View from the Lake

Last week's column reviewed a portion of the "Lake Koronis Special Edition," found in the May 29, 1913, issue of the Paynesville Press. The special edition, sold for ten cents, was geared toward attracting tourists to Koronis. It also included a song written by a local professor, additional pictures of the lake, and a description of residences located near Koronis in 1891 and in 1913.

Professor A. H. Hatch authored a song about Lake Koronis sung to the tune of "Red Wing" that appeared in the 1913 special edition.

Koronis
There once lived an Indian maid,
In legend so 'tis said,
Who wandered around the hunting ground,
Where the beautiful town of Paynesville now is found;
She loved a warrior bold,
This shy little maid of old,
But false be proved,
And she who loved,
In the beautiful lake lies drowned.

Chorus

Ye bells of Paynesville ring!
Ye maids of Paynesville sing!
The story tell of her who fell,
A victim to loves sadly magic spell -
From the heights above the lake,
The fatal leap to take -
Soon all was o'er,
On Paynesville's shore,
Koronis walks no more.

Chorus

Now the moon shines tonight on Lake Koronis
The breezes blowing;
The waters flowing -
Now, deep 'neath the wave the maid lies sleeping,
No more she's weeping,
On Paynesville's shore.

In 1891 a visitor to Lake Koronis would find well-known Paynesville citizen's summer homes on the northeast side of the lake, near the site of the "Old Landing." "'Cool Arbor,' the abiding place of J. W. Ferree and their families during the summer months; at Koronis Park, the 'Linwood Place' the summer home of E. L. Arnold (pictured at left), and also the summer homes of J. C. Haines, Frank W. Werner and George R. Stephens, formerly the editor of the Press; at Cedar Point, the summer home of the Rev. A. C. Schmidt. ..." On the other side of Koronis, a site popular with many Litchfield residents, was Camp Brog. "...and on the farther shore the 'Irish Castle,' where congressmen have been named and made, where bishop and layman, priest and politician, scholar and business man are wont to lay aside their cares and revel in true and genuine enjoyment - Camp Brog."

By 1913, while some of the early sites remained the same, additional summer homes had been built. 'Cool Arbor' continued to be the summer home of Mrs. D. J. Ferree, located near the "Old Landing." Dr. P. C. Pilon had built both a cottage named 'Idle Hours' and a camp named, 'Revenz.' "...the summer homes of J. J. Carlock and W. A. Huntington, the 'Anchorage' the log cabin home of W. I. Fisher, of Minneapolis, the 'Wildwood Home' of E. Asplin, and also the vacation home of W. J. Briggs of Pipestone."

At Koronis Park, located between the Old and New landings, tourists could find accommodations in the Far View Inn and the Fair View Place. Summer homes were owned by "...F. L. Goodrich and others of Omaha, Nebraska; the Benepe and Nichols cottage owned and occupied by residents of St. Paul, as well as the resting places of J. H. Boylan, Jr.; C. W. Seavey, T. J. Barrie, Mrs. E. E. Rice, W. E. Schultz, H. K. Hill, M. S. Elliott, J. H. Boylan, D. S. Coleman and Dr. C. A. Erdman, of Minneapolis, C. F. Marsh, of Pipestone, the Linden Hill Cottages of Frank J. Kennedy and W. S. Johnson and many others."

Other sites mentioned in the 1913 edition included the Cedar Point home of G. L. Horton of Litchfield and Stony Point summer residence of H. I. Peterson and others from Litchfield. "'Camp Broggie,' the descendant of 'Camp Brog' and occupied by the younger generation and the 'Wolf Camp' and other camps will be found upon the farther shores of the lake."

Two other changes to the Koronis Lake scene since 1891 included roads and fishing. A new six-mile long highway following the lakeshore from the 'Old Landing' to the outlet had been added. Plans in 1913 were to extend and upgrade the existing road. The State Game and Fish Commission increased its efforts of regulating fishing and stocking the lake with fish fry. "...twenty-eight cans of pike fry having just been received and planted in the lake and later in the season further shipments will be made of bass and crappie fry."

Above, site of Dr. Benepešs corner, in Koronis Park, where families from St. Paul, Minnesota shared a cottage. Photo dated 1908 and located in the archives of the Paynesville Area Historical Museum.

"Anyone locating upon Lake Koronis may be assured that he has located upon one of the beauty spots of this state of Minnesota, and be further assured that the 'pretty, plucky Crow Creek City' of Paynesville is always on the map. Now is the time and here is the place" for a view from the lake.

Information for July 31, 2002 and this column was taken from the May 29, 1913 issue of the Paynesville Press.