
and material gain to
those who earn a
livelihood here.
February 13, 1947
marks a happy milestone
in the history
of our county.”
April 25, 1948
24

The New Lake
Leads to New Growth
The final closing of the dam on
Whitewater Lake marked an ending
and a beginning. It finally finished the
struggle to see the birth of the body of
water which would bring new life to
the area. Scores of wildlife came to
settle in the wooded shores, fish filled
the lake, and through the years droves
of new property owners would build
homes to enjoy the beauty.
It wasn’t enough to just close the
dam. The outstanding citizens of the
time longed to see the reality of an
extension of the Kettle Moraine State
Forest on Whitewater Lake leading to
the creation of a second spring fed lake
with State Park access on the other
side of the dam. Other groups hoped
for county park lands on Whitewater
Lake to preserve a study area for
future generations.
Little by little, many people took the
tedious steps to turn the dreams into
real places available to everyone.
On March 13, 1947 the State
Conservation Commission began hearings
on the purchase of the August
Meyer farm. The original option of 148
acres had increased to 157 acres with
550 feet of frontage on the northern
portion of Whitewater Lake and still
extended to the area where state engineers
deemed a second lake could be
flooded.
According to an article by Bob
Brown which appeared in the
Walworth County Week in October
1978, August Meyer “a kindly gentleman,
well along in years... loved to tell
of his early days living there, when, he
said, the kettle held a huge and beautiful
lake until it was drained by early
settlers desirous of securing marsh hay.
Meyer was intrigued by the idea that a
state park be created at the lake so the
public could have access to the water
and enjoy it fully, and he agreed to sell
his farm for that very purpose if the
state was interested.”
On July 3, 1947 the Conservation
1947
...lake lots
of 75 feet
or more
frontage
priced from
$1,100 to
$2,200
1948, part of the Henry
Gutzmer farm became
“Gutzmer Subdivision”
on the northeast side of
Bass Lake.
25

As the waters of
Whitewater Lake rose,
the shores began to
fill with new homes
and businesses.
Below, the new
Whitewater Lake
Hotel built in
the 1940’s.
Commission did indeed purchase the
property for $15,500. Another 40 acres
of the Milo Krahn farm cost $5,000.
These purchases happened just in time
to be a wonderful Independence Day
present to many generations of public
park enthusiasts and increased the
State Park holdings to 255 acres with
51,000 feet of shoreline. Immediate
plans included the building of almost
five miles of 20 foot blacktop roads
along the ridges and through the park
to provide a number of picnic places,
rest rooms, and adequate bathing
facilities. Reforesting projects would
give adequate shade to park visitors.
And all the while the water rose in
Greater Whitewater Lake. In April
1947 the lake level measured at 4.64
feet. The island near the dam was leveled
off to fill in the channel for safer
swimming. By September 11, 1957 the
level reached 5.35 feet. As the water
expanded, so did interest in land subdivisions
with lake access lots.
In 1947 the Whitewater Lake Realty
Company was formed by Ken Hackett
of Whitewater, Van Evans of Chicago,
and Dave Williams of Wauconda, Ill.
They became the first realtors to sell
land in the Moraine Park subdivision
with lake lots of 75 feet or more
frontage priced from $1,100 to $2,220.
Large back lots sold for $340 or more
and special advertisements offered a
30 day liberal discount to Whitewater
residents to encourage local involvement.
By the end of July, fourteen lots
had been sold.
And local residents did buy the
land. Matt Schmitt of Whitewater
built the first home in the subdivision
in 1947.
Heavy rains in March 1948 helped
the lake reach a level of 7.24 feet, with
just a little less than five feet needed
to go over the spillway. By May the
lake reached 7-1/2 feet and two new
26

subdivisions known as Moraine
Heights and Chapel Hills opened.
In the fall of 1948 Henry Gutzmer,
who had been elected Town of
Whitewater chairman the prior year,
opened the Gutzmer subdivision on
the northeast side of Bass Lake. By
June of 1950 Henry Ludtke opened
Grand View subdivision running south
of Moraine Park. In April 1953 came
Oakwood Heights and in January 1954
came Minneiska Subdivision on East
Lakeshore Drive, both Whitewater
Realty developments.
In 1961 Milo Krahn subdivided his
property on the west side of what had
been Bass Lake, forming Bay View
heights. In the same year Hackett and
Matt Schmitt formed a firm to develop
the frontage of the Sherada farm,
opening Sherada Woods. These two
men also opened Oak Knoll subdivision
on the west side south of
Townline Road in September 1962.
During these early years several
businesses and organizations also
located on the lake. Hackett’s resort,
the Lions Club, Crummey’s Marine,
Cruse Grocery, Miller’s, Pas Diora
Mobile Home park, T.C.C. Camp, and
O’Briens Resort all brought goods
and services to the new residents of
the area.
Left, Cruse Grocery.
Below, T.C.C. Camp
27

