Thumb Lake/Lake Louise
Nearby ~ In Hudson Township
1926
"It is reported the name Thumb Lake has been changed to Lake Louise."
"It is reported the name Thumb Lake has been changed to Lake Louise."
Navigation Charts of Lake Charlevoix
Walloon Lake and Little Traverse Bay
1970
Walloon Lake and Little Traverse Bay
1970
"Thumb Lake (also known as Lake Louise) is at the eastern edge of Charlevoix County, about eight miles from Boyne Falls. The lake frontage is entirely in private hands- there are no marinas or stores. At one place at the southwest corner of the lake there is a public access site. There is no ramp, bu boats can be launched from the beach.
The 152 -foot sounding in the eastern portion of the lake is the deepest known point in any inland lake in the county- deeper than either lake Charlevoix or Walloon Lake.
Thumb Lake has its own internal drainage basin; that is, its waters do not flow into either Lake Huron or Lake Michigan...."
The 152 -foot sounding in the eastern portion of the lake is the deepest known point in any inland lake in the county- deeper than either lake Charlevoix or Walloon Lake.
Thumb Lake has its own internal drainage basin; that is, its waters do not flow into either Lake Huron or Lake Michigan...."
Map #13 in The Archaeological Atlas of Michigan published by the Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press in 1931, and written by Wilbert B. Hinsdale shows Charlevoix County MI. In viewing a close up version of Thumb Lake, the important and interesting information presented on this map was that a "Village of Thumb" was located next to Thumb Lake. This is the only map, known to this webmaster, to show a reference to a village called Thumb. Even in Mr. Halstead's book Spring-Fed Waters about Thumb Lake does not mention a village called Thumb having been near Thumb Lake/Lake Louise.
Although the 485 acres of waters of Thumb Lake do not wash on to any sands of Chandler Township, the waves and the spring-fed waters call to the residents of nearby Chandler Township, as well to the general public. I remember, when I was very young, after a hard day of helping my folks haul either loose, or baled, hay from our Chandler Township farm fields on to our tractor-pulled wagon, we would head, as a family, to Thumb Lake. My dad would suggest we each get soap, washcloth, and a towel, so we could go bathe in Thumb Lake... then, of course, we could play in the water after cleansing. Thumb Lake was important in my life as we had no running water inside our house until I was in high school, other than a hand pump that provided access to our cold cistern water.
During my dad Karl "Cub" Howard's early years, when he was still living just across the way from his dad Albert Howard, on Magee Road, Thumb Lake played a large part in their lives. During the dead of winter, Cub and Albert would drive a team of horses, pulling a dray, about a mile away to Thumb Lake. The dray, a low sled with no sides, would be pulled right out on to the lake where Cub would cut huge chunks of ice, load the chunks on to the dray, and drag it all back to Albert's to near his house and barn, to an ice house, about the size of a one car garage. The ice blocks were stored in the ice house, by covering the chunks with sawdust from Brent's sawmill in Vanderbilt. The sawdust insulation kept the valuable ice to well into the summer season. Newly slaughtered beef, or other types of meat, were then stored in the icehouse.
The value of Lake Louise/Thumb Lake to the surrounding community members was priceless in multiple ways.
~Karla Howard Buckmaster
The value of Lake Louise/Thumb Lake to the surrounding community members was priceless in multiple ways.
~Karla Howard Buckmaster
Photo Below from 9 October 2009
Posted only by Permission from Drone Photographer Charles Dawley, Up North Imaging
Drone Photography from Charles Dawley "Up North Imaging"
Posted only by Permission from Drone Photographer Charles Dawley, Up North Imaging
Drone Photography from Charles Dawley "Up North Imaging"
Obituary Below: "Ed Korthase started working with his uncle Henry Korthase building cottages and stone fireplaces. He soon started his own building business. He spent many years building the cottages around Lake Louise, including the concrete and steel bridge to Horner Island. In the early 1970s his interest switched to drilling water wells."
7 April 2015 ~ Petoskey News Review article below reported "$1 million preservation effort nears completion".
~ 28 August 2015 ~
Conservation easement project of the Gitcha-ninj Nebish forest for $1.2 million was finalized!
The US Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program made a $900,000. grant,
and the Lake Louise Christian Community donated $300,000.
This established a conservation easement on 750 acres of forest woodlands
which makes it available for future generations to enjoy recreation, research and education on the Thumb Lake property.
Conservation easement project of the Gitcha-ninj Nebish forest for $1.2 million was finalized!
The US Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program made a $900,000. grant,
and the Lake Louise Christian Community donated $300,000.
This established a conservation easement on 750 acres of forest woodlands
which makes it available for future generations to enjoy recreation, research and education on the Thumb Lake property.
Photo Above: Alex Childress' additional work also may be viewed at Alex Childress Photo.
11 October 2022
Around Thumb Lake in the Fall
Click Play in the upper left corner to view the slideshow below...
Around Thumb Lake in the Fall
Click Play in the upper left corner to view the slideshow below...
Two Photos Below: Thumb Lake's Island
More of Charles Dawley's remarkable videos and photography can be viewed on his
Drone Photography from Charles Dawley "Up North Imaging".
More of Charles Dawley's remarkable videos and photography can be viewed on his
Drone Photography from Charles Dawley "Up North Imaging".
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