How the Lake and River Got Their Names

The Schoolcraft River, which crosses Lake Plantagenet from the south end near the lake’s iconic peninsula to the north shore, was named in honor of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793 -December 10, 1864) an American geographer, geologist and explorer, known for his early studies of Native American cultures.

In 1832, Schoolcraft organized an expedition to find “ Lac La Biche ,” or Elk Lake, now known as Lake Itasca. An Ojibwe guide, Ozawindib, led the party in light canoes from Star Island in Cass Lake. The group paddled through Lake Plantagenet (so named by Schooolcraft, previously called Kubba-Kunna) and up the Schoolcraft River (at that time named the Yellow Head for Ozawindib). They portaged west from the Lake Alice area and found the small weedy opening into Lac La Biche . To verify the source, they paddled from the newly named Lake Itasca (from the latin words veritas caput , for “True Source”) downstream along the winding Mississippi back to Cass Lake. “Plantagenet” was named for the line of Kings of England who reigned from 1154-1399 starting with Henry II. The family emblem was the flowering broom (in latin plantagenista ).

History of Lake Plantagenet

• Jacob Brower traveling down the Schoolcraft River in 1895 described evidence of an Indian village site at the outlet of Lake Plantagenet on the west side of the river.
• The area around the lake was logged off during the late 1800’s . The logs were floated down the lake toward the outlet of the Schoolcraft River. There was a logging camp north of the lake near the land now called the Fenske Farm and by the 1890’s most of the virgin forests were gone. Some logs from that time period still lay at the bottom of the north end of the lake.
• In 1898 , a description of a 2-day wagon trip from Park Rapids to Bemidji stated that they went on the Green Trail which wound its way through Emmaville, Lake George, and forded the Schoolcraft River at the south end of Plantagenet and then again at the north end of the lake. (“ Once Covered with Pine ” - Vandersluis - 1987).

Resorts

In 1947 Winslow and Effie Wisniewski built a resort, a popular stopping point for people making the long, all day drive from Bemidji to Park Rapids. Wisniewski’s Resort had a two story main building located on the north end by the outlet to the Schoolcraft River. It burned in 1968 and was not rebuilt. A small red garage remains just north of the spot where the two story building was located. This garage was the site of the “Spit and Argue Club” according to Len Steele who remembers it from his childhood.

In the late 1940’s , Balsam Beach Resort was founded. It is the only surviving resort on the lake and is run by Clint and Patty Mueller.In 1953, George and Dottie Naramore acquired land on the west shore to build the Red Squirrel Resort which was a thriving resort for almost 50 years.

In 1953, George and Dottie Naramore acquired land on the west shore to build the Red Squirrel Resort which was a thriving resort for almost 50 years.

Petersburg Outing Club

In 1917, the Petersburg Outing Club was incorporated for “recreation and social” purposes and was created by businessmen, farmers and teachers from Petersburg, ND who wanted to spend the summer on Lake Plantagenet. Initially, seven stock certificates were issued at $25.00 apiece.

The annual trip to the lake was usually made in caravans of 5 or 7 cars so that when one car had problems the others could stop to help. Tire blow-outs were common. The caravans traveled on the Jefferson Highway (the only highway in this part of Minnesota at the time) which took them as far as Solway - the rest of the way there were mail routes - often muddy swampy ruts.

Camps

Camp Merriwyn was owned and directed by Prudence Merriwyn who founded it in 1924 as a camp for girls on the beautiful south shores of Lake Plantagenet. It closed just before WWII.

The original facility had a large log lodge, tennis courts, a craft shop, archery range and a waterfront. Camp offered instruction in tennis, archery, English horse-back riding, dancing, canoeing and camp craft. A registration form from 1941 showed that the tuition for an eight-week summer experience was $300.00.

Camp Thunderbird was the dream of the husband and wife team of “Speedy” and “Honey” Altman who established the boy’s camp in 1947.

In 1958, Allen “Moe” Sigoloff joined the Thunderbird Staff as a nature lore counselor. In 2008, “Moe” celebrated his 50th season at camp. Carol Altman Sigoloff, of course, was present at camp in 1947 for its opening and has been an integral part of the camp ever since that time. Carol and Moe’s daughter, Shari Sigoloff, has become the third generation camp director.

A girl’s camp was established in 1969 on the southeast shore of Plantagenet to fulfill another dream of the Altmans. The site was the Bay Resort, then owned by the Carl Kumner family. The first homestead house on the property still stands. It was part of the Slough Family Farm and was built in 1903.