1948
Greater
Whitewater
Lake
Property
Owners’
Association
formed.
Developmental Interests
Lead to Local Organization
In the fall of 1948, September 2 to
be exact, the Greater Whitewater Lakes
Property Owners’ Association
(GWLPOA) formed. One third of the
total landholders (19 owners) met at
Hackett’s resort to “establish the necessary
rules and regulations required
for a happy functioning of the Lake
community and to bring good roads
and all other facilities to the lake
dwellers.”Those first elected to serve
were Matt Schmitt, president; Lynn
Marshall, vice-president; and Lowell
Lein, secretary-treasurer.
By November 7, 1952, the organization
was incorporated without capital
stock and not for profit for a fee of five
dollars, paid in cash! The purposes listed
during incorporation were “to
advance the commercial, industrial,
economic, and civic welfare of the
property owners owning real estate
adjacent to Whitewater Lake or in the
vicinity thereof.”
Throughout the years Greater
Whitewater Lakes Property Owners’
Association has fulfilled its mission by
acting as a liaison between the property
owners and the Whitewater and
Richmond Town Boards. It has been a
sounding board for weekend property
owners. The GWLPOA has been a constant
source of lake information and
has periodically published an owners’
directory for anyone interested. The
group has organized many social
events including summer picnics, sailing
lessons, mini-regattas, and dances.
The GWLPOA membership has always
included very active volunteers and
was instrumental in the later formation
of a lake management district.
A 1948 newspaper
clipping from the
Whitewater Register
highlights the first
meeting of the Greater
Whitewater Lake
Property Owners’
Association.
28

Walworth County
Creates A Nature Park
As Greater Whitewater Lake grew
more breathtaking, many people within
Walworth County looked to preserve
the area with a county park. In 1952,
the Walworth County Board voted to
purchase 100 acres from Emma
Anderson. Emma was the daughter of
Andrew Springer, the original owner of
the farm. By 1953 the county finished
negotiating the price of $14,500,
bought the parcel and began removing
buildings.
Early in 1954 the park commission
agreed the springs on the property
should be opened up. The mud and silt
blocking them were removed with a
drag line and by 1959 over 29,400 trees
had been planted in varieties of white
pine, Norway pine, white spruce,
white ash and white cedar.
Some ten years after the property
was purchased, the County Board
finally authorized the appropriation for
cleaning up and developing the area. It
was during this time that Henry
Gutzmer continued to serve not only
as Chairman of the Town of
Whitewater, but as a Walworth County
Board member, Vice-Chairman and
Chairman. In these positions he
worked steadfastly to see improvements
made to the county owned
property.
James Johnson, the county forester,
gave recommendations for the best
uses. A picnic shelter near the springs
was built and the region south of the
road planned to be used as an extensive
outdoor laboratory for Walworth
County school children. Heavy flagstones
were hauled and laid by the
springs. Outhouses were built and a
walking path cleared. All of the labor
was performed by county park board
committee members Charles Cruse
and Ed Winkleman of Whitewater, and
Eugene Hollister of Williams Bay.
Before long Scout troops, school
children and countless families made
use of the pristine Nature Land County
Park. Today it is often used as a quiet
peaceful setting for weddings. The
property is maintained by the
Walworth County Highway
Department
The sign placed at the
entrance of Natureland
County Park dedicates
the site to the youth of
Walworth County.
29

