Lake of the Isles

Lake of the Isles is a lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, connected to Cedar Lake and Bde Maka Ska. In winter it is used for ice skating and hockey and serves as the location of a New Year's Eve celebration featuring roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate. The lake has an area of 109 acres (0.4 km²), 2.86 miles (4.6 km) of shoreline with a little under three miles of paved walking and biking paths, and a maximum depth of 31 feet (9 m).

Some of the stately homes around Lake of the Isles

The lake seen from the south in July, with birdlife sanctuary islands on the left and right

Lake of the Isles
Minneapolis' skyline seen from Lake of the Isles, April 2006
Lake of the Isles
Location	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinates	44°57′17″N 93°18′27″W
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	109 acres (44 ha)
Max. depth	31 feet (9 m)
Islands	2 (Mike's Island, Raspberry Island)

Lake of the Isles is known for its two wooded islands, its long north arm, and the surrounding stately houses of the Kenwood, Lowry Hill, and East Isles neighborhoods. The lake was named for small islands that used to exist in the lake, wetlands area, and was used from the earliest days of settlement of Minneapolis. At one time the lake contained four small islands, but two of them, near the south shore of the lake, were converted to parkland as the lake was developed and dredged to its current shape and size. The two remaining wooded islands, Mike's Island in the north and Raspberry Island, are protected wildlife refuges which contain virgin woods. Landing on either of the islands is prohibited, as marked by signs.

The lake was created in its current form in the early 20th century by dredging a small lake, called Wita Tomna ("four islands lake") by the local Dakota people,[1] and an adjacent marsh. The dredged materials—mostly peat and silt—were used to create about 36 acres (150,000 m²) of parkland around the lake and the two islands in the middle of the lake. The settling of these materials and the pressure of urban development led to an unstable shoreline and reduced water quality. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is engaged in a multiyear project to stabilize the shoreline, renovate the parkland, and construct twelve stone points of access to the lake.

Fish

The lake contains black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tiger muskellunge, walleye, yellow bullhead, and yellow perch.[2] Some guideline restrictions have been placed on the consumption of bluegill, carp, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, and yellow perch from the lake, because of contamination with mercury and PFOS.[2]

Cultural depictions

Prince mentions Lake of the Isles in the song "Rock n Roll is Alive (And it Lives in Minneapolis)" with the lyric, "Sure as the drive around Lake of the Isles is cool I know, Rock 'n' roll will never die, like the Minnehaha flow." A number of shots in the opening to the Mary Tyler Moore Show were shot around Lake of the Isles.

See also

• List of lakes in Minneapolis
• List of shared-use paths in Minneapolis

References

1. Cairn, Rich and Susan (2003). "History of Minnehaha Creek Watershed" (PDF). Minnehahacreek.org. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
2. "Lake information report". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 2005-07-18.

• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board – Lake of the Isles
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board – Lake of the Isles Project
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Lake of the Isles Water Quality Data
• Photo Blog of Lake of the Isles