Hansens 1916 |
Grand Lake 1915 |
Grand Lake Catch 1920 |
The History of the Grand Lake Association
according to the recollections of Ed Zapp Jr.
December 7, 2005
The Grand Lake Property Owners Association was started for and by the lake people to aid them in addressing mutual needs and concerns about the lake and its surrounding areas.
The Association was formed by the owners of property on the northeast and east shores of the lake. Its original main purpose was to address the road upon which all traveled to get to their properties. The original dirt road served the Mitchell farm that was located on the northeast shore of the lake. As the years went by, the Mitchells sold off all of the lake shore they owned and the old farm road was then the main ingress and egress to the shore properties. It was a narrow road through the old pasture and consisted of two ruts with a grass patch in between them. If a vehicle approached, it was necessary to back up and pull over to let the auto pass. The neighbors were also worried that the old farmland would be purchased by Bell Lumber in Cold Spring in order to supply them with the raw materials to make railroad ties and rough sawn lumber.
The neighbors got together and formed what eventually grew into the Association. This happened around 1950. The group discussed the future of the farm and the road. After much discussion, they took Ed Zapp Sr. up on his offer to purchase the woods and preserve it and the road.
The group then went door to door gathering members along the length of the road. There were no established dues at first. If money was needed for a purpose, the cost was established and then most everyone gave their fair share.
Some of the first projects were to tear down the old barn and out buildings and use the old foundations to build the basis for the road, where it was platted to be in the Second Addition to Agate Beach (the original road was actually just below the hill there). Funds were raised to put some gravel on the road to fill the potholes. Dick Sporleader purchased an old horse drawn road grader and Ed Zapp and Ed Zapp Jr. spent many Saturdays grading the road by pulling it behind their Willis Jeep before they purchased an old motorized Allis Chalmers roadgrader. Over the years, the road was relocated in certain places to make it safer. It was extended to service the Whitney Wheelock shore lots Addition to the west and the road was relocated behind the properties in the First Addition to Agate Beach on its southerly route. In 1977, Matt Ampe located an old railroad tank car at the train car shops in Waite Park. The Association purchased it for $832.00 and had it installed just east of the old bridge across Mill Creek (built in 1908 ). Martin Classen from Rockville was hired to build a new approach to the culvert and remove the old bridge. The cost of his services was $943.39. Ed Zapp supplied all the gravel.
Hub Bartelme worked with Northwestern Bell Telephone in order to get service to the lake. There were a number of doctors who owned lots and needed the service in case of emergencies as well as the rest of the members. The first lines were all party lines and everyone had to learn their special ring. Later, Hub worked to have the pricing for the service be the same as other Bell customers.
As the 50’s gave way to the 60’s and the 60’s to the 70’s, concerns were raised about the quality of the water in the lake. The Molitors were developing lots for sale on the south shore of the lake. Some property owners on the northwest and south shores of the lake asked if the Association could be expanded to include the whole lake.
The DNR was approached about stocking the lake. They asked the Association to back their purchase of land for a Public Landing and said that they would stock the lake if they got the backing of the people on the lake. At the time, the only access to the lake was at the old Elm Resort and the Grand View Resort. The backing was given and the DNR purchased property from Paul Doerner to build a public lake access.
Throughout the 60's and into the 70’s, the Association sponsored water quality tests and tests of all the septic tanks to determine if they were polluting the lake. Biocentric Inc. made a study of the lake in February, 1980. Dr. Keith Knutson of St. Cloud State University presented the findings to the Association at the August meeting in the Rockville Town Hall. Some ground water dikes were built along Pluths Creek to slow the flow of runoff and help filter it before it entered the lake. Many meetings have been held about aquatic weeds and controlling pollution.
Pierre Hansen replaced the bridge over the lakes outlet (after it was destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1978) by using the old bridge girders and welding old used plow sheers to them. The girders came from the old street car tracks of St. Cloud. They were originally used by the Whitney family (who owned the street car line) to build the bridge across the outlet so they could get to their cottage.The Association also has held 4th of July flag raising ceremonies, 4th of July watercraft parades, sailboat races, fundraisers and neighborhood get-togethers.
On one occasion, the Association hired Lawrence Hall, Attorney at Law, to speak on its behalf at the Township meeting against a proposed mobile home park between Mud Lake and Grand Lake on the lake's south side. The park was never built.
As the years have gone, by the Association has become more structured and formal. In 1977, officers were formally elected with Hub Bartelme being the President. This was done at the August 1980 meeting. Annual dues were established at $10.00 per year to cover the cost of mailing the new newsletter. This was a natural progression as the issues became more complex and more Governmental Agencies became involved with lakes, cities, townships, etc.
Some of the Officers of the organization over the years were:
PRESIDENTS: Hub Bartelme, Matt Ampe, Roger Schmidt, John Knutson, Tom Ruether, Ed Sheldon, Jeff Hagen, Scott Palmer, Jane Bartelme.
TREASURERS: Ed Zapp Sr., Ed Zapp Jr., James Schmid, James Hall, Sue Palmer.