A Second Lake
on the Way
Time marched on and by 1954 the
state acquired the right to flood the
bottom part of land owned by Henry
and Vern Ludtke. Concrete finally
poured into a second dam to form
wings and a valve to flood a lake on
the other side of Greater Whitewater
Lake. The new dam would be able to
hold 15 to 18 feet of water, meaning
that when the lake reached its maximum
holding the depth at the upper
dam would be eight feet.
Many people looked with anticipation
as the water rose believing the
area was slowly returning to the conditions
found when Indians lived in
the forests. Some pioneers reminisced
on times right after the Civil War
when a grist mill with a log dam
operated in the location of the second
dam. By the 1870’s the mill was
abandoned, the dam torn out, and
the land dried out to marsh hay.
Engineers estimated the second
lake to fill an area of 195 acres, about
one quarter the size of Greater
Whitewater Lake. The eastern and
northern ends of the future lake
would be state owned and include a
mile and a half of public access. At
the time plans included a state office
and public beach facilities. The south
and west sides of the lake were
owned by the Ludtke’s and expected
to be subdivided.
Original plans named this new
body of water State Park Lake, but it
was first known as Lower
Whitewater Lake until June 15, 1961
when it was officially dedicated as
Rice Lake in honor of Dr. Ora Rice. A
four and one half ton granite stone
was placed at a cost of $700 during
the service in honor of “Doc”Rice.
Rice had served twelve terms in the
State Assembly. Rice was well known
for his outstanding efforts in outdoor
recreation.
A Delavan resident for more than
50 years, Rice’s first career was as a
The newly created lake
originally called “State
Park Lake” now bears
the name of Dr. Ora
Rice in honor of his
outstanding efforts in
outdoor recreation.
Right, in 1954 the dam
was built on Rice Lake
flooding 195 acres.
30

dentist. He graduated from
Northwestern University Dental
College in 1907. In 1933 he retired to
begin farming in Delavan. He served
the City of Delavan as alderman and
finally as mayor from 1916-1922. In
1937 he was elected to the State
Assembly. In his distinguished career
he filled positions as chairman of the
Assembly agriculture committee and
vice chairman of the committee on
rules prior to being elected speaker.
Rice finally announced in 1960 that
he would not be a candidate in the
fall elections that year.
After the Civil War a
grist mill with a dam
made of logs occupied
the site where the
current dam was built.
Heavy rains in 1973
caused water to pour
over the grated
spillway on Rice Lake.
31

Joy Conservative Baptist Camp
“A place to play and pray togetherthis
was the aim of a Burlington pastor
who, in 1959, set his sights on developing
a camping area for use of Baptist
youths in southern Wisconsin and
northern Illinois.”
The Racine Sunday Bulletin printed
this statement attributed to Reverend
John R. Loggans, on August 5, 1962
just two months after Camp Joy first
opened its doors to boys and girls.
Loggans, pastor of Burlington’s
Bethel Baptist Church, and four other
pastors had a vision of a place where
children and adults could celebrate
God’s beautiful creation. They encouraged
23 Conservative Baptist Churches
to join in the formation of a non-profit
corporation which could borrow
money to buy the land and build the
camp. Loggans was voted secretary of
the corporation. In February 1961 the
vision began to take shape, with the
purchase from John Sanderson of a
total of 21 acres, including 650 feet of
frontage on Whitewater Lake for
$12,500.
The next step was to apply to the
Town of Whitewater Board for a
change in the property zoning from
residential to recreational. This rezone
was approved shortly after the purchase.
Then the real work began. The
first living unit of the camp was built;
a 196 foot by 36 foot lodge of sturdy
cedar planks four inches thick. A gas
fired furnace and baseboard radiators
made it useable year-round. It would
house 60 boys, 60 girls, and 20 staff
members in quarters separated by a
combination dining room-chapel-class
area with seating for 380 people.
Loggans acknowledged a “great
deal of volunteer work” went into
preparing the building for habitation.
Church members spent many weeks
painting the interior of the lodge, setting
up beds, and cleaning up the
grounds. By June, 1962 the camp
opened its doors to children from
fourth grade through college age.
Through the years, Camp Joy has
grown and expanded its outreach.
Each year churches in Wisconsin and
seven other states bring thousands of
children and adults to Greater
Whitewater Lake for fun, refreshment,
encouragement and spiritual growth.
32

Lake Issues Focus on
Environment and Enjoyment
During the last four decades property
owners on Greater Whitewater Lake
have tried to strike a balance between
preserving the environment and protecting
the rights of citizens swimming,
boating, skiing or just loving the
watery wonder.
Weed growth was one of the first
issues tackled by lake residents. A two
hour public hearing conducted by the
State Board of Health on April 12,
1962, found folks speaking for and
against weed spraying.
Town of Whitewater Board
Chairman Henry Gutzmer and Don
Gailloreto showed a petition signed by
18 property owners objecting to the
unsightly chemical residue along the
shoreline, lack of weed beds, stunted
fish growth, and a drop in the use of
The 1962 Tri-Lakes
Enterprise featured
Elkhorn Scouts Troop
No. 25 enjoying one of
the many natural
springs at Natureland
County Park.
33

