The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-02-17
A Walled Lake In Iowa.

We have more than once referred to the evidences
which still exist Of the fact that the present age is not
the FIRST in which the great West has been the centre of
a dense and more or less advanced population. Not long
since we published some remarks of a gentleman of this
town upon a specimen Of antique Indian pottery since
then the same gentleman has received among other
relics Of the past a finely formed stone Ratchet head,
dating back no doubt to a period long anterior to Indian
Intercourse with the whites. In connection with the
same subject we append the following curious statement
of a correspondent Of the Cincinnati Gozette of a walled
lake in Wright county, Iowa -
ITO me it was one of the greatest curiosities I had
ever seen-enveloped as its history is with a mantle
that will probably never be withdrawn. This lake lies
in the midst of a vast plain the rich, gently undulat-
ing prairie extending for many miles in every direction.
The lake covers an area of about 1900 acres. The
water is clear and cold, with a hard, sandy bottom, from
two to twenty-five feet deep. There is a strip of timber
about half way round it, probably ten rods wide, being
the only timber in many miles. There is a rail Of
heavy stone all round 1t.
1t is no accidental matter. 1t has been built with
human bands. In some places the land is higher than
the Ike, IN which case the wall only amounts to some
thing like . rsp-rap projection, This, ! believe, is what
'er HrfSe lake tfsns the prairie sssiasSf ths nSif ssfhs
wall in some places is ten feet high it is thirteen feet
at the base, sloping up both. sides to five feet wide
on the top The wall is built entirely Of boulders,
from three tuns in size down to City pounds. They are
all what are called lost rock. | am no geologist, and
consequently can give no learned description Of them.
They are not, however, natives, "to the manor born"
Nor has the wall been made by the washing away of the
earth, and leaving the rocks. There is no native rock
in this region. Besides, this is a continuous wall, two
miles of which, at least, is higher than the land. The
top of the wall is level, while the land is uudulating
so the wall is in some places two feet, and in others
ten feet high. These rocks, many of them at least,
must have been brought a long distance-probabIy five
or ten miles. In Wright county the best rocks are scat
tered pretty freely, but as you approach this lake they
disappear, showing that they have been gathered by
some agency-whcno or by whom history will never un-
fold. Some Of the largest oaks in the grove are grow
ing up through the wall, pushing the rocks in, in some
cases, outside in others, accommodating their shape to
the rocks. The lake abounds with excellent fish. The
land in that township yet belongs to the Government.
When | was there il the spring of 1856, the wind
had blown a large piece Of ice against the south west
part of the wall, and had knocked it down, so that the
water was running out, aud Zoo ling the farms of some
of the settlers, and they were about to repair the wall
to protect their crops. 1t is beautiful farm land nearly
all around this lovely lake.
The readers Of the Gazette should not imagine that
the wall around this lake is as regular and as nice as the
wall around the fountain In front of the City Hall in
New York. nor need any entertain the theory that it is
u natural wall but it has been built hundreds. and
late by whom this mighty, as we'll as ornamental work
was done, but it will only be speculation.
Notwithstanding the water in the lake is pure and
cool, there is no visible feeder or outlet. This lake is
about twelve miles north of the located line of the Du-
buque and Pacific Railroad, and about one hundred and
fifty miles west Of the former place. The time is com.
ing when the lake will be a great place Of public resort.