SECRETARIES: Carol Lund, Mary Grams, Gil Otto, Sue Palmer, Lu Reif.
according to the recollections of Ed Zapp Jr.
December 7, 2005
The Grand Lake Property Owners Association was started for and by the lake people to aid them in addressing mutual needs and concerns about the lake and its surrounding areas.
The Association was formed by the owners of property on the northeast and east shores of the lake. Its original main purpose was to address the road upon which all traveled to get to their properties. The original dirt road served the Mitchell farm that was located on the northeast shore of the lake. As the years went by, the Mitchells sold off all of the lake shore they owned and the old farm road was then the main ingress and egress to the shore properties. It was a narrow road through the old pasture and consisted of two ruts with a grass patch in between them. If a vehicle approached, it was necessary to back up and pull over to let the auto pass. The neighbors were also worried that the old farmland would be purchased by Bell Lumber in Cold Spring in order to supply them with the raw materials to make railroad ties and rough sawn lumber.
The neighbors got together and formed what eventually grew into the Association. This happened around 1950. The group discussed the future of the farm and the road. After much discussion, they took Ed Zapp Sr. up on his offer to purchase the woods and preserve it and the road.
The group then went door to door gathering members along the length of the road. There were no established dues at first. If money was needed for a purpose, the cost was established and then most everyone gave their fair share.
Some of the first projects were to tear down the old barn and out buildings and use the old foundations to build the basis for the road, where it was platted to be in the Second Addition to Agate Beach (the original road was actually just below the hill there). Funds were raised to put some gravel on the road to fill the potholes. Dick Sporleader purchased an old horse drawn road grader and Ed Zapp and Ed Zapp Jr. spent many Saturdays grading the road by pulling it behind their Willis Jeep before they purchased an old motorized Allis Chalmers roadgrader. Over the years, the road was relocated in certain places to make it safer. It was extended to service the Whitney Wheelock shore lots Addition to the west and the road was relocated behind the properties in the First Addition to Agate Beach on its southerly route. In 1977, Matt Ampe located an old railroad tank car at the train car shops in Waite Park. The Association purchased it for $832.00 and had it installed just east of the old bridge across Mill Creek (built in 1908 ). Martin Classen from Rockville was hired to build a new approach to the culvert and remove the old bridge. The cost of his services was $943.39. Ed Zapp supplied all the gravel.
Hub Bartelme worked with Northwestern Bell Telephone in order to get service to the lake. There were a number of doctors who owned lots and needed the service in case of emergencies as well as the rest of the members. The first lines were all party lines and everyone had to learn their special ring. Later, Hub worked to have the pricing for the service be the same as other Bell customers.
As the 50’s gave way to the 60’s and the 60’s to the 70’s, concerns were raised about the quality of the water in the lake. The Molitors were developing lots for sale on the south shore of the lake. Some property owners on the northwest and south shores of the lake asked if the Association could be expanded to include the whole lake.
The DNR was approached about stocking the lake. They asked the Association to back their purchase of land for a Public Landing and said that they would stock the lake if they got the backing of the people on the lake. At the time, the only access to the lake was at the old Elm Resort and the Grand View Resort. The backing was given and the DNR purchased property from Paul Doerner to build a public lake access.
Throughout the 60's and into the 70’s, the Association sponsored water quality tests and tests of all the septic tanks to determine if they were polluting the lake. Biocentric Inc. made a study of the lake in February, 1980. Dr. Keith Knutson of St. Cloud State University presented the findings to the Association at the August meeting in the Rockville Town Hall. Some ground water dikes were built along Pluths Creek to slow the flow of runoff and help filter it before it entered the lake. Many meetings have been held about aquatic weeds and controlling pollution.
Pierre Hansen replaced the bridge over the lakes outlet (after it was destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1978) by using the old bridge girders and welding old used plow sheers to them. The girders came from the old street car tracks of St. Cloud. They were originally used by the Whitney family (who owned the street car line) to build the bridge across the outlet so they could get to their cottage.The Association also has held 4th of July flag raising ceremonies, 4th of July watercraft parades, sailboat races, fundraisers and neighborhood get-togethers.
On one occasion, the Association hired Lawrence Hall, Attorney at Law, to speak on its behalf at the Township meeting against a proposed mobile home park between Mud Lake and Grand Lake on the lake's south side. The park was never built.
As the years have gone, by the Association has become more structured and formal. In 1977, officers were formally elected with Hub Bartelme being the President. This was done at the August 1980 meeting. Annual dues were established at $10.00 per year to cover the cost of mailing the new newsletter. This was a natural progression as the issues became more complex and more Governmental Agencies became involved with lakes, cities, townships, etc.
Some of the Officers of the organization over the years were:
PRESIDENTS: Hub Bartelme, Matt Ampe, Roger Schmidt, John Knutson, Tom Ruether, Ed Sheldon, Jeff Hagen, Scott Palmer, Jane Bartelme.
TREASURERS: Ed Zapp Sr., Ed Zapp Jr., James Schmid, James Hall, Sue Palmer.
SECRETARIES: Carol Lund, Mary Grams, Gil Otto, Sue Palmer, Lu Reif.