1962
“Big,
blowing bog
behaves
badly,
bouncing
bravely”
In 1971 a detailed
Ecological study of the
lakes was conducted by
the University of
Wisconsin-Whitewater
biology department.
the lake by diving ducks.
Lloyd Lueschow, Biologist and Chief
of Aquatic Nuisance Control, supported
the weed spraying program. He testified
that in 1961 over 82 lakes in
Wisconsin had been treated with no
other changes in the lakes other than
to control the weeds intended.
Lueschow said there was no danger to
swimmers and that a cow would have
to ingest 700 gallons of the treated
lake water for it to be harmful. Lynn
Cronin, a student from Janesville and
a member of a party in which a
drowning occurred, came to say
whether the weed growth hampered
search efforts. Lowell Wilson, Vicepresident
of the GWLPOA, said the
weeds made searching difficult.
A letter from the Wisconsin
Conservation Department said that a
1959 net survey netted more fish in
Greater Whitewater Lake than anywhere
they had ever operated such a
test. The test also showed there was no
carp problem. It even stated that boat
operators on the lake did not charge
for a boat rental if the renters did not
catch a fish! The State granted a permit
to spray the lake.
The summer of 1961 marked the
beginning of a Lake Patrol which cost
$25 per day. Chairman Gutzmer strove
to see the costs of the patrol shared by
both the Towns of Richmond and
Whitewater.
Weed spraying continued on the
lake in 1962 and 103 property owners
contributed to the efforts. Five hundred
pounds of copper sulfate were
used to control algae at a cost of $779
and 10,000 linear feet of weeds were
treated at a cost of $1,896. By 1963 the
Greater Whitewater Lakes Property
Owners’ Association voted against the
weed spraying program due to a lack
of funds.
Weeds weren’t the only problems
plaguing property owners during this
time period. A newspaper headline in
July 1962 read “Big, blowing bog
behaves badly, bouncing
bravely.”Depending on which way the
wind blew, lake property owners
would wake up to find a three acre
bog blocking their shoreline. Made up
of shallow rooted Tamarack trees,
these miniature islands broke loose
and floated throughout the lake.
Residents requested State funds to
remove the bogs to no avail. By
1963 voluntary contributions to the
bog removal fund totaled $750 and
the Town Board of Whitewater
contributed another $3,000 to the
endeavor. A group of hearty property
owners chopped, hauled and
dripped sweat as they removed
the bogs one by one.
In 1971 an Ecology Committee
of Whitewater Lake was sponsored
by the Town Board of
Whitewater and the GWLPOA.
Headed by Dr. William Lundin,
the group began a comprehensive
34

effort to raise community awareness to
lake problems. Dr. Willard Gross,
Professor of Biology at the University
of Wisconsin - Whitewater utilized his
students to complete a wide ranging
ecological study of the lake. Kathleen
Lundin performed historical research
and Arnold Mamath joined in the
efforts as the committee held educational
panels and workshops.
The results the Ecology Committee
reported to the Town of Whitewater
and the Town of Richmond came with
a recommendation to establish a sanitary
district as a solution to lake management
problems. The group spurred
a serious dialogue on environmental
issues concerning the future of the
lake. These early efforts led to the later
development of a lake management
district.
Water flowed over the Whitewater
Lake dam spillway for the first time at
the end of May 1973. News accounts
credit the overflow to unusual wet
weather which plagued the farmers in
the area and in many cases prevented
spring planting. It had taken twenty
six years for the lake to fill to brimming.
How did people celebrate all that
water?
After twenty six years
the lake had filled to
capacity and water
flowed over the spillway
for the first time in
May, 1973.
35

The Minneiska Ski Club
An active group of citizens organized
the Whitewater Lake Sports Club
in 1973. It originally formed to promote
all water sports, but water skiing
was the only sport to take hold and
expand programs. The name of the
club soon changed to the Minneiska
Water Ski team, which is now in its
third decade of show skiing on
Whitewater Lake.
The team has performed at
Laursen’s Campground, now known as
Scenic Ridge Campground, located on
Townline Road on Whitewater Lake.
Every Saturday night from Memorial
Day through Labor Day weekends,
audiences line up at 6:30 p.m. to
watch the free show.
The Minneiska Ski Team past history
is filled with both individual and
team achievements as well as many
“firsts”in show skiing. Many former
members have participated in professional
water ski shows around the
country. Each year the team competes
in four tournaments; the Lambs Farm
Tournament in Illinois, the
Wausauqua Invitational, the
Wisconsin State Tournament and the
National Ski Show held in August.
A group like the Minneiska Ski
Team does not exist by hard work
alone. It thrives only with the support
received from parents, sponsors,
friends, the Town Boards of
Whitewater and Richmond, the lake
patrol and the property owners. It is
truly a collaborative effort.
36

