LAKE NOKOMIS

'Lake Nokomis', also known as 'Nokomis Lake', is one of several lakes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The lake was originally named Lake Amelia in honor of Captain George Gooding’s daughter, Amelia, in 1819. Its current name was adopted in 1910 to honor Nokomis, grandmother of Hiawatha (legendary Indian hero of Longfellow’s poem, ''Song of Hiawatha''). It is located in the southern part of the city, west of the Mississippi River and south of Lake Hiawatha. The lake is oval in shape, with a long axis running southwest to northeast. Because the lower part of the lake is crossed by Cedar Avenue running north-south, the impression from the ground is that the lake is shaped like an L. The lake has an area of 204 acres.
When purchased in 1907, the lake was very shallow, only 5 feet in the deepest spot. Much of it was actually marshland or slough -- a drainage area for the neighborhood. It was deepened by dredging to produce the current lake.
Lake Nokomis has recently undergone a preservation project, creating areas of grassland around it. Several artificial ponds have been added to a more practical degree, as the areas where they are now were almost always flooded.
The lake is used by the surrounding population for many reasons. Fishing is excellent, as the lake is host to several game fish. The Cedar Avenue Bridge over the lake has 3 fishing balconies attached. The two beaches on the lake are popular recreation areas in the hot summers. And since the lake is surrounded by a relatively large park, many sports are practiced there. It has separate trails for pedestrians and bicyclists, with a distance around the lake of about three miles.

The main beach along the west side fronted by Cedar avenue has concessions, restrooms, and a variety of rental equipment. The smaller north beach (actually on the north-east) has no concessions but does have portable toilets. The lake bed drops off suddenly beyond the designated swimming areas, prompting a surprising and potentially dangerous environment for anyone swimming out bounds. This was cited as a contributing factor in the drowning death of an area teen in July, 2006 at the north beach.
Lake Nokomis has been the site of one of the more unique activities in the Minneapolis Aquatennial celebration, the "Milk Carton Boat Race," from 1983 to 2000, although that event was relocated back to Lake Calhoun in 2001.
Up until 1998 the lake was noted for having a number of very large and old trees which spanned several feet in diameter along the east shore, but these were uprooted in 1998 when a severe storm with high winds moved through the area.

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References

References

★ Minnesota DNR Lake Information Report

★ Minneapolis Parks - Lake Nokomis

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