Whitewater-Rice Lakes
Management District
A group known as the
“Concerned Citizens for Lake
Management”headed by GWLPOA
member Walter Hicks led to the creation
of the Whitewater-Rice Lakes
Management District (WW-RLMD).
On February 25, 1987 the first meeting
of the WW-RLMD interim board of
commissioners took place to determine
the activities of the organization.
The operations were authorized by the
Walworth County Board of Supervisors
to be financed through the levy of a
mill-rate on the property within the
borders of the District. Activities of the
WW-RLMD would encompass lake
management issues: shoreline erosion,
weed control, and water testing.
Formation of a lake management district
made it possible to secure grants
to fund the activities.
William P. Norris was elected the
first chairman and presided over the
first annual meeting that was held on
May 30, 1987 at Lakeview Elementary
School with 170 electors present. The
By-Laws of the WW-RLMD were
adopted and the budget for 1987-1988
was set at $16,550 with $10,000 dedicated
to weed harvesting to be contracted
to harvesting companies.
Little rainfall and warm weather
during the summer of 1988 and sparse
snow fall during the following winter
resulted in a low lake level in 1989.
The original weed conditions in
Greater Whitewater Lake had changed
to serious Eurasian Milfoil problems,
so the 1989-90 budget was set at
$84,600, with $80,000 dedicated to
aquatic weed control. During the 1990
and 1991 harvesting seasons, the
Board rented harvesting equipment
and hired a crew to harvest the weeds.
At the fifth annual meeting on August
17, 1991, electors voted to purchase
their own harvesting equipment. By
1992 the harvesting program was well
on its way.
Since that time State Grants helped
fund the purchase of a ten foot and an
eight foot weed cutter, a transporter
with a 90 horse-power motor, and a
conveyor to move the weeds along. A
Hydro-Lift truck, a dump truck and a
pick-up truck help to dispose of the
weeds. The WW-RLMD also owns a
tool trailer equipped with tools and
communications devices such as radio
equipment and a cellular phone.
Weeds are removed from the north
end of the lake at Cruse Lane and on
the south end by Townline Road. One
objective of the harvesting operation is
to permanently remove excess nutrients
from the water and sediment to
improve the quality of the water.
At the tenth Annual Meeting held
on August 17, 1996, electors adopted a
Comprehensive Lake Management
Plan prepared by the Southeastern
Wisconsin Regional Planning
Commission. The 1996-1997 budget
was set at $86,750.
A weed cutter was
purchased in 1992 by
WW-RLMD along with
trucks used to transport
the weeds from the lake.
37

1997
...marks
the fiftieth
anniversary
of the final
turn of the
dam wheel.
So What Does The Future Hold For
Greater Whitewater and Rice Lakes?
It might be easier to see the future,
with a manuscript charting the past.
Incredible community involvement
created these cherished environments.
Fortunately the vision included all citizens,
with Natureland County Park on
the south end of Greater Whitewater
Lake and the Southern unit of the
Kettle Moraine forest bordering the
north end and Rice Lake. Early foresight
and funding helped preserve
parts of the Kettle Moraine Forest
while it was still affordable.
For as those early planners found,
it’s hard to predict what will happen.
In 1938 the State Conservation
Commission was able to purchase land
for $25 an acre. By May 1963 prices
soared to $2,475 for one acre of
improved land within the original
Kettle Moraine State Forest plan. One
news account in May of 1963 noted
that “because the legislature and the
people dawdled, much of the area
between the northern and southern
park areas has built up.”State park
officials of the time admitted that the
state could no longer afford the full
dream of 1938.
But at least some of the plans of the
early part of the nineteenth century
came to fruition to be preserved for
countless generations. There can be no
doubt those early efforts increased the
worth of the area in many ways.
Approximately fifty eight percent of
the assessed value of the Town of
Whitewater comes from the lake. In
1996 the assessed value was
$68,938,267.
The continued efforts of the Greater
Whitewater Lakes Property Owners’
Association, the Whitewater - Rice
Lakes Management District, the Town
Boards of Whitewater and Richmond,
and the unceasing interest of all the
property owners will determine the
future monetary and esthetic worth of
these jewels of the Kettle Moraine.
And people will continue to celebrate
the gifts of Greater Whitewater
and Rice Lakes. Marian Gutzmer Cruse
and Robert Brown will be the only two
to have witnessed the gatherings in
1927, 1947, and in May 1997, which
marks the fiftieth anniversary of the
final turn of the dam wheel. Only time
will tell who will plan the turn of the
century events and only fortitude can
determine if the gems will still shine.
38

Acknowledgments
Marian (Gutzmer) Cruse
Charles Cruse
Elizabeth “Liz” Wright
Robert K. Brown
The Whitewater Register
Matt Schmitt
Dr. William Lundin
Kathleen Lundin
Dr. Willard Gross
Violet Skindingsrude
Dominick Gailloreto
Fran Achen
David Clevens
Businesses on the Lakes
Currently ................................................................Formerly
Parkside Marina ....................................Crummey’s Marina
Oak Terrace ..................................................Hackett’s Resort
Miller’s Motel
Scenic Ridge Campground ............................(T.C.C. Camp)
Bayside Resort......................................................(Pas Diora)
J.N.T.’s Marina............................................O’Brien’s Marina
Lion’s Club Clubhouse
Just off or near the Lakes
Michelle’s Studio
Frank’s Whitewater Lake Marina (Formerly Cruse Grocery)
First Citizens State Bank - Whitewater Lake Branch
39

Whitewater / Rice Lakes Management District
Subdivisions in the Town of Whitewater
Aldridge Moraine Park
Bay View Morning Side Heights
Chapel Hills Oak Knoll
Grand View Pine Knolls
Gutzmers Shereda Woods
Indian Trails Stewart Ridge
Ludtke Thorne Heights
Minneiska Twin Pond
Moraine Heights
Subdivisions in the Town of Richmond
Chapel Hills
Oak Knoll
Oakwood Heights
Richmond Heights
Donations
First Citizens State Bank
Commercial Bank
Town of Whitewater
Whitewater / Rice Lake Management District
Greater Whitewater Lake Property Owners’ Association, Inc.
40

Greater Whitewater Lake Property Owners’ Association, Inc.
Ann Benjamin, President
Leo Worth, Vice -President
Bonnie Lee, Secretary
Delores Krysiak, Treasurer
Michael Lee, Director
Lucile Worth, Director
David Byrne, Director
Timothy Glander, Director
Whitewater - Rice Lakes Management District
Board of Commissioners
Jim Stevenson - Chairman
Charles Cruse - Secretary
Bernie Tangney - Treasurer
Boris Marohnick - Member
Roy Sheahen - Member
Norman Prusener - Town of Whitewater appointee
Richard Kuhnke - Walworth County Board appointee
Mary Mesmer - Municipal Clerk
Town of Whitewater - Board Members
Ronald Fero - Town Chairperson
Ray “Ed” Mc Manaway - First Supervisor
Norman Prusener - Second Supervisor
Rose Grandt - Clerk
Carol Schafer - Treasurer
Town of Richmond - Board Members
Linda Olenski - Town Chairperson
David Overbeek - First Supervisor
Laurel Pinnow - Second Supervisor
Barbara Ceas - Clerk
Anna Seaver - Treasurer
41

= Original Lake
= Current Shoreline
of Greater
Whitewater &
Rice Lake
13
9
14
4
11
6
2
7
10
5
3
8
12
1
1. Andrew Springer Farm
Walworth County Park
2. Oscar Krahn Farm
3. Albert Hanson’s Resort
4. Gutzmer Farm
5. Gnatzig Farm
6. Shereda Farm
7. John Kachel Farm
8. Pete Nelson Farm
9. August Meyer Farm
State Forest & Park
10. Thorne Farm
11. Dam Site
12. Heart Prairie Lutheran Church
13. Ferris Saw & Grist Mill
14. Milo Krahn Farm
42

This book is a collection of photographs and stories surrounding the first seventy years of Whitewater
and Rice Lakes. We have left the last few pages of this book blank so you can continue the history from
here with pictures and stories of your own.
43

A M A N M A D E M E C C A
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Fran Achen • Whitewater Lake, 1949
Back Photo: by Aerial Images • Whitewater Lake, 1996
Published by
Greater Whitewater Lakes Property Owner’s Association
P.O. Box 438
Whitewater, Wisconsin 53190